Introduction
Welcome to MykoWeb, WWW pages devoted to the science of mycology (the study of the fungi) and the hobby of mushrooming (the pursuit of mushrooms). It is a production of Michael Wood, a past president of the Mycological Society of San Francisco. MykoWeb was started in the fall of 1995 and was one of the first internet mycology mushrooming sites.
The Fungi of California
The main attraction at MykoWeb is The Fungi of California, an expanded version of the former "Fungi of the San Francisco Bay Area". The Fungi of California contains photographs over 560 species of fungi found in California, with over 460 of the species with descriptions. There are currently over 3900 total photographs of the mushrooms. Included are links to other online descriptions and photos of the species treated plus references to common field guides. Also included is a Glossary of mycological terms and a Bibliography of useful mycological references. The Fungi of California is a joint project of Michael Wood and Fred Stevens.
Reprinted Books
MykoWeb has republished four books that are mycological treasures, but long out of print in book form. The first appears here as The Boletes of California. This is an online reprint of California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes by Dr. Harry D. Thiers. Here you will find keys and descriptions of the 85 species and varieties of Boletes known from California when the book was published in 1975. The Boletes of California was done with the permission of Dr. Harry Thiers and the assistance of Fred Stevens and Michael Boom.
"The book is excellent. Thiers is a top-notch writer. More botanists should write for both the professional and amateur."
(Clark Rogerson, Managing Editor of Mycologia, 1975)
MykoWeb has started a series of mushroom monograph reprints. The first, The North American Species of Pholiota, is now complete. Included are descriptions of 216 taxa of Pholiota (sensu lato), with illustrations and photographs. Just completed is the North American Species of Crepidotus with descriptions, illustrations, and photographs of 139 taxa.
MykoWeb has also republished the fine mushroom cookbook by Louise Freedman: Wild About Mushrooms: the Cookbook of the Mycological Society of San Francisco. The books covers the preparation and preservation of many wild and cultivated mushroom species. Enjoy the abundance of excellent recipes!
Photos
MykoWeb is a site rich in fungal photography. There about 4000 fungal photographs to view, with over 00 of these illustrating the species at The Fungi of California. Many of the best photographs are available for viewing in large size (1024 x 768 or 1280 x 960) on the Large Photos pages.
Much, Much More
Michael Wood is also the creator and WebMaster of the Mycological Society of San Francisco website and served as WebMaster of the North American Mycological Association website for over four years. Included at MykoWeb is a list of all the amateur mushroom clubs in North America, with mailing addresses, web site information, and email contacts.
A mycoblitz is a quick, intense survey of the fungal species present. At the Pt. Reyes MycoBlitz pages you can learn about the study of that area that is in progress. Eventually there will be photos and collection information on all the voucher specimens collected in the study.
Other parts of MykoWeb include a page of Wild Mushroom Recipes and a giant Links page with links to hundreds of other mushroom sites on the World Wide Web. On the Mushroom Articles page you will find some fine writing by Steve Trudell (mycorrhiza & book reviews), Mike Boom (fungal lust!) and Terri Beausejour (cultivation) and many others. Finally there is the Miscellanea page. There you can find what does not fit elsewhere, including watercolors, quotes and plates from old mushroom books, mushroom humor, and several bibliographies, including a copy of my Bibliography of the Hypogeous and Secotioid Fungi.
The photographs throughout MykoWeb are copyrighted by the photographers who took them and are used here with their permission. For more information, see Use of Photographs at MykoWeb
Many thanks to all who have helped with these pages. Very special thanks to Fred Stevens, Mike Boom, and Taylor F. Lockwood.
Thank you for visiting MykoWeb.
