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Mushrooms, the first of a major new series of books on British natural history, provides a remarkable insight into the natural and human world of fungi.Peter Marren, in his inimitable, relaxed style, guides the reader through the extraordinary riches of this often overlooked group, from the amazing diversity of forms and lifestyles that populate the fungal landscape, to the pursuit of edible fungi for the pot, and the complexities of identification thrown up by our modern understanding of DNA.
Throughout the book, the author tells a story rich in detail about how we have come to appreciate and, in some cases, fear the mushrooms and toadstools that are such an integral part of the changing seasons. Marren also provides a refreshingly candid view of our attempts to name species, the role of fungi in ecosystems, and our recent efforts to record and conserve them.
List of contents
ForewordA fungal autobiography
Meet the mushrooms
What's in a name?
Mushrooms on parade
What mushroom is that?
Natural habitats
In our midst: our fungal neighbours
Earthtongues, waxcaps and hedgehogs
Scarcity and plenty
Forays amongst the funguses
The good, the bad and the crazy
Picking for the pot
Saving mushrooms
About the author
Peter Marren is a natural-history writer and former government and freelance conservationist. He is a wildlife polymath whose writings extend from newspaper journalism, obituaries, book reviews and opinion pieces to humour and news summaries for the likes of Whitaker’s Almanack. He is the author of more than 20 books, including Bugs Britannica, Chasing the Ghost, After They’re Gone, and two books in the British Wildlife Collection series: Mushrooms and Rare Plants.
Summary
Mushrooms, the first of a major new series of books on British natural history, provides a remarkable insight into the natural and human world of fungi.
Peter Marren, in his inimitable, relaxed style, guides the reader through the extraordinary riches of this often overlooked group, from the amazing diversity of forms and lifestyles that populate the fungal landscape, to the pursuit of edible fungi for the pot, and the complexities of identification thrown up by our modern understanding of DNA.
Throughout the book, the author tells a story rich in detail about how we have come to appreciate and, in some cases, fear the mushrooms and toadstools that are such an integral part of the changing seasons. Marren also provides a refreshingly candid view of our attempts to name species, the role of fungi in ecosystems, and our recent efforts to record and conserve them.
Additional text
A wonderfully eclectic book about the strange world of fungi, by one of the best nature writers in Britain today.
