A Field Guide to the Mushrooms of Georgia is the first highly illustrated, comprehensive mushroom field guide dedicated to the entire state of Georgia. Written in a relaxed style and using terminology that is easily accessible for both beginners and more experienced mushroom enthusiasts, this book emphasizes identification based primarily on macroscopic field characters, including observational data based on the authors' years of experience.
The authors provide a step-by-step identification process that makes mushroom foraging fun and informative, and the guide's 750+ colour photographs make fungi species identification easy.
Each species description contains information on edibility and/or toxicity, which is essential for foragers interested in eating wild mushrooms. Additionally, the descriptions provide enough detailed information to be of use for advanced students and professional mycologists. The highest quality documentary color images, as well as black-and-white illustrations by Anthoni Goodman, further assist in the identification process. This is the definitive guide for mushroom identification in the state of Georgia.
Alan E. Bessette is a mycologist and professor emeritus of biology at Utica College of Syracuse University. He has authored or co-authored more than twenty books, including Mushrooms of Northeastern North America and Milk Mushrooms of North America. He and Arleen live in Burlington, North Carolina.
Arleen R. Bessette is a mycologist, an award-winning botanical photographer, and a retired psychotherapist. She is the author or co-author of more than fifteen books, including Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States and Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast States: A Field Guide to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
Michael W. Hopping is a mycologist, writer, and retired medical doctor. A member of the Asheville Mushroom Club, he serves as a mushroom identifier and community educator. He is co-author of Field Guide to the Mushrooms of the Carolinas. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
"Here is a comprehensive guide to the mushrooms of Georgia and the surrounding myco-rich Southeast. It includes several species not featured in other field guides of the region, and the photo illustrations are consistently high quality. Many will appreciate that the scientific names of species reflect the most recent revisions of taxonomy. Whether this is your first or fifteenth identification guide to eastern North American mushrooms, this one belongs in your library. Highly recommended."
– William C. Roody, author of Mushrooms of West Virginia and the Central Appalachians
"This book is an outstanding contribution to Georgia mycology. The authors' extensive study of mushrooms in Georgia is evident, with hundreds of represented species from each part of the state. It is a perfect book for beginners and a must-have for seasoned Georgia mycologists."
– Emily Cantonwine, biology professor, University of Georgia, and senior editor of the Plant Health Instructor
"A very useful field guide to the macrofungi of Georgia. The authors' selection of species depicted in this field guide is excellent, including common and eye-catching species while steering clear of confusing species. The synoptic descriptions are also excellent. The color photographs are of high quality, making this a very attractive book."
– D. Jean Lodge, adjunct botanist in plant biology, University of Georgia