Approximately 75 percent of all fungi that have been described to date belong to the phylum Ascomycota. They are usually referred to as Ascomycetes and are commonly found and collected by mushroom enthusiasts. Ascomycetes exhibit a remarkable range of biodiversity, are beautiful and visually complex, and some, including morels and truffles, are highly prized for their edibility. Many play significant roles in plant ecology because of the mycorrhizal associations that they form. Thus it is ...

The first fully illustrated reference guide to gasteroid mushrooms in North America.Gasteroid fungi are one of the most diverse groups of mushrooms. Unlike the majority of mushrooms that produce spores externally, these unusual fungi produce spores within their fruitbodies. Puffballs, Earthstars, Stinkhorns, and Other Gasteroid Fungi of Eastern North America is the first color-illustrated reference guide for this unique group of fungi in North America....

Identifying mushrooms in the wild can present an enticing challenge. Taking on unbelievable forms, some are delicious, others are deadly, but the edibility status of the majority remains unknown. In this revised and expanded edition of the classic, best-selling A Field Guide to Mushrooms of the Carolinas, readers will find over 1,000 mushroom species described in clear, simple terms, with color photographs showcasing their unique combinations of features.What’s included:

Unusual shapes and colors make many mushrooms alluring to the eye, while the exotic flavors and textures of edible mushrooms are a gourmet delicacy for the palate. Yet many people never venture beyond the supermarket offerings, fearing that all other mushrooms are poisonous.With amateur mushroom hunters especially in mind, David Fischer and Alan Bessette have prepared Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America. This field guide presents more than 100 species of the most delicious mushr...

More than 100 mushrooms in the genus Tricholoma have been reported in North America. Most are relatively large, showy mushrooms that grow on the ground near many species of temperate forest trees, both hardwoods and conifers. They typically fruit from late summer through early winter or even into spring in warmer areas. Some are fine edibles, including the matsutake. Others are inedible or even poisonous.Filling the gap between technical publications and the limited representation of Tricholo...

This is the first color-illustrated guide to polypores and similar fungi specific to the eastern and central regions of the United States and Canada. Welcoming and comprehensive, it accurately presents the currently available information about polypores, emphasizes identification based primarily on macroscopic field characters, and includes observational data drawn from the authors’ extensive experience. It includes new species and genera; addresses changing nomenclature; and provides deta...

The weather patterns and topography of America's Gulf Coast create favorable growing conditions for thousands of species of mushrooms, but the complete region has generally gone uncharted when it comes to mycology. Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast States at last delivers an in-depth, high-quality, user-friendly field guide, featuring more than 1,000 common and lesser-known species—some of which are being illustrated in color for the first time.Using easily identifiable characte...

Many mushroom hunters prefer to do their foraging in the marketplace, where all the mushrooms are clearly labeled and safely edible. With this fact in mind, Arleen and Alan Bessette have written Taming the Wild Mushroom, one of the first cooking guides devoted exclusively to choosing and preparing the mushroom species now available in many grocery stores, supermarkets, and natural and whole foods markets.A dozen wild and cultivated species are covered in the book, includin...

"The lurid photographs and enticing, offhandedly witty descriptions make the reader want to go out collecting specimens right away."— Popular ScienceFrom morels to chanterelles, toadstools to truffles, fungi have been a source of fascination since the earliest hunter-gatherers first foraged for them. Today there are few, if any, places on Earth where fungi have not found themselves a home—their habitats span the poles and the tropics, mountaintops and back...

Learn the ins and outs of proper bonsai design and care with this comprehensive Japanese gardening book.Japanese bonsai have long been admired throughout the world while their care and preservation have seemed shrouded in mystery. The Art of Bonsai is, however, a comparatively simple art to learn. Anyone with a love a plants, a little patience and this eminently practical book can create bonsai and keep a finished plant healthy and vigorous for generations...

A home grower's guide to growing orchid favorites at home.  Contains 16 original photos. 

"Would You Like To Know How To Grow The Most Amazing Orchids?" I received my very first orchid for my birthday one year and cherished the elegant plant for the two months that it bloomed. Then, when the petals fell off, I was heartbroken and thought that I had killed it with overindulgence or something. After consulting an expert at my local exotic plant store, I realized that with the proper care, my orchid would bloom again and again.