This definitive reference with over 300 full-color photographs to the world of mushrooms is an essential addition to every mushroom hunter's field kit. The various habitats where mushrooms are found, the times of year when different mushrooms grow are included, along with essential information on equipment, storing and preserving, and how to take a spore print. A fully illustrated A-Z guide follows with the identifying features and habitats of the most popular edible mushrooms. Each entry is accompanied by a clear photographic portrait of the mushroom and in-place images of the growing mushroom for even more accurate information. Additional hints and tips for culinary preparation tell how to preserve, store and cook mushrooms, and clearly illustrates all the poisonous and possibly deceptive kinds of mushrooms which the picker is most likely to come across.