The identification of your fungus is important in understanding its role in everyday life. Whether you want to eat a fungus or record its location for scientific or conservation purposes, the process is the same.

This section of the site provides advice on what field characteristics are important to know about, how to make field notes and images so that you or other people can make an accurate identification. It must be emphasised that in several cases, one has to resort to microscopic characters for a definitive answer... even by the expert! Additional advice on the identification of important edible and toxic fungi is provided under 'Eating fungi'.

The best ways to learn to identify fungi are to join a local fungus group, attend one of the workshops in the UK or seek advice from other mycologists on the Scottish Field Mycology E-group.