Not just another field guide

Are you tired of trying to identify a mushroom with a book, key or app? It is an incredibly time consuming and frustrating experience that usually ends with, I think I've identified the mushroom...

And then the unsettling question:

What if it is not the edible one but a mushroom that looks like it? And if so, is it toxic?

Why is it so difficult to find a list of look-a-likes for common edible mushrooms?

To answer this question, a group of us got together and created this collection.

The first collection Deck 1: The Edibles is a faster and simpler method to scientifically, YET clearly, identify some of the most common edible mushrooms found in both Europe and North America. It provides at a glance, the ensemble of characteristics that make the mushroom unique. The deck is accompanied by The Twins, a booklet that provides a comprehensive list of look-a-likes for the edible mushrooms included in the deck.

The deck is compact and handy too.

Deck 2: The Deadlies compliments the first collection by providing information and illustrations on the deadliest of mushrooms. That is, the mushrooms that are responsable for a minimum of one documented death, somewhere in the world.

Our newest collection Deck 3: The Wild Ones contains 25 entheogenic mushrooms that grow in the wild in Europe and North America. We are still working on this collection. Please sign up below if you would like to be notified when this collection becomes available. We hope to have it ready this spring (2024).

The Twins Book

For those foragers who can easily identify the common edibles already and thus do not need the identification cards included in The Edibles,we have made The Twins booklet available for purchase on its own. The Twins is the only reference guide on the planet (that we know of) that is dedicated to differentiating some of the most common edible mushroom in Europe and north American from their look-alikes.

**WhichFungi does not encourage or condone the use of psychoactive mushrooms. The purpose of this third collection is to make foragers aware of the extremely toxic and sometimes deadly look-a-likes for mushrooms of this type.

Please notify me when Deck 3: The Wild Ones is available for purchase

Our Collection (in English)

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Notre Collection (en français)

So what's next?

We are very excited to have completed an expanded stand-alone version of our Twins Booklet plus two new collections. The Twins Booklet that is currently included within Deck I: The Edibles, has been expanded and enriched into its own stand-alone product called The Twins Book. Now available through AMAZON.

Deck 3: The Wild Ones is comprised of mushrooms known to have psycoactive properties. The drawings for this collection have been done by Eleanor Phillips. Besides being gorgeous, they convey the true characteristics of these historically important, some say dangerous and certainly illegal in many countries, wonderful fungi of North America (excluding Mexico) and Europe. Preorders are currently being accepted. We are doing our best to have them in time for Christmas 2023!

Deck 4: The Medicinals is in the planning stage and scheduled to be released spring 2024.

A Sneak Preview of Deck 3: The Wild Ones...

Video

WhichFungi Team

Elise Rothman d'Hauthuille, author  

For over 10 years, Elise has been collecting and studying mushrooms in California, England; Wales, Greece and now France.  The new method of mushroom identification in this collection is the fruit of Elise's experience in the field of data research, collection and analysis, coupled with a passion for fungi and 5 years of dedication. Besides her interest in mycology, Elise has been working in the non-profit sector on project development, research and funding for programs ranging from equine assisted therapy, youth and the arts, agroforestry, sustainable farming and local food systems. Elise is a closet scientist, mycologist, permaculturist, social activist and a warrior for the planet. She is the mother of Max, Zoe and Luc, ages 29, 28 and 27 who live in France, Ireland and Santa Cruz (California) respectively. 


Michel Beeckman, co-author

Michel Beeckman is a young Dutch amateur mycologist from The Hague. He started his interest in mushrooms at age two, and became the youngest member ever to join the Dutch Mycological Society at age nine. Ever since, he has been leading mushroom forays, workshops, and talks for children and their parents, students, beginners to experts, and excursion leaders in training. Over the years he has compiled quite a collection of mycological literature, and curates his own small personal herbarium. His current personal focus within mycology is the taxonomy of and education about coprinoids (“ink caps”), which he has been studying over the past six years. In the past eight years he has been very active on social media, particularly Facebook, where he helps with identifications and education all over the world. Michel is also a trusted identifier for the online emergency identification service “Poisons Help; Emergency Identification For Mushrooms & Plants”, which is used by Poison Control, vets, medics, worried parents and pet owners. This platform consists of a global team of experts in mycology, botany, toxicology, chemistry, as well as several vets and medics. They provide accurate, peer-reviewed identification and toxicological information in case of (potential) poisoning by mushrooms or plants.


Philippe Durand, scientific advisor

Born in the Tarn in 1945. Professor of mathematics, he taught at the Lycée Barral in Castres and at the IUT Paul-Sabatier, Albi branch. Passionate since his youth about the study of biodiversity, he is president of the Société Tarnaise de Sciences Naturelles and actively participates in a better knowledge of the flora, fauna and flora of southern France. He is co-author of several books, including À la découverte de la flore du Haut-Languedoc, 2014, a co-publication of the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Languedoc and Naturalia Publications.


Samuel Arnold Keane artist/illustrator Deck I: The Edibles

Samuel Arnold Keane is an illustrator, forager, musician...amongst other things. Having grown up in France, Samuel moved to Ireland where he later studied Graphic Design in Dublin. Samuel has independently published booklets, 'Urban Forager' and 'Seaweed Forager' amongst other prints. He has led foraging workshops with the Irish Wildlife Trust, Common Ground Bray, Bray Refugee Solidarity and Brittas Bay Surf School. The booklets combine educational facts with storytelling and intricate illustration- bringing out the magic that arises when foraging. Tying into the content- the pieces themselves are printed on recycled papers and designed using a folding pattern rather than glues. Samuel has also painted murals in Dublin city as part of Dublin Canvas Project as well as private home murals, all based on plant form.instagram: @samyelyel   website: www.samyelyel.tumblr.com


Ríona Ní Ríagáin artist/illustrator Deck II: The Deadlies

Ríona Ní Ríagáin grew up off the grid in the Burren in the west of Ireland. An intimate relationship with this unique landscape and ecosystem informed her strong reverence and fascination with the subtleties of nature. After a childhood and adolescence creating art, she completed a BA in Fine Art from Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork with a focus on drawing and illustration, emphasising natural phenomena such as plants, seeds, outer space, and Fibonacci spirals. She is currently self-employed doing freelance artwork including album and book covers, illustrating short stories, and selling originals and prints via the links below. Etsy.com/ie/shop/ancientfernsart  instagram.com/ancient.ferns.art


Eleanor Quinn artist/illustrator Deck III: The Wild Ones

Eleanor Quinn is a visual artist from Cork, Ireland, with an MA in Fine Art from Crawford College of Art and Design where she specialised in life drawing. Eleanor is a book illustrator and freelance artist, working traditionally on paper with ink or pencil. Her work is known for being detail oriented and small in scale, with a love for both recording reality and bringing to life things imaginary. Prints of her work can be bought online at etsy.com/ie/shop/BrambleHillPress. 

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