Systematic Resources

This is a page of systematic (taxonomic and nomenclatural) resources for the higher fungi. It is intended to help amateur mycologists go beyond the field guide in their study of the identification and classification of the higher fungi.

Contents:
• References On-Line
• Bibliographies
• Descriptions and Keys On-Line
• Molecular Phylogeny
• Mycology Labs & Herbaria
• Useful Photographs On-Line

References On-Line

• CABI Bioscience Databases
  • The Bibliography of Systematic Mycology
    The print version of the The Bibliography of Systematic Mycology has been the essential reference for systematic (taxonomic and nomenclatural) mycological literature since 1943. The on-line version has references going back to 1986. You can search by Genus or Author to get a list of references. A fundamental resource.
  • Database of Fungal Names (Index Fungorum)
    You can search by name or epithet. Examples: (1.) A name search for "Boletus" returns a list of 1868 names beginning with Boletus aberrans J. Blum and ending with Boletus zonatus Nees. (2.) A name search for "Boletus edulis" returns 47 names. (3.) A epithet search for "edulis" returns 75 names. Most names returned are complete with author citation, many also have the literature citation.
  • Classification from the 9th edition of the Dictionary of the Fungi
    A search on a genus name returns the taxonomic hierarchy for that name from the Dictionary of the Fungi. For example: a search on "Boletus" returns "Boletus Fr. 1821, Boletaceae, Boletales, Basidiomycetes, Basidiomycota, Fungi".
  • Family Names Databases
    Search on fungal family names.
• Fungi of Australia: Glossary
  An excellent mycological glossary.
• International Code of Botanical Nomenclature
  The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature is the "rulebook" that governs the naming of all plants and fungi. The latest ICBN is the "St. Louis" code from 1999. An older on-line version is the "Tokyo Code" from 1994. The ICBN is available in print from Koeltz Scientific Books.
• A Guide to Botanical Nomenclature
  A "Tennessee Tutorial" by Ronald H. Petersen. This tutorial will help make sense of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.
• Glossary of "Type" Terminology:
  Holotype, Isotype, Lectotype, Neotype etc. defined.
• Singer Index
  A searchable database for Rolf Singer's fungal genera, species, infra-species, and publications. Singer named 86 genera, over 2460 species and infraspecies of fungi in 440 papers and books.
• The Colors of Ridgway and Methuen (Kornerup & Wansher)
  "An Eye-Ball Concordance" by Ronald H. Petersen. Consistent color names are essential to good descriptions of fungi. Ridgway and Methuen are the two most used color books in mycology. Most technical descriptions will cite colors using one of these books. Ridgway is very old (1912) and very expensive ($300 to $1500, depending on condition). Methuen is newer (mine is 3rd ed., 1978), but out-of-print and hard to find. This site helps translate the colors of one book into the other. There is also a useful "Concordance to the colors used by E. M. Fries".
• Author Query
  A searchable database of author names and their standard forms. The basis of this database is Brummitt & Powell's Authors of Plant Names (1992).
• Conserved Plant Names
  All proposals for conservation or rejection of scientific names of fungi and plants are now published in Taxon. This is a searchable database to the names proposed for conservation or rejection since the first proposals in 1892.
• The Mycology.Net
  An Internet Portal from Scientists for Scientists Presenting Information about Diversity of Fungi."

Top of Page

Bibliographies

• Reference List for Taxonomic Treatments of Agarics
  "With Special Emphasis on Western United States Taxa". By Dr. Dennis E. Desjardin (San Francisco State University). This is a 82 KB Abobe Acrobat file (PDF).
• Seven Essential Reference Books
• A Bibliography of Mushroom Books
  This 67 KB PDF is a bibliography of books useful for the identification of mushrooms and some other fungi. Included is the technical literature and the better field guides.
• A Bibliography of the Hypogeous and Secotioid Fungi
• A Bibliography of the Pezizales
  By Dr. Nancy Smith Weber. From her PezWeb site.
• Landmark papers in fungal phylogeny
  By Dr. Rytas Vilgalys (Duke University)

Top of Page

Descriptions and Keys On-Line

• Agaricus: Trail Key to Common Agaricus Species of the Central California Coast
  "The Fungi of California" key by Fred Stevens
• Agaricus: Trial field key to the species of AGARICUS in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council Agaricus key #1
• Agaricus: Trial field key to the species of AGARICUS in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council Agaricus key #2
• Agrocybe: Trial field key to the species of AGROCYBE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council
• Amanita: Amanita Studies
  Keys, photographs, and descriptions.
• Amanita: Trial key to the species of AMANITA in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key by Janet Lindgren
• Amanita: Notes on Methodology for Study of Amanita (Agaricales)
  By Rodham E. Tulloss
• Armillaria: The state of taxonomy of the genus Armillaria
  By Tom Volk and Hal Burdsall. Especially useful here is the Key to Armillaria.
• "Astrogastraceus Series": MICH Fungal Bioinformatics Project
  Keys, descriptions and illustrations to Gymnomyces, Martellia, Zelleromyces, Octavianina, and Hydnangium. From "Singer, R. and A. H. Smith. 1960. Studies on secotiaceous fungi. IX. The asrogastraceus series. Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 21(3): 1-112."
• Boletaceae: The Boletes of California
  The MykoWeb on-line reprint of "Thiers, Harry D. 1975. California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes. New York, NY: Hafner Press. 261p." Includes keys and complete descriptions of all species of the Boletaceae known from California in 1975.
• Boletaceae: The Boletes of Michigan
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H. & Thiers, H.D. (1971). The Boletes of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. 426p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Boletaceae: Trial field key to the BOLETES in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• California: The Fungi of California
  Descriptions of over 370 species of California fungi, illustrated with over 1600 photographs. Included are links to other descriptions and photos on the web for the species covered.
• California: Key to the Common Mushrooms and Other Fungi of Salt Point
  By Mike Davis, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis
• Canada: George Barron's Fungi of Canada -- East
  Photographs of mostly Eastern Canadian/Northeastern US species, most with a short description.
• Clavariod Fungi: Key to the genera of clavarioid fungi in Northern Europe
  A PDF file.
• Collybia : A revision of Collybia s.l. in the NE United States and adjacent Canada
  This is a revised edition of "Halling, Roy E. 1983. The genus Collybia (Agaricales) in the Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Mycologia Memoirs 8: 1-148." Three genera are recognized: Collybia s.s., Gymnopus, and Rhodocollybia. Included are keys, descriptions, photographs, and illustrations of the microscopic features. Unfortunately the introductory sections from the book dealing with history, nomenclature, taxonomic features, and materials and methods are not included in the on-line revised reprint. Even without the introductory sections, this is an excellent resource.
• Coprinus: Coprinus-site
  The very informative Coprinus site by Kees UljΘ. Go to the Index to get to the descriptions. Many species are illustrated by photographs and/or illustrations of microscopic features. Included are Keys and a downloadable mushroom identification program. An excellent resource.
• Costa Rica: Macrofungi of Costa Rica
  Photographs, photomicrographs and descriptions of over 170 species. Included are keys to some groups.
• Crepidotus: North American species of Crepidotus
  The complete contents of "Hesler, L.R. & Smith, A.H. (1965). North American Species of Crepidotus. New York, NY: Hafner Publishing Company. 168p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Cystoderma: Trial field key to the species of CYSTODERMA in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Dermocybe: Key to Cortinarius subgenus Dermocybe
  A key to the species of Dermocybe found in the Nordic countries.
• Entolomataceae: Trial field key to the species of ENTOLOMATACEAE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Europe: MycoKey
  A synoptic key to the genera of macrofungi of North Europe. Includes 280 genera and 1080 illustrated species.
• Flammulina: The Genus Flammulina
  "A Tennessee Tutorial". This is a monograph of the 12 species of Flammulina.
• Galerina: A monograph on the genus Galerina Earle
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H. & Singer, R. (1964). A Monograph of the Genus Galerina Earle. New York, NY: Hafner Publishing Company. 384p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Greater Antilles: Basidiomycetes of the Greater Antilles
  Photographs of over 220 species with keys to selected taxa.
• Gymnopusoid Fungi: GYMNOPUSOID SPECIES in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Hawaiian Islands: Agaricales of the Hawaiian Islands
  Photographs with comments on 84 species, a few with complete descriptions. Includes keys to selected taxa.
• Hebeloma: The veiled species of Hebeloma in the western United States
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H., Evenson, V.S. & Mitchel, D.H. (1983). The Veiled Species of Hebeloma in the Western United States. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. 219p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Helvellaceae: Trial Key to HELVELLACEAE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Hemimycena: Hemimycena: A difficult genus?
  Generic concepts of Hemimycena by Machiel Noordeloos.
• Hygrophorus s.l.: North American species of Hygrophorus
  The complete contents of "Hesler, L.R. & Smith, A.H. (1963). North American Species of Hygrophorus. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press. 416p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Hygrophorus s.l.: Trial field key to the species of HYGROPHORUS in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Hypomyces: Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory: Hypomyces (Fungi, Ascomycetes, Hypocreales)
  An interactive key with descriptions and over 500 images for the 30 species of Hypomyces that represent a majority of the Hypomyces found in temperate regions.
• Laccaria: The Mushroom Genus Laccaria in North America
  Essentially an on-line reprint of "Mueller, G. M. 1992. Systematics of Laccaria (Agaricales) in the Continental United States and Canada, With Discussions on Extralimital Taxa and Descriptions of Extant Types. Fieldiana: Botany, n.s., 30: 1-158." This is a monograph of Laccaria in North America, complete with descriptions, photographs, drawings of microscopic characters and SEM spore photographs. Includes a pictorial key. An excellent resource.
• Lactarius: North American species of Lactarius
  The complete contents of "Hesler, L.R. & Smith, A.H. (1979). North American Species of Lactarius. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. 841p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Lasiosphaeriaceae: Studies in the Lasiosphaeriaceae
  Monographs of two key genera and a family-level phylogeny
• Lentinellus & Neolintenellus: Trial field key to species of LENTINELLUS and NEOLENTINUS in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Lepiota & Allies: Trial Key to Pacific Northwest Lepiota and Allies
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Limacella: Trial field key to the species of LIMACELLA in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Lycoperdaceae and Geastraceae: Trial field key to the LYCOPERDACEAE & GEASTRACEAE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Miscellanea: University of Paisley: Index to the kingdom Fungi
• Mycena: A Key to the Mycenas of Europe
  A key to the European Mycenas, with descriptions and photographs.
• Mycenoid Fungi: Trial Key to the MYCENOID SPECIES in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key (unabridged version)
• Mycenoid Fungi: Trial Key to the MYCENOID SPECIES in the Pacific Northwest
  A Pacific Northwest Key Council key. "This shorter key includes the Mycenoid species that are colorful, exude juice, have slime on the stem, or have stems that attach by a disc or bulb. The genera are Mycena, Chromosera, Hydropus, and Rickenella."
• Nidulariaceae: Trial field key to the species of NIDULARIACEAE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Pacific Northwest (USA): Pacific Northwest Key Council
  Keys to Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest
• Panaeolus: Trial field key to the species of PANAEOLUS in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Pezizales: PezWeb
  Useful introductory material dealing with the features and characters of the Pezizales. Includes a "Preliminary Checklist of the Pezizales of Western North America".
• Pezizales: Systematic Studies in Discomycetes: Pezizales
  Keys and photographs are included.
• Pezizales: Key to the genera of the operculate cup-fungi (PEZIZALES) of the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain Region
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Phaeocollybia: MICH Fungal Bioinformatics Project
  Keys and descriptions from "Smith, A. H. 1957. A contribution towards a monograph of Phaeocollybia. Brittonia 9: 195-217."
• Phlegmacium: The Phlegmacium Website
  Commented photographs of Cortinarius subgenus Phegmacium from Europe.
• Pholiota: North American species of Pholiota
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H. & Hesler, L.R. (1968). The North American Species of Pholiota. New York, NY: Hafner Publishing Company. 492p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Pholiota: Trial key to the species of PHOLIOTA in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Pleurotoid species: Trial field key to the PLEUROTOID SPECIES in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Pleurotus: Biological Species in Pleurotus
  A discussion of "biological species" or "intersterility groups" of Pleurotus. Included are photographs and keys.
• Poland: The Fungi of Poland
  Good descriptions (in Polish, with some parts in English) and photographs of about 300 species. Very useful is the Index of fungi pages or photographs on The Net (in English), which includes links to over 3700 pages or photographs.
• Psathyrella: North American species of Psathyrella
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H. (1972). The North American Species of Psathyrella (Mem. NY. Bot. Gard.: 24). Bronx, NY: New York Botanical Garden. 521p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Psilocybe: Psilocybe
  Characteristics and a key to the European species of Psilocybe, sections Psilocybe & Coprophilae by Machiel Noordeloos.
• Puffballs: Puffballs and their allies in Michigan
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H. (1951). Puffballs and their allies in Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. 131p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Ramaria: Ramaria: Trial Key to the Pacific Northwest Species
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key microscopic key in Microsoft Word format by Ron Exeter
• Ramaria: Summary of the Pacific Northwest Ramaria subgenera Echinoramaria, Laeticolora, Lentoramaria and Ramaria
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key in Microsoft Word format by Ron Exeter
• Resupinate Fungi: Resupinate Aphyllophorales
  Descriptions, nomenclature, and photos of wood-inhabiting aphyllophorales and heterobasidiomycetes from Southern Switzerland.
• Rhizopogon: A preliminary account of the North American species of Rhizopogon
  The complete contents of "Smith, A.H. & Zeller, S.M. (1966). A Preliminary Account of the North American Species of Rhizopogon. Bronx, NY: New York Botanical Gardens. 177p." From the "University of Michigan Herbarium Fungus Monographs". Each page is available as image, PDF, or text. Poorly implemented and hard-to-use, but it's all here.
• Russula: Trial field key to the species of RUSSULA in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Russula: On-line synoptic key to the species of Russula in North America
  Key by Geoffrey Kibby and Raymond Fatto.
• Russulales: The Russulales Website
  Includes a "Visual Guide to Characteristics of Russula and Lactarius", some photographs, and PDFs of some recent papers.
• Russulales: Russulales News
  Descriptions, photographs, and keys. To see examples of what kind of information planned for all species, go here.
• Sarcosomataceae: Trial field key to the species of SARCOSOMATACEAE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Sclerodermataceae: Trial field key to the species of SCLERODERMATACEAE in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Sclerotiniaceae & Rutstroemiaceae: Synoptic keys to the inoperculate stromatic discomycetes in the Nordic countries: Sclerotiniaceae & Rutstroemiaceae
• Tricholoma: Key to Tricholoma of Quebec
  A key to approximately 50 species
• Tricholomopsis: MICH Fungal Bioinformatics Project
  Keys and descriptions from "Smith, A. H. 1960. Tricholomopsis (Agaricales) in the western hemisphere. Brittonia 12: 41-70."
• Tricholomopsis: Trial field key to the species of TRICHOLOMOPSIS in the Pacific Northwest
  Pacific Northwest Key Council key
• Truffles: Keys to the Genera of Truffles (Ascomycetes)
  By James M. Trappe and Michael A. Castellano
• U.S.A./China: Comparative Studies on the Macrofungi of China and Eastern North America
  Discussion and some photographs.
• Xylariaceae: Home of the Xylariaceae
  Mongographs of the following genera of the Xylariaceae: Biscogniauxia, Creosphaeria, Daldinia, Discoxylaria, Entoleuca, Hypoxylon, Jumillera, Kretzschmaria, Kretzschmariella, Stilbohypoxylon, Vivantia, and Whalleya. Descriptions, photographs, and keys included. An excellent resource.

Top of Page

Molecular Phylogeny

• Landmark papers in fungal phylogeny
  By Dr. Rytas Vilgalys (Duke University)
• Molecular Systematics and Evolution of Agaricoid Mushrooms and Allies
• Molecular Phylogeny of the Agaricales Based on 25S rDNA Sequences
• Phylogenetic relationships of agaric fungi based on nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences
• One hundred and seventeen clades of euagarics

Top of Page

Mycology Labs & Herbaria

Many of the Mycology Lab homepages have abstracts of recently published articles. Some have entire articles available in PDF. With a little work, valuable information can be mined from these sites.
• The Bruns Lab
• Duke Mycology
• Tom Volk's Fungi
• The Taylor Lab
• The Hibbett Lab
• University of Tennessee Mycology Lab
• New York Botanical Garden
• University of Michigan Herbarium
• The Edible Mycorrhizal Mushroom Research Group
• National Botanic Garden of Belgium
• The Microbial World: The Fungal Web

Top of Page

Useful Photographs On-Line

Many other sites with photographs are listed under Descriptions and Keys:
• Page perso de JJ.Wuilbaut
• Pilz-Galerie
• Pilzgalerie.de
• Hunting for Mushrooms
• Le Cercle de Mycologie de Mons
• Kinok-ya: Mushrooms and other fungi of Japan
• Wild Mushrooms From Tokyo
• BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK): FUNGI (fungi, moulds and lichens)
• Morten's Tricholoma Page

Top of Page