FreeHow to identify a mushroom: a beginner's method
Cap, gills, stem, base — the step-by-step way naturalists read a mushroom.
Learn the field craft
Read the forest before you reach.
Key field marks, seasons, habitats, dangerous lookalikes, photo and record-keeping technique — naturalist know-how, free to read inside the app and right here.
Free
FreeKey field marks: cap, gills, stem, spore print
The features that actually separate one species from the next.
FreeMushroom seasons: when fungi fruit
Why a damp autumn week is prime time — reading the fungal calendar.
FreeHabitats: where to find which fungi
Forest floor, fallen logs, lawns, host trees — habitat is half the answer.
FreeCommon lookalikes and how to tell them apart
The pairs that fool beginners — and the small marks that separate them.
FreeToxic lookalikes: why identification is for learning only
The dangerous pairs that look harmless — and the one rule that keeps you safe.
FreePhotographing mushrooms for better identification
Angles, light, and the underside shot that makes or breaks a match.
FreeKeeping a fungi life list
Log each find with date, place, and habitat — and watch your eye sharpen.