San Antonio College Library

"Nicholas Money offers a vibrant tour of the world of mushrooms, investigating the science behind these organisms as well as their enduring cultural and imaginative appeal."--Jacket. The overnight appearance of mushrooms in a meadow or on a suburban lawn is a marvelous sight. It is one of many awe-inspiring, magical processes that have evolved among the fungi, yet this group remains the least studied and most poorly understood kingdom of organisms....

In this book, George Hudler leads us on a tour of an often-overlooked group of organisms, which differ radically from both animals and plants. Along the way the author stops to ponder the marvels of nature and the impact of mere microbes on the evolution of civilization. Nature's ultimate recyclers not only save us from drowning in a sea of organic waste, but also provide us with food, drink, and a wide array of valuable medicines and industrial chemicals....

This work describes hyphae, the filamentous threadlike fungal cells that often intertwine to form mycelium which are usually visible when differentialted into sexual structures such as mushrooms, puffballs, and powdery molds. It examines how fungi obtain nutrients and their economic, ecological, and health impacts and major divisions of fungi are examined in detail and some of the unique adaptations are also discussed.

Today's scientists are using the incredible properties and abilities of the mushrooms in many fields. From digesting oil waste to desert reforestation, and from green chemistry to communication network modeling, mushrooms could become humankind's best allies in the 21st century.

An identification guide of mushrooms, including color photographs.

With a dash of humor and a dollop of science, Michael Kuo selects the top 100 mushrooms best suited for cooking. Like Kuo's very popular book Morels, 100 Edible Mushrooms is written in the author's inimitable, engaging, and appealing style, taking the reader on the hunt through forest and kitchen in search of mycological pleasures and culinary delights. Kuo describes in detail how to identify each species, where and when to find them, and how to cook...