More than 75% of the 150 species of mushrooms in this book


are not included in any other book on North American fungi. In addition, many of these cold-loving mushrooms described, also are found in the Arctic; in the Alps, Pyrenees, Tatra, and Carpathian Mountains; and in Fennoscandia, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, the Faeroe Islands, the Scottish Highlands, and even Antarctica. Alpine Mushrooms of North America is fully illustrated with plenty of very nice four-color photos. From the author’s Introduction: “Collecting mushrooms in alpine and Arctic habitats, with friends, colleagues, and students has been a serious endeavor for over 25 years. Tis field guide is an attempt to summarize our findings in a format accessible to those interested in the topic.” She later notes that: “Te book is intentionally small so it can


be carried into remote areas. Casual observers and naturalists who would like to learn more about the tiny mushrooms found in these places can use it in situ as an identification guide. Alpine wildflower lovers, often use a hand lens while lying belly down on the ground to observe their finds; this works for many alpine ‘belly’ mushrooms as well.” Te book’s detailed descriptions and color photographs can be used for identification of the mushroom at hand. For more seriously oriented mycophiles, the book has information on microscopic features, further references, and Genbank numbers. Te book is divided into several ecological groups


(mycorrhizal mushrooms, decomposers in meadows and grasslands, and tiny fungi on mosses) to facilitate quick recognition. Tis format will be unusual to those more familiar with strictly taxonomic layouts. Te ecology of the mushrooms is emphasized over rigid family hierarchy. A primary goal is to bring attention to this overlooked mycoflora for the purpose of conservation efforts. As treeline rises and the Arctic “greens” from climate warming, these precious habitats are being reduced, and a long evolutionary history eradicated. Tis book contains a summary of what is there, or, alternatively, what was once there. My immediate question: Why study mushrooms in the Alpine and Arctic? Afterall, it has to be just about the most difficult place to study fungi. Te list of detractors and hazards, depending on locality, include but are probably not limited to: numbing cold, constant summer sunlight and inability to sleep, fog and mist (which “can quickly obscure the landscape and require navigating blind or hunkering down”), muskeg and quicksand, the hazards of crossing cold rivers and wet landscapes, mosquitos and other biting flies, and in some places muskoxen, polar bears, and grizzly bears are a reality. In the author’s words: “Many of the mushrooms in these cold climates are not found anywhere else on earth, and yet some have wide ranges that include the circumpolar Arctic as well as disjunct mountain ranges across the northern hemisphere.” At the same time, some mushrooms “are refugees from the forests below and also occur in boreal and subalpine forests. Molecular methods (DNA analysis) can now confirm that many of the same mushroom species are scattered across all these far-flung cold places. Why? One hypothesis is that historic glaciation pushed Arctic fungi southward only to leave them stranded on high mountain tops after glacial retreat. Or possibly there was an older alpine mycoflora that stretched across the top of the world which invaded the Arctic when it formed as the climate changed.” And if that is not


reason enough: “Tese precious species should be considered for conservation, especially since climate change is already warming these habitats, alpine treeline is rising, and the Arctic is ‘greening’ with shrub encroachment.” In addition to its unrivaled utility, this book is a very


satisfying read, and you get a feel for the author’s personal love for this tough habitat. “For me, collecting in Arctic- alpine habitats is exciting because these unique cold-loving mushroom species are rare yet are widely distributed. Some of the mushrooms my crew has discovered are ‘first reports’ for North America, and yet many are also known from around the Arctic circle and from other mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere. Some are new species. Walking across tundra on a warm sunny day, moving through a dreamscape of alpine flowers, plucking tiny fungal gems nestled in moss, grass, and willows is a thrilling and scientifically satisfying pastime.” A delightfully unique mushroom field guide! -Britt A. Bunyard


Portraits of Mushrooms


Alexander Viazmensky 2026, Te Museum of Russian Art Minneapolis, Minnesota ISBN 979-8-9911657-1-6 Paperback, 52 pages $29.99 USA


I


may be throwing caution to the proverbial wind when I say that Alexander (otherwise known as Sasha) Viazmensky is


the foremost contemporary mushroom artist. I may also be disposing of caution when I say that Sasha’s paintings are more


Summer 2026 FUNGI Volume 19:2 45


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