Reviewing Mycologist

Dr. Elena Marsh

Consulting Mycologist & Chief Reviewer

Dr. Elena Marsh has spent more than 20 years studying fungal taxonomy and toxicology. She earned her PhD in Mycology at the University of Washington and now reviews every identification and safety page on KnowTheSpore before it publishes.

Her lab focus is the Amanita genus, the group behind most fatal mushroom poisonings in North America. She checks each edible profile against its dangerous lookalikes, because one wrong feature can send a forager to the emergency room.

When a claim cannot be traced to a herbarium record or a peer-reviewed key, it does not go live. Her rule for readers is simple. When in doubt, throw it out.

Credentials

Experience: 20 years in the field
Focus areas: Fungal taxonomy, Mushroom toxicology, Amanita identification
Qualifications: PhD Mycology, University of Washington, member, North American Mycological Association (NAMA)
Role: Reviews identification and safety pages before publish
Pages reviewed: 20

Signs off on every safety-critical page

Pages reviewed by Dr. Elena Marsh

Chanterelle Chanterelle vs Jack O'Lantern: Tell Them Apart Safely Creamy Mushroom Risotto With Deep Mushroom Flavor Dangerous Mushroom Lookalikes That Cause Deadly Mistakes Death Cap False Morel False Morel vs True Morel: Why the Hollow Test Matters Foraging Safety Rules That Keep Wild Mushrooms Off Your Plate How to Cook Morels Safely and Brown Them Well How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms From Straw to Harvest How to Take a Spore Print You Can Actually Read Jack O'Lantern Lion's Mane Morel Morel Oyster Mushroom Oyster Mushroom vs Shiitake: Which One Fits the Dish? Sauteed Chanterelles That Brown Instead of Steam Shiitake Shiitake