Methodology & Sources
How we research, rate, and review
This page shows where our facts come from and the process each mushroom goes through before it earns a page.
Why sourcing matters here
Fungal names change, folklore spreads faster than fact, and a confident blog post is still not a verified record. On this site, a claim can send you out to pick a wild mushroom, so a weak source can put a dangerous one in your basket. We build every profile from references that each do one job well, and we rely on each one only for what it is truly authoritative about.
Where folklore ends and evidence begins
Plenty of mushroom lore is charming and wrong. The old line that any mushroom you can peel is safe to eat has put people in the hospital. We never repeat a claim just because it is popular. Every safety and medicinal statement must trace to a named source, and when the evidence conflicts, we take the cautious reading.
Four steps from sources to page
Name the species
The profile states the accepted scientific name and family from the field guides and references it cites.
Identification features
We describe the cap, gills or pores, stem, spore print, habitat, and smell from field guides and vetted observations.
Edibility and lookalikes
We document dangerous lookalikes for every edible and rate conservatively when any risk exists.
Source check
Editors check each safety-critical page against its named sources before it publishes.
What each kind of source is good for
No single reference answers every question, so we match each claim to the kind of source that is authoritative for it.
| Source type | Authoritative for | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Field guides and mycological societies | Field marks, habitat, lookalikes | Describe how a species is recognized and what it is confused with |
| Extension services and government agencies | Seasons, cultivation, food safety, collecting rules | Ground growing, storage and legal guidance |
| Peer-reviewed papers | Toxins, medicinal claims | Ground safety and health statements |
| Poison control bodies | Symptoms, first aid | Write the emergency guidance |
Where our data comes from
Reading a citation on our pages
Where a profile makes a specific safety or medicinal claim, it points to where that claim comes from. You can trust a citation that names its source, not just its conclusion.
When you check any source, look for:
- A named publication or institution, not an anonymous page
- A date, so you can judge whether it is current
- A scope that actually covers the claim being made
No source replaces your own caution
These references keep our pages accurate. They cannot replace an in-person check of the real mushroom in your hands.
Read the safety disclaimer