There are over 20,000 species of mushroom-forming fungi, arising from unseen filaments that support the diversity and health of our ecosystems. Dr. Dennis E. Desjardin, author of California Mushrooms, explores what mushrooms are, how they live, their myriad ways of dispersal, reproduction, interspecies communication and how we can use mushrooms to feed and heal the world.

Dr. Desjardin is Professor Emeritus of Biology/Mycology at San Francisco State University, Director Emeritus of the H.D. Thiers Herbarium and Chief Mycologist for Sempera Organics Inc. He has spent the past 40 years teaching mycology at universities and conducting field studies throughout the world, primarily in understudied tropical forests documenting mushroom diversity. He was recently bestowed the Distinguished Mycologist Award by the Mycological Society of America in honor of his long career of outstanding research, teaching and service to the mycological community. He has published over 160 refereed scientific papers, described over 300 new species of mushrooms and co-authored two popular field guides, Mushrooms of Hawaii and California Mushrooms. 

Connect: Dr. Dennis E. Desjardin