How to Make Successful Spore Prints

Each mushroom species has a unique spore print.

The mushrooms you see in the woods are actually fungal fruits which release spores into the air. Spores are microscopic eggs that are released from gills found on the underside of a mushroom cap. The stem of the mushroom holds the cap upright so the spores can float off into the air and take root once they've landed. On your initial mushroom expedition, the Cornell Cooperative Extension suggests that you limit the number of specimens you take, as identifying and preserving your specimens, when you get home, can be time-consuming at first.

Things You'll Need

• White card stock
• Clear lacquer or acrylic spray
• Bowl

Instructions

1. Remove the stem from the mushroom. Place the cap face down on white card stock, and put a drop of water near it to keep the cap moist. Cover it with a bowl for 12 to 24 hours.

2. Remove the bowl and the mushroom cap. Examine the spore print, and make a note of its color, which is used in identifying mushroom species. The color may change so your initial observation is important. Let the print dry for 10 minutes.

3. Apply several light coats of clear lacquer or acrylic spray. Make a note on the card of the genus and species of the specimen, the location where it was found, and the date of the spore print. Store the print with a dried specimen of that mushroom species.

Tips & Warnings

• If there was no print made, your specimen may have been immature or sterile. Try printing several caps of each type of mushroom gathered to ensure you get a record of those finds.

• Examine your spore prints with a microscope to see the intricate patterns made by the individual eggs.

• If a mushroom has white or light-colored spores, use a black sheet of paper to make the spore print. Then mount the paper on a white card along with the pertinent details.

• Check with your local university or natural history museum for classes on mushroom collecting and identification.

• Eating wild mushrooms can lead to disastrous complications as there are deadly species that look much like edible ones. Don't eat them unless they've been inspected by a mycologist or mushroom expert.

• Do not leave your collected mushroom specimens in a plastic bag as they will deteriorate rapidly.

References

• Cornell Cooperative Extension; Fun With Fungi; Juliet E. Carroll
• FungiBank; Making Spore Prints; Dr. Neale L. Bougher
• Utah State University Intermountain Herbarium; Fun Facts About Mushrooms; Collecting and Identifying Mushrooms; Robert Fogel; 2006