Presentation: The Wonder of Mushrooms

Sunday, 3/30/2025
3:00 - 4:30
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room A
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room B
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400

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

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This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

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