What is a Mushroom Anyway?

This fascinating presentation will discuss the Habitat, Ecology, and Life Cycles of Fungi. The talk will answer the question “What is a Mushroom Anyway?” including life cycles and dispersal syndromes. Additionally, we will explore some of the vitally important roles fungi play in the natural environment.

J.R. Blair received his Master’s degree at San Francisco State University in 1999 studying with the accomplished mycologist, Dr. Dennis Desjardin. His thesis was Fungi Associated with Arctostaphylos in Northern California. Since that time he has been an active member of the Mycological Society of San Francisco. He served a two-year term as President and was their Fungus Fair chairperson for five years. He has taught mushroom identification workshops for mycological societies and outdoor education programs for many years. He was a lecturer of biology at SFSU for 21 years until his retirement in 2020. He was the director of the Sierra Nevada Field Campus for a dozen years.