Early mycologists who visited New Zealand and named many of our local fungi tended to use names of similar looking fungi found in the Northern Hemisphere. As they did not understand or realise, New Zealand’s isolation has meant our native fungi have evolved along different paths. In many cases, these differences can only be seen with DNA sequencing. 

With DNA sequencing now in common use, this has shown that fungi from the Northern and Southern Hemisphere are in many cases different, even if they look-a-like and have been given the same name. Sequencing also shows that many existing NZ species have several species hidden under a single name. Unfortunately, much of this information has not been published, so it is little more than hear-say. 

Added to this, species whose names have been found to be incorrect have not yet been renamed. So, this legacy of poorly named species as well as a lack of a comprehensive NZ field guide to help standardise names means there is considerable confusion. which is now compounded when you can do an image search on the internet and see photos that have the same name yet look quite different.

When possible, the names used on this site are the most recent correct names, though I may not always be aware of changes or gotten around to updating the website or:-

1. Historically accepted name that may conceal two or more species that are difficult to distinguish without sequencing.

2. Historically accepted Northern Hemisphere name that again may or may not be correct due to no recent research or natives not yet renamed

3. Historically accepted name for species, where recent research papers are placed behind pay walls, thus making them inaccessible to amateurs.

4. A genus level name only due to a species that I have not been able to identify beyond this or a species that has not been formally named.

There are a number of mycologists who place their research papers behind pay walls, making their work unavailable to amateurs. Well, that is, unless you have a good income and can spare the expense. Why this is done is not clear to me, but it does restrict what amateurs can identify even when they have a microscope.