Fungi are appearing in good numbers so this is a good time to remember how to identify them. More...

• Always note the substrate or host-plant on which the fungus is growing, and the habitat (e.g. woodland, grassland, etc).  
• To identify many large species, it is helpful to get a good photograph of the cap (from the top), the gills or spore-producing structures (from underneath) and the stipe (=stem) from the side - three images from three angles, rather than images from much the same angle. 
• Always note the texture of cap and stipe; the smell; and the presence of any staining or 'milk' produced when the cap, gills, stipe or body of the fungus is bruised. 
• The colour of the spores can be very helpful. It is best seen by taking a spore-print from a collected specimen. For many fungi, microscopic examination of the spores may be needed for identification.