Micology
Mycology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of fungi, from the most familiar and larger forms to smaller ones such as moulds.
At the Museum, activities related to mycology are carried out by a group of volunteer researchers who, although not professional scientists, are highly specialised and belong to the Venetian Mycological Society (SVM).
Thanks to their work, the Museum is home to the largest and best-preserved collection of fungi in Italy. They have prepared and identified more than 28,000 specimens belonging to over 6,000 species, including many rare specimens. The samples, preserved in dried form, come mainly from the Veneto region and almost entirely from north-eastern Italy. In 1994, the mycological herbarium was recognised by the Index Herbariorum, maintained by the New York Botanical Garden.
Research conducted by SVM mycologists, who continue to curate and expand the collection, has led to the discovery of more than 300 taxa new to science. The collection was also used, in collaboration with the University of Berkeley, for an important research project aimed at characterising the DNA of the specimens.
