Spooner, Brian (Retired)
Job Title
Mycologist, Head of Mycology, Ascomycetes - RETIRED STAFF
Department
Herbarium, Library, Art & Archives
Section
Mycology
Science Teams:
Joined Kew:
1975Qualifications & Appointments
BSc, Univ. London, 1972
PhD, Univ. Reading, 1984.
Editorial board & Book Review Editor, Kew Bulletin
Council, Ray Society.
Role
Systematics of temperate and tropical fungi (Ascomycota), with special interest in Asia and Australasia.
Responsibility for management and development of the Mycology Section. Research is focused on the systematics of discomycete groups (Ascomycotina: Helotiales, Leotiales, Pezizales) worldwide, including monographic and regional studies. Current research is concentrated on Australasia (resulting from collaborative, externally-funded projects), as well as the Azores, Antarctica, and the UK. UK projects currently include maintenance and updating of the web-based version of the recently published multi-funded ‘Checklist & Database of British & Irish Basidiomycota', preparation of a textbook on the club- and coral-fungi (Basidiomycota), and a revision of the genus Otidea (Pezizales). A web-based checklist and bibliography of Antarctic fungi (jointly authored in collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey) has been finalised and is maintained at BAS, and a review paper on Antarctic fungi is currently being drafted.
Projects
- British Club and Coral Fungi: a Textbook on the British and Irish Clavarioid and Ramarioid Fungi (Basidiomycota)
- Checklist of British and Irish Basidiomycota: Web Version and Revised Edition
- Database for UK Fungi of Conservation Importance - COMPLETED 2011
- Fungal metabolites
- Fungi of Great Britain
- Plant Diversity Challenge: the Official UK Response to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
Selected Recent Publications
- Bridge, P.D., Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Panchal, G. (2003). On the unreliability of published DNA sequences. New Phytologist 160: 43 – 48.
- Bridge, P.D., Spooner, B.M., Beever, R.E. & Park, D.-C. (2008). Taxonomy of the fungus
- commonly known as Stropharia aurantiaca, with new combinations in
- Leratiomyces. Mycotaxon 103: 109 – 121.
- Hjortstam, K., Roberts, P.J. & Spooner, B.M. (2009). Corticioid Fungi from the Kimberley Region, Western Australia. Kew Bulletin 64: 353 -
- Roberts, P. & Spooner, B.M. Heterobasidiomycetes from the Kimberley Region, Western Australia. Kew Bulletin 62: 153 – 158.
- Spooner, B. (2001). The Larger Cup Fungi in Britain – part 3. The genera Peziza and Plicaria. Field Mycology 2: 51 – 59.
- Spooner, B.M. & Kemp, S. (2005). Epichloë in Britain. Mycologist 19: 82 – 87.
- Spooner, B. & Roberts, P. (2005). New Naturalist: Fungi. London: HarperCollins. 594 pp.
- Legon, N.W., Henrici, A., Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R. (2005). Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota. Kew: RBG Kew. 517 pp.
Selected Earlier Publications
- Spooner, B.M. (1987). Helotiales of Australasia. Geoglossaceae, Orbiliaceae, Sclerotiniaceae, Hyaloscyphaceae. Bibliotheca Mycologica 116: 1 - 711.
- Pegler, D.N., Spooner, B.M. & Young, T.W.K. (1993). British Truffles. A Revision of British Hypogeous Fungi. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 216 pp.
- Pegler, D.N., Laessøe, T. & Spooner, B.M. (1995). British Puffballs, Earthstars and Stinkhorns. An account of the British Gasteroid Fungi. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. 255 pp.
- Spooner, B.M. & Butterfill, G. (1999).Coprophilous discomycetes from the Azores. KewBulletin 54: 541 – 560.
- Roberts, P.J. & Spooner, B.M. (2000). Cantharelloid, clavarioid and thelephoroid fungi from Brunei Darussalam. KewBulletin 55: 843 – 851.
