Dr Paul F Cannon
Senior Research Leader

Our group has a focus on description, conservation and e-taxonomy of fungi, primarily from the UK. The fungi of our nation are immensely diverse, and despite 250-odd years of scientific study, dozens of new species are discovered each year. My own specialism is in leaf-inhabiting Ascomycota, a group of mainly micro-fungi that includes lichens and many plant parasites. I also have a particular interest in imaging of fungi.
Our current major conservation activity is the Lost & Found Fungi project, which supports the UK volunteer science community to carry out targeted searches for fungi that have rarely been recorded and may well be threatened.
- BSc (Hons Botany), University of Reading, 1977
- PhD, University of Reading, 1981
- Bulletin Editor, British Lichen Society
- Member of Council, British Mycological Society
Cannon, P. F., Damm, U., Johnston, P. R. & Weir, B. S. (2012).
Colletotrichum – current status and future directions.
Studies in Mycology 73: 181-213.
Cannon, P. F., Buddie, A. G., Bridge, P. D., Lopez Castano, J., Neergard, E. de, Lübeck, M. & Askar, M. (2012).
Lectera, a new genus of the Plectosphaerellaceae for the legume pathogen Volutella colletotrichoides.
Mycokeys 3: 23–36.
Cannon, P. F., Hywel-Jones, N. L., Maczey, N., Norbu, L., Tshitila, Samdup, T. & Lhendup, P. (2009).
Steps towards sustainable harvest of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in Bhutan.
Biodiversity and Conservation 18: 2263-2281.
Kirk, P. M., Cannon, P. F., Minter, D. W. & Stalpers, J. A. (eds) (2008).
Ainsworth & Bisby’s Dictionary of the Fungi edn 10
771 pp. Wallingford, UK: CABI.
Cannon, P. F. & Kirk, P. M. (2007).
Fungal Families of the World.
CABI, 460 pp.