mycography

English

Etymology

myco- +‎ photography

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /maɪˈkɒ.ɡɹə.fi/
• (US) IPA^(key): /maɪˈkɑ.ɡɹə.fi/
• Rhymes: -ɒɡɹəfi

Noun

mycography (usually uncountable, plural mycographies)

1. Photographing the different aspects and intricacies of mushrooms or fungi.
   • 1853, Royal Horticultural Society, Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society‎^[1], volume 8, Royal Horticultural Society, page 243:

     I close these few lines by saying that if you think proper to publish them you are liberty to do so, my wish being above all things that the truth should be brought to light, and that as much as possible we should eliminate from science those contradictions which have become but too much multiplied in mycography.

   • 1971, Walter Henry Snell, Esther A. Dick, A Glossary of Mycology‎^[2], 2, illustrated, revised edition, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 107:

     mycography. The description of fungi; a book consisting of descriptions of fungi. [<myco- + Gr. graphé a drawing, description.]

   • 1993, Bruce Horn, Richard Kay, Dean Abel, “Photographing Mushrooms”, in A Guide to Kansas Mushrooms‎^[3], illustrated edition, University Press of Kansas, →ISBN, page 46:

     Although early mycologists developed a technical vocabulary to express their distinctions in Latin, from the first they relied on accurate representations to convey their perceptions exactly. Indeed, one may surmise that they learned to see a specimen precisely by drawing it. Thus the art of depicting fungi, or mycography (to coin a suitable term), has always been an essential part of mycology. Although drawing a specimen from life still has its advantages, photography has largely replaced it because the camera is both faster and more accurate than the pen.

Related terms

• mycology