Description of:	Entry	Instructions
Collection Event	Date	Date you collected the specimen
	Atlas Square	Atlas grid square you are collecting in (e.g., A3, G14)
	Others in Team	Name(s) of people who were with you
Collection Location	Locality	Provide directions clear enough to relocate the location on a topographic map by recording approx distance (miles) and compass direction from two or more geographical landmarks (such as the closest  town/city, and a natural feature like a mountain, river, or lake). Then roads and intersections may be added (e.g., NW corner of Park St and Garden Ave). Include full name of parks or reserves, if applicable (e.g., Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, or Cleveland National Forest etc.)
	Latitude Longitude	Record the coordinates of each collecting location. Mark the spot on your map!  Your lat/long can be in either of two formats:   Degrees-Minutes-Seconds,  for example  32° 46’ 25” or   Decimal Degrees, for example  32.77361° Note: if using a GPS, routinely verify the readings on a map or by using our Topozone tool on the website! Set the datum for NAD 83/WGS 84.
General Habitat Living (“biotic”) factors	Habitat	The dominant vegetation in the vicinity of the collected specimen. You may use general community types (e.g., grassland, oak woodland, chaparral,  etc.) and/or record indicator plants (tree, shrub, and herb layers) if you like.
Topography Non-living (“abiotic”) factors	Elevation	Record elevation (from GPS or from reading map contours) in feet or meters.
	Terrain	The type of physical terrain the collection location was in e.g.,  wash, dune, mesa, valley, swale, ridge top, cliff, trail, roadside, etc.
	Slope/Aspect/Shade	Record slope and aspect (orientation) if applicable (e.g., “west-facing steep slope”, or “toe of N-facing slope” etc.) and amount of shade.
Substrate	Substrate	What the fungus was growing on i.e., soil, wood, duff  (leaves, needles, twigs, cones, litter etc.) or other (insects, fungus).
Specimen	Collection Number	Record the collection number you have assigned to the specimen (e.g., if this is your specimen #52 then enter 52 in the box on the data entry form).
		NOTE: Remember to write the “index number” down with the specimen you submit so it is clearly linked to the data (e.g., if your login initials are “jg1” the index number is jg1#52). We will not accept specimens that don’t have the index numbers clearly marked on them as they come in!
	Family, Genus, Species	If you know the family, scientific, and/or common name of the fungus, record it now. You may correct it or look it up later.
	Description of Specimen	Describe the fungus - height, width, color, shape, and characteristics of the cap, stem, and gills. Describe spore print if one was done. Note any info that may be lost or distorted when it is preserved, esp. color.   (Max. 255 characters allowed).