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by jabroni_salad 1047 days ago
The only problem with Lens is that it is "magic" and doesn't have a failure state beyond giving junk results should it fail. I don't think I would ever trust it for a "can I eat this" indicator on a mushroom with how many visual lookalikes there are out there. What if the contrast isn't good enough to catch colorations and the gills are not in sight?

Merlin Bird ID is so good in comparison, probably the best in the "ID this thing" category of apps I have ever tried. Photos do a lot, but if you don't get a good ID it will ask some questions about the bird's behavior and your circumstances to narrow down your search.
2 comments
tetromino_ 1047 days ago
Even if you identified the mushroom species, sometimes that is not enough to know whether it is safe to eat. The same species can be edible (perhaps after some soaking) or dangerously poisonous depending on the geographic area where it grew.
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DropInIn 1047 days ago
Mushrooms are literally one for the categories of things that are "DO NOT EAT UNLESS YOU'RE 100% CONFIDENT AND KNOW THROUGH YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE" types. (Caps used because it is a yelling thing)

Seriously, just don't eat any mushroom that you can't personally identify with 100% confidence from your own knowledge and references, with some app saving its xyz not being considered a reference.

Even experienced mycologists have sometimes made mistaken identifications so anyone else should be so cautious as to presume poison in all cases except the most certain.

(Obviously store bought are an exception)

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