Alexander Hanchett Smith (December 12, 1904 . December 12, 1986) was an American
mycologist known for his extensive contributions to the taxonomy and phylogeny of
the higher fungi, especially the agarics.

Smith published nearly 200 articles and books about fungi, including many books
as monographs or various genera of higher fungi. He also wrote for the casual
mushroom enthusiast; in particular, his field guide The Mushroom Hunter's Field
Guide garnered several excellent reviews and sold over 100,000 copies.

Smith taught formal courses at the University in Ann Arbor in addition to summer
field courses at the University of Michigan Biological Station at Douglas Lake,
Michigan. Additionally, he supervised 9 Ph.D. graduate students, some of whom,
such as Harry D. Thiers and Orson K. Miller, would become recognized mycologists
in their own right. During the course of fifty-seven years of field work, Smith
accumulated over 100,000 collections of fungal samples, and an extensive library
of photographs. Today these are located in the University of Michigan Herbarium.

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