Terms discussed: affinis, confer
The abbreviations aff. and cf. are used when an identification is unsure. We use aff., an abbreviation for the Latin word "affinis" meaning "related" or affinity, to indicate that the fungus is related to or resembles a certain species. I sometimes use it to indicate a group of species, as in Armillaria aff. mellea.
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In scientific writing cf. is used to mean "compare" from the Latin "confer." This term is used with species names to indicate that the identification is uncertain. Russula cf. uncialis means that I think it is likely that the mushroom is R. uncialis but I don't have enough information to make a reliable identification.
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