He gained his PhD from the University of London in 1964, for a thesis (later published) on stipitate stereoid fungi.
Derek Reid was a naturalist and enthusiastic field mycologist, leading regular fungus forays in his native Bedfordshire for over 40 years, as well as tutoring fungus identification courses at Field Studies Centres, and evening classes at the University of London.
[3] He was also able to travel far more widely than his predecessors at Kew, visiting and collecting fungi in continental Europe, the United States, the West Indies, Australia, and South Africa.
His particular interest in South African fungi led to several joint papers with his fellow mycologist Prof. Albert Eicker at the University of Pretoria.
[4] Derek Reid's main interest was in the taxonomy of fungi, especially (but not exclusively) the Basidiomycota.