Tribal knowledge of mushroom in the Chotanagpur plateau

In the Chotanagpur plateau of Jharkhand, with it's distinct seasonality and undulated topography, macrofungal resources are found on the forest grounds and trees in the form of mushrooms. They are not only a good source of nutrients and medicine but also function in nutrient recycling and act as a niche for several animal resources.

Here are 18 species of both edible and medicinal varieties of mushroom that have been used by the tribals in this northern state of India for centuries :

Variety : Amanitaceae

Scientific Name : Amanita banningiana Tulloss
Local Name : Sosang Tormal 
Habitat : Growing in solitary or scattered form on shady, moist sal forest floor with ectomycorrhizal connection with sal. It is uncommon and scanty in the region.
Use : Can be stored under soil (maximum 3–4 days) for daily use.

Scientific Name : Amanita vaginata (Bull.) Lam.
Local Name : Budhi Onth
Habitat : Very common on the moist floor of sal forest and especially growing at the base of sal with ectomycorrhizal association. Grows in fairy ring.
Use : Boiled and fried with mustard oil, onion, and garlic.

Scientific Name : Amanita vaginata var. alba (De Seynes) Gillet
Local Name : Tarmal Onth
Habitat : Very common on the moist floor of sal forest and especially growing at the base of sal with ectomycorrhizal association. Grows in fairy ring.
Use : Boiled and fried with mustard oil, onion, and garlic.

Variety : Diplocystidiaceae
Scientific Name : Astraeus hygrometricus (Pers.) Morgan
Local Name : Putko
Habitat : Growing in solitary or in aggregation in the moist sal forest floor with ectomycorrhizal association with sal. Very abundant in the sal forest belt.
Use : Can be stored under soil (maximum 3–4 days) for daily use.

Variety : Pleurotaceae
Scientific Name : Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. sensu lato
Local Name : Lutur Onth
Habitat : Growing in groups or solitary on the moist shady floor of sal forest.
Use : Yellow-colored spores are used as medicine for the treatment of wounds.
Variety : Pluteaceae

Scientific Name : Volvaria volvacea (Bull.) Singer
Local Name : Busub Onth
Habitat : Abundant on decaying heaps of straw and other plant debris like saw dust or wood remnants during rainy season mostly in village and its adjacent areas.
Use : Boiled and fried with mustard oil, onion, and garlic.

Variety : Russulaceae

Scientific Name : Russula sp.
Local Name : Pitthe Onth
Habitat : Growing in solitary or scattered form on shady, moist sal forest floor. It is uncommon and scanty in the region.
Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Scientific Name : Russula cyanoxantha (Schaeff.) Fr.
Local Name : Murgi Onth
Habitat : Growing in solitary or scattered form on shady, moist sal forest floor. It is uncommon and scanty in the region.
Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Scientific Name : Russula delica Fr.
Local Name : Ontai Onth
Habitat : Grow in group on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest having ectomycorrhizal association with sal. Very common.
Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Scientific Name : Russula emetica (Schaeff.) Pers. 

Local Name : Murgi Onth
Habitat : Grow in group on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest having ectomycorrhizal association with sal. Very common.

Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Scientific Name : Russula nigricans Fr.
Local Name : Hende Onth
Habitat : Growing in isolated condition on the moist shady floor of the sal forest having ectomycorrhizal association with sal.
Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Scientific Name : Russula rosea Pers.
Local Name : Sim Onth
Habitat : Growing in isolated condition on the moist shady floor of the sal forest having ectomycorrhizal association with sal.
Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Scientific Name : Russula sanguinea Fr.
Local Name : Simsindhe Onth
Habitat : Growing in isolated condition on the moist shady floor of the sal forest having ectomycorrhizal association with sal.
Use : Boiled in water; after discarding the water, cooked with spices.

Variety : Sclerodermataceae

Scientific Name : Pisolithus arhizus (Scop.) Rauschert
Local Name : Tumbe Onth
Habitat : Abundant on the Eucalyptus and Acacia auriculiformis Benth. plantations. Abundant on the moist soil either exposed or associated with some prostrate herbs.
Use : Yellow-colored spores are used as medicine for the treatment of wounds.

Variety : Tricholomataceae

Scientific Name : Termitomyces clypeatus R. Heim
Local Name : Orto Onth
Habitat : Growing on the sandy soil or on the shaded sal forest floor in association with the termite mound, some time also found on open space on village and road side.
Use : Boiled in water and then fried with onion and mustard oil. Used as antihelminthic. Paste of fruit body applied externally to treat chicken pox by the Santals of Gonpur forest fringe villages.

Scientific Name : Termitomyces eurrhizus (Berk.) R. Heim
Local Name : Sik Onth 
Habitat : Usually growing solitary, sometimes in association with termite nest.
Use : Boiled in water and then fried with onion and mustard oil. Used as antihelminthic. Paste of fruit body applied externally to treat chicken pox by the Santals of Gonpur forest fringe villages.

Scientific Name : Termitomyces heimii Natarajan
Local Name : Parab Onth
Habitat : Frequent on the shady and moist floor of the sal forest.
Use : Boiled in water and then fried with onion and mustard oil. Used as antihelminthic. Paste of fruit body applied externally to treat chicken pox by the Santals of Gonpur forest fringe villages.

Scientific Name : Termitomyces microcarpus (Berk. & Broome) R. Heim
Local Name : Bulung Onth
Habitat : Growing in troops on termite nest consisting laterite to sandy loam soil in the sal forest.
Use : Boiled in water and then fried with onion and mustard oil.

Source : Ethnobotany Journal