Toadstools, India

August 2006. Edible mushroom form India. See illustration at: http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&PdbID=96171

A mushroom from the forests of Chhattisgarh and sold at markets was sent for identification. However, other than suggesting it was an agaric, possibly a Coprinus species, no other identification was forthcoming. However, the Global Plant Clinic suggested that the orange mushroom would be identified as Amanita fulva if found in Europe. Only Amanita vaginata var. vaginata appears in wufbase, a collection of over 10 000 records of wild useful (mostly edible) species from around the world. It and Amanita fulva are used as food. Beyond Europe, Amanita fulva occurs in China and Mexico and it is quite possible that it also occurs in India. Sadly, recording of wild edible species from India is much less than both these countries. One suggestion in future, when trying to identify species by photograph, is to show the gills and also slice one fruiting body lengthwise. Sending fresh or dried material to a taxonomist is preferable, but not always practical.