Wild edible macro-fungi- A source of supplementary food in Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

The paper documents information on use of wild edible macro-fungi as supplementary food in Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh, India, collected through interviews and discussions with informants. Study revealed that twelve edible macro-fungi belonging to ten families and ten genera were used by people as supplementary food. Family Morchellaceae had three species, while all other nine families had one species each. Sparassis crispa and Ramaria botrytis were found the most significant supplementary food species. Most of the fungi had fruiting bodies as sources of food. This paper also highlights the potentials of wild edible macro-fungi as supplementary food and need for ethno-mycological research on these species.