Mushroom Diversity of Bajrabarahi Forest, Chapagaun, lalitpur, Nepal

Abstract

Mushrooms can be considered as one of the most important non-timber forest products, which are mostly used as nutritional food and as medicine. Present sudy was conducted during the year 2001-2002 in Bajrabarahi Forest, Lalitpur district. The collection of mushroom specimens was carried out during the rainy season from various habitats of the forest. Mushrooms were photographed in their natural habitat and specimens were preserved and identified using standard techniques and literatures.Questionnaire survey was done to local collectors to collect information on consumption and collection of wild edible mushrooms. Altogether 58 species of mushroom were collected. Out of them 49 specimens were identified up to generic level. The largest family recorded was Russulaceae with 13 genera. The species like Pleurotus, Russula, Lacaria, Amanita etc are abundantly distributed along the study area. The largest number of mushroom were found growing on dead and decaying leaves (28 species), followed by 9 species on living tree and dead tree and decaying logs, 10 species on soil and 1 species on animal dung. Among 49 species identified, 10 species were studied in details which are as follows Auricularia auricula-judae, Pleurotus ostreatus, Fistulina hepatica, Laccaria laccata, Russula delica, R. olivacea, R. puellaris, Marasmius oreades, M. epiphyllus and M. androsacens. Out of 10 species studied in detail, 3 species- Russula olivacea, Marasmius epiphyllus and M. androsacens were new record for Nepal. Among the collected mushroom species, Fistulina hepatica, Pleurotus, and Russula are mostly preferred by the local people for comsumption. Local people are frightened to eat wild mushrooms as they have only little traditional knowledge they got from their ancestors.At present growing potential of wild mushrooms is very low as the grazing of animals inside the forest is strictly prohibited. The fruitful forest should be maintained for the growth of the mushrooms. The natural habitat of mushroom should be protected; the commercial exploitation of the wild mushrooms should be regulated and they should be chemically tested.