Indian Edible Mushrooms (An Old and Rare Book)

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Comprehensive lists of Indian fungi have been prepared previously by a number of workers but information pertaining to edible species is relatively scanty. Although hundreds of edible species belonging to different classes of fungi are known to be growing in the different parts of the country only a few have as yet been identified properly. Correct identification of the species poses a problem to many workers. Besides, it is also not an easy task for inexperienced persons to distinguish between edible species and poisonous ones. The preparation of this book was prompted by a long felt need to bring together in a concise form the descriptions of the Indian edible mushrooms reported to date. The detailed description of many reported species are not yet available. Therefore, it has not been possible to maintain uniformity in the description of all the species given in the text. A key and a glossary have been incorporated which will enable the user to identify the species easily and to locate their place of occurrence in India.

We are greatly indebted to Dr. Roy Watling, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, U. K. for reviewing the manuscript with generous diligence and offering constructive criticisms as well as for the preparation of the key to the described Indian edible fungi based on concepts circumscribed by him and his return couplet concept. Thanks are also due to Dr. T. N. Kaul, Regional Research Laboratory (Br.), C. S. I. R., Srinagar, Kashmir for very kindly allowing us to use some of the photographs of mush- rooms in his possession. It is a pleasure for us to thank Professor A. K. Sharma, D. Sc., F. N. A., Head of the Department of Botany, Calcutta University for his interest and encouragement. We have referred to the names of authors of several books and papers consulted frequently in connection with the preparation of this book to all of whom we owe our deep sense of gratitude. Lastly, we convey our sincere thanks to the staff of Prabartak Printing & Halftone Ltd., for their cooperation.

We are aware of the short-comings of this publication and would gladly rectify our errors whenever they are pointed out to us.

This publication is intended for all who are interested in edible mushrooms and especially for those amateurs or researchers who are concerned with the distribution of edible species in India. It might be thought daring to present a complete account of edible mushrooms of this vast country with a wide range of topographical and climatic conditions, but it is a preliminary step in understanding the edible mushroom flora of India.

In the 18th Century, presumably Linnaeus was the first person who identified a few mushrooms from India. Since then, many Indian and foreign expeditionists were attracted by the vast fungal flora of this country. However, a thorough systematic study of Indian fungi was initiated by Dr. E. J. Butler in 1901. He first published with G. R. Bisby in 1931 a monograph entitled "Fungi of India". Lt. Col. Kirtikar (1918) appears to be the first Indian Mycologist who collected and identified some of the local mushrooms. During the last few decades some fragmentary reports on edible mushrooms have been published by different Indian workers. Although some Mycologists of this country have prepared excellent monographs on certain groups of fungi, no comprehensive account of the Indian species of edible fleshy fungi is available so far. An attempt has, therefore, been made to present a systematic account of edible mushrooms of India mainly based on the compilation of several authentic reports published to-date.

In this treatise names of mushrooms have been arranged in alphabetical order for the sake of easy reference. Synonym are given as far as possible with the species. Edibility of the described species has been confirmed after consulting the authoritative references. Descriptions are general and concise prepared with special reference to the macroscopic character of sporophores