parajulianishCULTIVABLE MUSHROOM SPECIES
Button or Paris Mushroom
Latin name: Agaricus bisporus
Cultivation difficulty: very difficult
The white colored Button or Paris mushroom is most commonly found in the produce section of the grocery store. It remains the most highly cultivated mushroom throughout the world even though the actual culture is extremely complex. It requires the fabrication of a very specific compost and a layer of casings.
During the cultivation of the button mushroom, the casing is laid over the incubated mycelium, which makes this process difficult because the compost must not be sterilized though it must only contain beneficial bacteria for the fruiting of the mushrooms. The casing is usually made up of sphagnum moss, although vermiculite or coconut coir can also be used.
2.King Oyster Mushroom
Cultivation difficulty: easy
The King Oyster is a mushroom greyish in color and is easily recognized by its particular long form. It has a medium pronounced, aromatic flavor and it can be conserved longer than the majority of mushrooms. In nature, it often grows in association with plants of the Ombelliferes family- notably the carrot.
The ideal medium for the King Oyster is a buried wooden log or again bag of wood chips. The interface of ground to wood is usually where its fruit will appear depending on the depth at which the wood is buried in the ground. For maximum production, the King Oyster thrives in temperatures varying between 10-15 degrees Celsius.
- Almond or Himematsutake Mushroom
Latin name: Agaricus subrufescens
Cultivation difficulty: medium easy
The Himematsutake or Almond mushroom is whitish in color and has an almond taste when cooked. It grows very well in association with many garden veggies- to name a few: kale, gordes, zucchini, potatoes and melon. The culture
of this mushroom can grow on swaths of organic matter outside.
It grows in grounds rich in ligneous residues and in well composted substrata. Its growth is optimized by the use of compost rich in nitrogen and in fragment of plants, it is thus a very good mushroom recycler of organic waste. This mushroom benefits from the microflora of the ground and from the heat. It produces mushrooms when the ambient temperature is situated between 21°C and 24°C.
- Reishi
Latin name: Ganoderma Lucidum
Cultivation difficulty: easy
The reishi is a red to dark brown colored mushroom. Its peculiarity is that it is as hard as wood and it is recognized for its medicinal properties. It grows on buried logs and will produce over several years. The block of mycelium on sawdust can be directly buried in the ground. It is necessary to assure good drainage in the place where the logs are buried. This mushroom can be consumed in herb tea (5 grams of mushroom by liter of water).
- Paddy Straw Mushroom
Latin name: Volvariella volvacea
Cultivation difficulty: medium easy
The Paddy Straw mushroom is a whitish/beige color. It grows on almost all the organic residues. It is a mushroom that needs heat and that flourishes in temperatures around 35°C. It can thus grow at the top of a compost heap or in a tunnel made from a transparent plastic. The mushroom and its mycelium must not be preserved in the refrigerator like all other mushrooms; it will degrade and the mycelium will die.
- Yellow Oyster Mushroom
Latin name: Pleurotus citrinopileatus
Cultivation difficulty: medium difficult
The Yellow Oyster is a very beautiful mushroom due to its lemon yellow color. Its taste is gently less pronounced than other types of oysters though it gives off a interesting aroma. It’s
a tropical species so it requires a lot of warmth; its biological effectiveness is less impressive than other Oyster mushrooms.
To cultivate this mushroom, it is recommended to use a lot of the inoculant (at least 20% fresh mycelium to quantity of dry medium) for the insemination of a pasturised or pre-washed medium.
7 Pleurotus Sajor caju
It is widely practiced in commercial level. Temperature requirement of pleurotus is higher then agaricus and lower than volvariella. So, it is gaining popularity among the farmers of different agroecological zones. This mushroom is white under hot climate weather and grayish in cold weather. The stipe is usually very short and is of same color of the pileus. Pileus is fan like when young and gradually becomes deeply lobbed to form branch like making the mushroom appear as they are growing in cluster. On the underside of the pileus numerous gills are present which are of various length. Four basidiospores are formed at the tip of asidia.
Wild Species of Mushroom
- Shitake
Latin name: Lentinula edodes
Cultivation difficulty: difficult
The shiitake mushroom is beige and brown in color. It is recognized for its multiple medicinal properties.
This mushroom is cultivated at the altitude of 1700-2500 masl where Alnus nepalensis and Castanopsis cuspidate are found. 5 sps of lentinus are found in Nepal. L. edodes is successfully grown in lab also. They are used for curing tumor, high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Morel
Latin name: Morchella esculenta/angusticeps
Cultivation difficulty: very difficult
The Morel is a beige to dark brown mushroom that has a very characteristic conical shape. It usually grows in forested areas just following a forest fire. It is also possible to find it growing in association with cultures like the Jerusalem artichoke or asparagus.
The mycelium of this mushroom grows very well in a laboratory but once inoculated outdoors it is very difficult to have it produce mushrooms. The mycelium must be placed where there was a forest fire and ideally sawdust is added to feed the mycelium. This one is a growing challenge for the advanced mycoculturists!
- Lycoperdon
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Pyriforme (pear-shaped puffball) are edible provided they are picked when young and the contents of the head are still white and firm. In Nepal upto now 2 species leycoperdon pusillium and lycoperdon pyriformae are found .this type of mushroom are more preferred by people living in terai region.they are found in khumbu himal region of Nepal have rough texture.
Lycoperdon pyriformae
Lycoperdon pyriforme, commonly known as the pear-shaped puffball or stump puffball, is saprobic fungus . Emerging in autumn, this puffball is common and abundant on decaying logs of both deciduous and coniferous wood. It is considered a choice edible when still immature and the inner flesh is white.
- Cordyceps sinensis
In Nepal 2 species are recorded. They are found in the himalayan region of Nepal. After the commencement of spring and upto the rainy season they are found in Himalayan region grany belt. In the soil black fungus are seen at autumn and rainy season. The lower portion of the fungus is inside soil or remain attached with the larvae of lepidopteron. This fungus attack the larva and in next generation it gives fruiting structure. There is saying that it is 6 months insect and 6 months plant but scientist say it is the fungus that is foe to insect larva.
Medicinal importance-It is used as a reputed curative to many diseases, anti- aging, hypoglycemic, aphrodisiac and also treatment aainst cancer. cordyceps sinensis serves against kidney and lung problems and stimulates the immune system; it is used for treatment of fatigue, night sweating, respiratory disease, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, asthenia after severe illness, arrhythmias and other heart diseases.
5.Amanita jacksonii and Amanita caesarea (Caesar’s Mushroom
Caesar’s mushroom is so named because it was a favorite of the emperor Claudius and led to his demise when he ate some that had been mixed with poison (Benjamin 1995). It is found throughout eastern North America and the warmer parts of southern Europe in summer and autumn associated with oaks and other deciduous trees. Although the American and European forms of this mushroom are listed under Amanita caesarea in many texts, the former is now considered to represent a different species: A. jacksonii. The combination of an orange cap up to 18 cm in diameter, orange-tinged stalk up to 15 cm high, orange-tinged ring, distinct volva, and orange gills makes this mushroom unlikely to be confused with any other Amanita in North America or Europe, although it is possible that a faded A. muscaria might mislead an inexperienced collector, particularly if the scales have been washed off by rain. The very similar species A. hemibapha is common in East Asia, where it is also highly regarded.
- Laccaria laccata (The Deceiver )
This edible, highly variable, deceptive mushroom (hence the common name) is often found in clusters under deciduous and coniferous trees in late summer and autumn throughout temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The caps, which are 1.5–6 cm in diameter and have widely spaced gills, are usually reddish brown with peach tones when moist, yellowish brown when dry. The caps are dome-shaped and shiny when young but become flattened with a depression in the center, or funnel-shaped with a wavy edge, as they mature. With age the caps may become dry and dull. The stalks and gills are a similar color to the caps. The stalks are typically 5–10 cm high (though this may be highly variable), 0.5–1 cm thick, and often somewhat compressed or twisted. Moreover, the stalk may have a constant diameter throughout or taper toward either the apex or the base. Laccaria laccata sometimes resembles poisonous species.
- Coprinus atramentarius (Common Ink Cap)
The light brown caps of the common ink cap are larger than those of the non-inky coprinus (Coprinus disseminatus); they are typically 3–7 cm high and 4–7 cm in diameter. The caps are borne on a white stalk 7–17 cm high, which can have the remains of a ring close to the base. This species is often found growing in unlikely places such as along roadsides and in waste areas where there is rotting wood in the soil. It also occurs in lawns. The caps are edible but must be cooked within a few hours of picking as they rapidly turn black and release the spores in a black liquid (which, incidentally, was used in the past as a substitute for ink). If consumed with alcohol or within twenty four hours of having had any alcohol, the common ink cap will cause a period of extreme nausea, stomach cramps, and palpitations. These symptoms are so unpleasant that the mushroom has been used to cure alcoholics.
- Coprinus comatus (Shaggy Ink Cap
The shaggy ink cap is much larger than the common ink cap, occasionally reaching as much as 40 cm in height. The caps are cylindrical at first but eventually become bell-shaped. The gills are initially white, soon turning pink and then black. Once the gills are black, the bottom edge of the cap begins to drip a black liquid that contains the spores. Shaggy ink caps are usually found in waste areas and along roadsides during late summer to late autumn. Old caps do not look very appetizing but do have a good flavor, though they must be cooked within a few hours of picking. This mushroom is very widely distributed throughout the world, in part because it has been introduced into regions where it is not indigenous.
POISONOUS MUSHROOM
- Deadly Conocybe
Deadly conocybe is the name for a type of mushrooms that have conical caps and rusty brown gills. Also known as Pholiotina filaris, these are widely distributed in America’s Pacific Northwest. Often mistaken for the similar looking Psilocybe, these common lawn mushrooms contain deadly mycotoxins which could lead to death when eaten.
- Death Cap
The death cap is a medium-large, beautiful mushroom, widely distributed across Europe and Asia. Often mistaken for the popular, edible paddy straw mushroom, the death cap is considered highly toxic, and its toxicity can’t be reduced by freezing, drying or boiling. This deadly mushroom is responsible for the majority of mushroom poisonings worldwide.
3.Deadly Galerina
S.N Galerina autumnalis 
This gorgeous saprobic mushroom is actually a poisonous mushroom that contains the toxin, α-amanitin. It damages the liver cells most, along with the kidneys and the central nervous system. So, do not mess around with this truly toxic mushroom.
- False Morel
Sometimes collectively called sponge mushrooms, false morels are the members of the genus Gyromitra. They can easily be recognized by the distinctive, complexly infolded caps that resemble the surface of a brain. Often mistaken for the true morel, some of the species containMMH (Mono Methyl Hydrazine), which is suspected to be carcinogenicand can cause vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea and sometimes death.
5. Destroying Angel 
Botanical Name: Amanita virosa Secr.
A white-gilled and almost oval mushroom, the destroying angel is the most common toxic mushroom around the world. It containsamatoxins, responsible for fatal mushroom poisoning, as death caps do. The damage starts with the destruction of the liver and kidney tissue within a couple of hours after consumption, leading to death.
Mushrooming is considered a healthy hobby as one gets out into nature. Eating mushrooms adds flavor and richness to our food. But to enjoy the meal, you must remember to “never eat a mushroom unless you are 100% certain of the identification.”
- Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric)
No introduction should be required for the fly agaric, which can be found illustrated in a host of children’s books and is probably the most photographed of all mushrooms. The orange to red cap with white scales and white gills, stalk, and volva make it almost impossible to mistake.
- Hebeloma and Inocybe Species
Mushrooms belonging to the genera Hebeloma and Inocybe have ochre to brown spores, and most have no ring on the stalk. Hebeloma crustuliniforme (poison pie) and H. sinapizans have tan caps, light brown gills, whitish stalks, and are found associated with hardwoods and conifers in late summer and autumn. Both species smell strongly of radish and have a bitter taste. Many species of Inocybe have a small brown cap with a raised center and a variety of strange smells, including that of semen. The gills are grayish beige when young, turning darker brown with age. Although most are associated with hardwoods and conifers, some can be found in the grassy margins of paths and trails.
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