Kalungey Chyau and the Termite Gardeners: The Secret Life of Termitomyces in Sikkim

Occasionally, some happy customer from LallBazaar in Gangtok goes home with a rare prize called KalungeyChyau which is a mushroom in the genus Termitomyces. For many communities, the spotting of this mushroom is also a sign that the monsoon has truly arrived in Sikkim. This treasured edible wild mushroom is fascinating in many ways and we have often heard people who forage say, “YoChyau ta masubhandapanimithohunchani” (This mushroom tastes even better than meat). Indeed, this mushroom is a delicious choice edible and if you take a few minutes to know more about this mushroom, where and how it grows and pops up in the same place every season, the story becomes one of wonder and ingenuity that is hard to accomplish even on human terms.

Termites: The Mushroom Farmers of the Forest

Termitomycesas the name suggests, it is a mushroom that grows in association with termite and ant mounds they are not just wild mushrooms rather they are part of a mutualistic relationship with fungus-farming termites, from the genus Odontotermes. This mutualistic partnership is one of the many fascinating examples of co-evolution and the intelligence in nature.

We have recently learned that the termites are the ones who grow this mushroom inside their mounds. Inside they build a structure that is known as the Fungus Comb which is specialised structure which is made from chewed up plant matter. The mycelium is cultivated carefully by the termites and the fungus in turn repays the favour by breaking the plant matter digestible for the termites.

Science is only now learning the secrets of this mutualism between these two organisms and we still do not completely understand how a mushroom that cannot really be cultivated by humans is done so by these diminutive creatures. Under ideal conditions of temperature and humidity (July-September) the fruiting bodies appear above the soil within or near to the mound.

KalungeyChyau: A Local Delicacy

In Sikkim too, the arrival of this mushroom is a telltale sign for many for the true monsoons. It grows well in low altitude forests, farmland and fringe areas of forests. It is often cooked as a stir fry or in curries too but the best experience in my opinion is to simply sauté this mushroom with some chillies and garlic in some ghiu. It is packed in anti-oxidants, protein and fiber making it a nutritious and delicious choice of mushroom in the rainy season.

There is still a lot to be uncovered about this fascinating fungus. As far as we know there are several species of Termitomyces found in the state of Sikkim and they are consumed with fanfare and sometimes without the knowledge that along with the widely known name, Kalungey, even the locally consumed, JhariChyau is also a species of Termitomyces which is a lesser-known fact.

Some of the known species that occur in Sikkim are:

·         Termitomycesheimii – with large caps and deep root-like pseudorhiza

·         Termitomycesclypeatus – smaller and more slender

·         Termitomycesmicrocarpus – with tiny, often hidden fruiting bodies also known as JhariChyau

·         Termitomyceseurhizus – large caps, conical when young.

Every species has slight variations in terms of taste, appearance and even the habitat. Some are known to occur at slightly higher elevations and some prefer a specific type of soil and vegetation, however all of these amazing mushrooms grow only near to where the termites are.

Science Vs Local knowledge

While it has long been known that Kalungey is found around termites, recent research suggests that this mutualism is a deep relationship between a fungus and a mushroom. Termites protect the fungi by giving them ideal conditions of humidity, temperature and we are even learning that they remove contaminants and help remove other competing fungi to ensure that their precious crop grows well. It is a perfect co-evolution between fungi and insect where one can’t really make it without the other. Since then, there are now other studies looking at the amazing potential of these two creatures to do more like breaking gown or purifying agro waste to even the potential to make a biofuel out of this mutualism.

Conservation and Ethical Foraging

Not enough can be said about the need to protect and conserve such precious organisms and their habitats as these wonderful mushrooms are now under threat. Over foraging is often a cause for their depleting numbers and the destruction of the habitats has also affected this delicate partnership that these organisms have.

We have set out as Mushrooms of Sikkim to educate people about ethical foraging practices and the need to save fungi and thereby save nature itself. Ethical foraging practices like harvesting only the visible fruiting body, leaving some behind so the mushrooms can disperse their spores, picking only the mature fruiting bodies, never messing with, or destroying the termite homes and sharing and documenting local knowledge are ways in which we can help save this precious treasure of nature.

Besides this we also need to preserve community practices and save our ethnomycological knowledge by integrating it with modern science. Slight changes in forest policy have happened in the state which is a good sign but there is room and cause to do more.

KalungeyChyau isn’t just a mushroom

Yes, you read that right, it is not just a mushroom, it is part of our state’s living heritage. The stories, recipes, and seasonal rhythms that surround itare as important as the science behind it. Protecting Termitomycesand other fungi means to protect both biodiversity and traditional knowledge.

Documenting the local names, folklore, and seasonal patterns, while also following the scientific research, could not only lead to new discoveries but could also provide us with insights into forest health and much more.

Follow us @mushrooms_of_sikkim on Instagram for daily discoveries, identification help, and updates on fungal education and conservation across the state.