Meet The Mushrooms

Mushroom season is at its peak in Sikkim. The pre-monsoon rains have blessed us mushroom lovers with a bounty and everywhere you go in Sikkim right now, you are bound to find mushrooms growing in some of the most obvious and not so obvious places. As we continue to look at various mushrooms found in Sikkim, we would also like to advise caution to all the foragers out there to be careful and mindful of the weather and other conditions. Taking precautions when foraging or walking in forests is a must as things can sometimes get unpredictable and there are too many variables that can change in the span of a few moments. We make it a point to always carry first aid and some other essential items like raincoats etc when we step out and we would like to advise everyone to do the same, to be well equipped and safe.

With all those things in mind, let us look at some mushrooms that we have often encountered in our forays. We would also like to emphasize that identifying mushrooms needs a lot of experience and study and it should be done with awareness of the fact that making a mistake with mushrooms could easily prove to be fatal.

Let us look at some mushrooms we have encountered this season

1. Chlorophyllum Molybdites aka the Vomiter aka the False Parasol is a common mushroom often found on meadows in sub tropical regions. It has many common names and it is one of the most common mushrooms that causes poisoning. It is often confused and eaten as it looks very similar to edible mushrooms from the same and other families.

This species of mushroom can cause upon ingestion severe vomiting and diarrhea and pain in the stomach for days. This mushroom has distinctly light green colored gills or spores which is an important but not the only identifying feature. We would like to stress on caution around mushrooms that are hard to tell apart and urge people to stay away from such mushrooms or do not engage beyond photography.

2. Coprinus Comatus aka Shaggy Ink Cap aka Shaggy Mane is a species of mushroom that pops up suddenly in lawns and meadows forming lines and even rings when they fruit abundantly. This is a mushroom that will melt away in a matter of hours after being picked especially if it has released its spores. The local name for this mushroom is Gobhre Chyau and is eaten when young. It turns slimy and bitter as it ages and is no longer edible. This mushroom is easy to identify and is often considered a relatively safe mushroom. It is called ink cap because they deliquesce as they mature turning into a black ink like substance that can be used to make dye at home.

3. Coprinellus Disseminatus aka the Ink-Cap aka the Trooping Crumble Cap is a saprobic mushroom often found growing on dead tree stumps or roots in large numbers or in 'troops'. These mushrooms are quite fragile and often crumble when picked. They are typically very small and can be easily identified. These mushrooms are not eaten despite being edible as collecting them can be quite a task and is often avoided.

Unlike most members of their family, these mushrooms do not turn to ink as they age but turn brownish from their whitish-grayish color. Colors are fun when trying to identify mushrooms, paying attention to every single color and shade of the mushroom can help recognise a mushroom. Regardless of the safe nature of this mushroom, it may cause digestive issues when consumed so it's not recommended anyone eat this mushroom.

PS: We don't encourage anyone to consume any mushrooms without proper verification, we are learners ourselves and consider ourselves beginners when it comes to mushroom identification. Never ever eat a wild mushroom without experts verifying the identification of the mushroom. Edible mushrooms have lookalikes which can be deadly toxic if consumed. We don't forage to consume, just here to learn more about nature.