The Edible Mushrooms of Madagascar: An Evolving Enigma

Abstract

The Edible Mushrooms of Madagascar: An Evolving Enigma. This paper on the most significant edible wild mushrooms of Madagascar is organized in the following four categories: (1) mushrooms of introduced eucalypt plantations, (2) mushrooms of introduced pine plantations, (3) mushrooms of native forests and woodlands, and (4) mushrooms found in fields, agricultural waste and other altered, non–forest habitats. Eucalyptus robusta plantations yield by far the bulk of edible mushrooms that are sold, especially species of Russula and Cantharellus. Some Suillus species of northern hemisphere origin have been introduced with pine plantations and are locally important, forming the basis of a small canning industry. In native woodland areas on the central plateau, several ectomycorrhizal mushrooms—very similar to those on the African mainland—are collected and consumed. With the exception of the widely marketed Cantharellus platyphyllus ssp. bojeriensis, these are only of local importance in the villages and smaller markets of the area. Denser forests in the mountains or on the east coast as well as manmade habitats such as fields, pastures, and agricultural wastes are searched for saprobic mushrooms of various types. Some of these saprobic mushrooms show considerable potential for cultivation. The variety of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms found in eucalypt plantations is unprecedented outside of Australia and, for the most part, do not appear to be of Australian origin. Possible reasons for this are briefly discussed. Two economically important species, Russula prolifica sp. nov. and R. edulis sp. nov., are newly described.

Résumé

Les champignons comestibles de Madagascar: l’énigme se poursuit. Les champignons comestibles sauvages de Madagascar sont présentés d’après leur appartenance à quatre habitats différents: plantations exotiques d’Eucalyptus, plantations exotiques de pins, savanes et forêts indigènes et, enfin, champs cultivées, prairies et déchets agronomiques. Les plantations d’Eucalyptus (en particulier d’E. robusta) produisent de loin la majorité des champignons comestibles mis en vente, surtout chanterelles et russules. Quelques bolets du genre Suillus, manifestement introduits de l’hémisphère nord, pullulent localement sous des pins importés et font l’objet d’une industrie artisanale de conserves. Sur le Haut Plateau, plusieurs espèces de champignons ectomycorrhiziques, très similaires à celles décrites du continent africain, sont ramassées et consommées dans l’aire des savanes. A l’exception du Cantharellus platyphyllus ssp. bojeriensis—espèce très commune sur les marchés et le long des routes du Haut Plateau, ces différentes espèces ne représentent qu’un intérêt local. Les forêts denses d’altitude ou le long de la côte Est, ainsi que les habitats créés par l’homme (champs, prairies de pâturage, déchets de l’agriculture) sont explorées à la recherche d’un nombre de champignons comestibles saprophytes, dont certains à potentiel très prometteur pour la domestication. La diversité des champignons ectomycorrhiziques associés aux plantations d’eucalyptus dépasse de loin celle observée dans les autres pays ou les eucalyptus ont été introduits par l’homme. L’auteur discute sommairement quelques éléments qui ne semblent pas favoriser l’hypothèse d’une éventuelle origine australienne pour la plupart de ces champignons. Deux russules comestibles représentant un intérêt économique, R. prolifica sp. nov. et R. edulis sp. nov., sont sommairement décrites comme nouvelles.

Appendix

Two commercially valuable species of Russula discussed in the main body of this article are described here as new species. More detailed and illustrated descriptions of both species will be provided elsewhere.

Russula edulis sp.nov.

Pileo saturate brunneo mox fissurato duro. Stipite breve albido duro pleno. Lamellis albidis saepe furcatis. Sporis verrucis minutissimis densissime dispositis ornatis, macula suprahilare inamyloidea. Pileipelle subpelle dense ac suprapelle extremitatibus 4–6 um latis plus minusve dense septatis ascendentibus ramosis in apice saepe inflatis composita. Pileocystidiis nullis. Holotypus: Madagascar. Central plateau, prope Arivonimamo, sub Uapaca bojeri, Buyck 97.264 (PC)

Cap up to 15 cm diam., smooth up to the very margin but usually becoming rapidly and sometimes profoundly cracked and fissured, exposing the whitish and firm underlying flesh, the surface layer glabrous, homogeneously dark brown to grayish brown, sometimes with very faint greenish tinges toward the margin, locally discoloring or off–white from the beginning, easily separable up to mid–radius, dull and never viscid. Gills adnate to subfree, 4–6 mm high, ivory, sometimes with faint pinkish tint when viewing at an angle, turning somewhat brownish where bruised, close, even but with many bifurcations at various distances between stipe and cap margin, not fragile; edges entire and concolorous. Flesh whitish but rapidly graying (although never very intensely) when exposed, also with faint pinkish tints when cut; very hard and thick (approx. 10–15 mm in center of cap); surface and interior of stipe turning slowly orange–brown with iron sulfate salts, and the interior then fading progressively to greenish gray. Taste mild or refreshing, not acrid. Odor strong, agreeable. Stipe sometimes slightly eccentric, very firm and solid, cylindrical or almost so, whitish in upper part but grayish–brown downward because of a dense, minute fibrillose covering. Spore print whitish. Spores minutely verrucose. Pileocystidia absent. Holotype: Madagascar. Central plateau, at Arivonimamo, in Uapaca bojeri woodland, 5 Feb. 1997, Buyck 97.264 (PC). Illustration: Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

Baskets of Russula edulis for sale. (Bart Buyck, all rights reserved).

Russula prolifica sp.nov.

Russula vesca valde similis sed praesertim differt carne duriora statura compactiora consociatione Eucalyptu robusta crinibus crassotunicatis pilei suprapelle nullis pileocystidiis nullis sporis dense subreticulatis. Holotypus: Madagascar. Central plateau, prope Antananarivo, sub Eucalyptus robusta, 6 Feb. 2006, leg. B.Buyck and V. Hofstetter, Buyck 06.161 (PC).

Cap up to 12 cm diam., often irregular, surface layer separable up to mid–radius, smooth and glabrous, but when young profusely pruinose, continuous or minutely cracked–areolate, becoming striate at the margin with age; surface dull, viscid when wet, in every aspect very strongly reminiscent of Russula vesca Fr. by the nature and variability of its color patterns (mixtures of pinkish, vinaceous, brownish, cream to yellowish or even greenish tints) and presence of rusty brownish spots, but more often cracking or even deeply fissuring (from drought ?). Gills adnate, 4–8 mm high, brittle, not remarkably crowded but dense, even or with rare shorter lamellulae of variable length, frequent bifurcations only near the extreme margin and very close to the stipe, cream–colored, with local yellowish discolorations or rusty spots; edges entire and concolorous. Flesh whitish, very firm, unchanging, but turning rapidly and strongly carrot orange with iron sulfate. Taste and odor mild, but after a while both faintly spermatic. Stipe more or less cylindrical, sometimes curved in lower part, stout, smooth and glabrous, whitish or sometimes with pinkish to brownish–yellowish tints, browning when touched. Spore print dark cream. Spores minutely subreticulate–warty. Pileocystidia absent. Holotype: Madagascar. Central plateau, 20 km from Antananarivo on the N1, near the road in Eucalyptus robusta plantation, 6 Feb. 2006, leg. B.Buyck and V. Hofstetter, Buyck 06.161 (PC). Illustration: Fig. 7.

Fig. 7

Russula prolifica. (Bart Buyck, all rights reserved).