An ethnomycological survey of Jaunsar, Chakrata, Dehradun, India

The indigenous people in Chakrata have an immense knowledge of edible and poisonous mushrooms. In the present study the use of mushroom in culinary practices was surveyed among three communities, viz., the natives: Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Scheduled Caste; and Nepali immigrants. The Brahmins & Kshatriyas showed a narrow range of consumption of mushrooms while the Nepalis showed the widest range of consumption. Medicinal and religious uses were reported by the scheduled caste. A total of 63 mushrooms were recorded from the study area. The knowledge of edible as well as medicinal uses of fungi is at risk in this region as the younger generation is not willing to learn this traditional knowledge. In the present study most of the youths were excluded at the end as they did not gave much information.