An Assessment of Yarsagumba(Ophiocordyceps sinensis) Collection in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal

Yarsagumba(Ophiocordyceps sinensis), an endemic species to the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, is one of the most valuable medicinal mushrooms in the world. In Nepal, it is distributed largely in isolated patches of alpine grasslands of 3,000-5,000 m elevation. Although it is reported from 27 northernmost districts of Nepal, the local distribution pattern of this species is largely unknown.Furthermore, the collection system and local management regime of this species are not well documented. We conducted a field survey at Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve(DHR) among the different stakeholders in January-June 2012 to assess collection sites, patterns and trends and to understand the management regime. We estimated that about 75 kg of Yarsagumba is collected every year from DHR and the amount has been declining since 2008. To manage the resource, locals have initiated regulating the collection by issuing permits, taxing to the collectors, and monitoring the activities of harvesters with the help of park authorities. The revenue generated at local level from the permits has been used for community developmental activities.

Species clarification of the prize medicinal Ganoderma mushroom“Lingzhi”

“Lingzhi”is a mushroom that has been renowned in China for more than 2,000 years because of its claimed medicinal properties plus its symbolic fortune.“Lingzhi”has high economic value mostly as a dietary supplement in the modern market especially in East Asia,and its medicinal functions have become a hot study topic.For over a century,the highly prized medicinal fungus,known as“Lingzhi”in East Asia,has been assigned to Ganoderma lucidum,a species originally described from Europe.Molecular studies in recent years have revealed that the commercially cultivated‘G.lucidum’(“Lingzhi”)in East Asia is a different species from the true G.lucidum.The present study aims to clarify the species identity of“Lingzhi”based on morphological studies and analysis of rDNA nuc-ITS sequences,and additional gene fragments of mt-SSU,RPB1,RPB2,and TEF1-αof“Lingzhi”were provided.All Ganoderma species that mostly resemble“Lingzhi”in phylogeny and/or morphology were included for analysis.We propose a new species G.lingzhi for“Lingzhi”,which has an East Asia distribution.The most striking characteristics which differentiate G.lingzhi from G.lucidum are the presence of melanoid bands in the context,a yellow pore surface and thick dissepiments(80–120μm)at maturity.G.curtisii is most closely related to G.lingzhi in phylogeny and is from North America.Ganoderma flexipes,G.multipileum,G.sichuanense,G.tropicum and‘G.tsugae’,are also closely related with G.lingzhi and are reported from China.These species are compared and discussed.‘Ganoderma tsuage’reported from China is determined as conspecific with G.lucidum,hence the distribution of G.lucidum extends from Europe to northeastern China.

Some Useful Wild Macrofungi from Liuxihe National Forest Park,Guangzhou,China

Forty species of Basidiomycota from 21 genera in 15 families, collected from Liuxihe National Forest Park, Guangzhou, China, have values for use by local people. More than half of the species collected are edible, and some (Lactarius deliciosus, Boletus spp.) are gathered for commercial consumption in South China. Ten species have medicinal properties, and include Dictyophora, Ganoderma, Pisolithus and Scleroderma. Over 60% species (26 taxa) are ectomycorrhizal involving 12 edible fungi. The most abundant families were the Amanitaceae, Boletaceae and Sclerodermataceae, which form important ectomycorrhizal associations with coniferous and mixed broad-leafed trees in the Park. Prospective uses of these macrofungi are discussed.