Plant & Fungal Research (2020) 3(1): 54-60 © The Institute of Botany, ANAS, Baku, AZ1004, Azerbaijan http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/plantfungalres.69 June 2020 Edible and poisonous fungi of Azerbaijan Elgun H. Mustafabayli several edible fungi possess medicinally important Institute of Botany, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, antibiotics and cholesterol-decreasing compounds. Badamdar 40, Baku, AZ1004, Azerbaijan Along with their nutritional value mushrooms Abstract: Mushroom diversity of Azerbaijan is not have another ability that gives them functional value. widely investigated. Mushroom specimens were They are accepted as nutraceutical food, because of collected during field surveys in Shaki-Zagatala region their medicinal properties and economic significance. in 2013-2019 and identified by morphological features. It is difficult to distinguish edible and medicinal Along with phenotypic features, the size, shape and color mushrooms, because many edible mushrooms also of spores, recent taxonomic and nomenclature updates own therapeutic properties. About 700 mushrooms of were taken into account. The most common edible Basidiomycetes including edible species have been mushroom species in the district are Boletus aereus, listed as pharmacological active [Valverde et al., 2015; B. reticulatus, Leccinum pseudoscabrum, while most Bernaś, 2006]. widespread poisonous species are Amanita pantherina, Large number of mushrooms are classified as Coprinus picaceus and Hypholoma fasciculare. Few of poisonous and represent health risks, because they edible species, such as Butyriboletus appendiculatus, contain powerful toxins. Despite of this ability some Lepista nuda and Tuber aestivum are rare on this territory, poisonous mushroom species (such as Amanita Dill. and Galerina marginata and Rubroboletus satanas are ex Boehm., Cortinarius (Pers.) Gray, Clitocybe (Fr.) rare poisonous mushrooms. Russula heterophylla (Fr.) Staude, Galerina Early, Lepiota P. Browne, Inocybe Fr. represents a new record for Azerbaijan. (Fr.) Fr., Gyromitra Fr., Psilocybe (Fr.) P. Kumm.) are successfully used in medicine due to their Key Words: food quality, symbiotroph, xylotroph, pharmacological activities [Kaygusuz, 2013; Lima et species, herbarium al., 2012]. Historically, interest in mushrooms in Azerbaijan INTRODUCTION was rather insignificant due to the rich sources of plant There are approximately 100000 described fungal taxa and animal originated food. The first information about at present of assumed 1.5 million, which represent less edible mushrooms (Morchella esculenta, Polyporus than 7% species of fungi on the Earth. About 6000 officinalis, Tuber album, T. melanasporum) along species of those can produce visible fruiting bodies with few lichens (Lecanora, Roccella, Usnea) were [Ainsworth, 2008; Hawksworth, 1991; Tang et al., mentioned in the medieval manuscripts written by 2014]. All fungal species listed as rare, threatened physicians of those times [Alakbarli, 2006]. Numerous and endangered are macrofungi [Mushroom Observer, fungal samples were collected and reported by foreign 2020]. botanists such as Y.N. Voronov in 1922-1923, F.A. In ancient Greece, and in Roman culture mushrooms Kolenati in 1858, N. Gelesnov in 1869, etc. [Aghayeva, were valued and referred as the food of the Gods. Also in 2018]. ancient China, mushroom dishes were named as the elixir In recent years, interest to edible mushrooms is of life. Mushrooms were popular since ancient time to increased in the country, which also followed by the present day due to their low calories and nutritional mushroom poisonings and even mortality incidences content consisting of carbohydrates, low fat, high levels in the northern regions, including Shaki district. of Se, P, riboflavin, niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin D, Edible and poisonous fungi of Azerbaijan have been high nutritional proteins and fiber. Approximately 2000 studied since 60s of the last century and more than 130 mushroom species exist in nature, but about 25 species edible and 9 poisonous taxa were indicated across the are considered as food and just a few species are used for country [Sadiqov, 2007]. Few edible species were also commercial cultivation [Valverde et al., 2015]. Besides, mentioned during the study of the macromycetes of Accepted for publication: 15 April 2020 the southern part of the Greater Caucasus [Aghayeva, E-mail: [email protected] Sadiqov, 2008; Mustafabayli, Aghayeva, 2019]. 54 Mustafabeyli: Edible and poisonous fungi of Azerbaijan The aim of this study was to provide the list of edible & J.L. Frank, B. pseudoregius (Heinr. Huber) D. Arora & and poisonous mushroom taxa recorded in Shaki- J.L. Frank, Calocybe gambosa (Fr.) Donk, Cantharellus Zagatala region of Azerbaijan, including the data about cibarius Fr., C. subalbidus A.H. Sm. & Morse, their seasonal occurrence and ecological features. Chlorophyllum rhacodes (Vittad.) Vellinga, Clitocybe odora (Bull.) P. Kumm., Connopus acervatus (Fr.) K.W. MATERIAL AND METHODS Hugnes. Mather & R.H. Petersen., Coprinus comatus Field studies. This research was a part of mushroom (O.F. Müll.) Pers., Fistulina hepatica (Schaef.) With., diversity studies conducted in 2013-2019. For this Flammulina velutipes (Curtis) Singer, Gomphidius roseus reason 97 field trips were organised in different seasons. (Fr.) Fr., Hymenopellis radicata (Relhan) R.H. Petersen, Mushroom specimens were collected, important Imleria badia (Fr.) Vizzini, Lactarius deliciosus (L.) phenological features and measurements related to Gray, L. volemus (Fr.) Fr., Leccinellum pseudoscabrum collection locality, GPS coordinates were recorded in (Kallenb.) Mikšík, L. griseum (Quél.) Bresinsky & the field, photos of specimens were taken, after which Manfr. Binder, Leccinum crocipodium (Letell.) Watling, all specimens were air dried. Lepista nuda (Bull) Cooke., Macrolepiota mastoidea Microscopic studies. Cap, gills, stalk if have any (Fr.) Singer, M. fuliginosa (Barla) Bon, M. procera volva and annulus, changing colour when cut and (Scop.) Singer, Mycetinis scorodonius (Fr.) A.W. other general phenotypic appearance, fruit body Wilson & Desjardin, Otidea onotica (Pers.) Fuckel, were examined by magnifying lens first. Hyphal and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm., Pluteus pellitus basidial (cystidia, basidia, spores) structures and other (Pers.) P. Kumm., Russula delica Fr., R. olivacea Pers., micromorphological features were examined under R. turci Bres, R. heterophylla (Fr.) Fr., R. virescens light microscope (Vert. A1, Carl Zeiss, Axion Imager, (Schaeff.) Fr., Suillus collinitus (Fr.) Kuntze, S. Göttingen, Germany). Microscopy preparations of granulatus (L.) Roussel, Tuber aestivum (Wulfen) the diagnostic features of mushrooms were mounted Spreng. and Xerocomus chrysenteron (Bull.) Quél. mainly in the sterile water (sometimes with addition There are also several taxa that could be considered some chemicals), statistics included of minimum edible only in juvenile period. Young fruit bodies are 20 measurements for any microstructures. Different used by mushroom hunters due to their nutritional basic identification techniques were used in order to benefits, but old ones as a rule loss their nutritional determine taxonomical groups. All identified mushroom value. These include Apioperdon pyriforme (Schaeff.) specimens were deposited to the mycological herbarium Vizzini, Bovista plumbea Pers., Cerioporus squamosus of the Institute of Botany, ANAS (BAK). (Huds.) Quél., Lycoperdon perlatum Pers., L. umbrinum Mushroom taxa were identified on the appropriate Pers., Mycena haematopus (Pers.) P. Kumm., Polyporus literature [Dudka, Wasser, 1987; Hills, 2009; Horak, septosporus P.K. Buchanan & Ryvarden, P. tuberaster 2005; Klofac, 2013; Knudsen, 2012; Moser, 1967, (Jacq. ex Pers.) Fr., Russula albonigra (Krombh) 1986; Muñoz, 2005; Nakhusrishvili, 1985; Sadiqov, Fr., Sarcoscypha coccinea (Gray) Boud. and Tremella 2007; Šutara, 2008; Wasser, 1980]. Names of fungi mesentherica Retz. were checked by using Index Fungorum. Second group encompasses conditionally edible taxa: Helvella lacunosa Afzel., Lactarius piperatus RESULTS AND DISCUSSION L. Pers, Russula foetens Pers. and Suillellus luridus On the whole 97 species were found and they were (Schaeff.) Murrill. attributed to the following groups: edible, conditionally Mushrooms that belong to the third group do edible, inedible and poisonous (Fig. 1, 2). The group not represent nutritional importance and include 13 of edible mushrooms includes 45 species and three taxa, five of them have either sour and bittery taste infraspecies taxa which are Agaricus bisporus (J.E. (Boletus purpureus Pers., Caloboletus radicans (Pers.) Lange) Imbach, Amanita rubescens Pers., A. vaginata Vizzini, Lactarius zonarius (Bull.) Fr., Russula (Bull.) Lam., Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kumm., sanguinaria (Schumach.) Rauschert., Tricholoma Boletus aereus Bull., B. edulis Bull., B. edulis f. batschii Gulden ex mort. Chr. & Noordel.), or betulicola Vassilkov, B. edulis f. quercicola Vassilkov, hard texture (Clavariadelphus pistillaris (L. B. edulis var. arenarius H. Engel, Krieglst. & Dermek, Donk, Cerioporus varius Fr, Ganoderma lucidum B. reticulatus Schaeff., B. subtomentosus L., B. variipes (Curtis) P. Karst., Geastrum saccatum Fr., Helvella Peck, Butyriboletus appendiculatus (Schaeff.) D. Arora acetabulum (L.) Quél., Hydnellum concrescens 55 Plant & Fungal Research Figure 1. Photos of some poisonous mushroom species: A. Amanita pantherina, B. A. phalloides; C. Pseudosperma rimosum; D. Coprinus