An ethnomycological survey of macrofungi utilized by Aeta communities in Central Luzon, Philippines

Questionnaires and formatted interviews were used to determine mushrooms used as food and as materials for societal rituals and beliefs among six Aeta communities in three provinces of Central Luzon, Northern Philippines. Thirty-eight different fungi were utilized by the Aeta communities: 21 in Pamp...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: De Leon AM, Reyes RG, dela Cruz TEE
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences 2012-04-01
Series:Mycosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:http://mycosphere.org/pdfs/MC3_2_No9.pdf
Description
Summary:Questionnaires and formatted interviews were used to determine mushrooms used as food and as materials for societal rituals and beliefs among six Aeta communities in three provinces of Central Luzon, Northern Philippines. Thirty-eight different fungi were utilized by the Aeta communities: 21 in Pampanga, 10 in Tarlac, and 19 in Zambales. Fourteen fungal species were collected and identified based on their morphological characters: Auricularia auricula, A. polytricha, Calvatia sp., Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinus tigrinus, L. sajor-caju, Mycena sp., Pleurotus sp., Schizophyllum commune, Termitomyces clypeatus, T. robustus, Termitomyces sp. 1, Termitomyces sp. 2, and Volvariella volvacea. Twelve of the identified macrofungi were consumed as food while Ganoderma lucidum and Mycena sp. were used as house decoration and medicine, respectively. The Aeta communities also performed rituals prior to the collection of these mushrooms, including tribal dancing, praying and kissing the ground. Their indigenous beliefs regarding mushrooms are also documented. This is the most extensive enthnomycological study on the Aeta communities in the Philippines.
ISSN:2077-7000
2077-7019