Abstract

RUAN-SOTO, Felipe  and  ORDAZ-VELAZQUEZ, Marisa. Approaches to mayan ethnomycology. Rev. pueblos front. digit. [online]. 2015, vol.10, n.20, pp.44-69. ISSN 1870-4115.  https://doi.org/10.22201/cimsur.18704115e.2015.20.32.

The Mayan peoples inhabit a biologically megadiverse region and have traditionally made a diversified use of their resources. Ethnomycology -the discipline that studies the relationship between human groups and mushrooms- provides extensive evidence of the knowledge these ethnic groups have of mushrooms and their use. Evidence can be traced back to pre-Hispanic times with mushrooms carved in stone and their presence in codices and chronicles. In the region, 134 edible species -either for consumption or for trade- are currently known, as well as about 40 medicinal mushrooms. Morphological, phenological, ecological and culinary data as well as nomenclature and classification schemes are associated with these uses. The identification of 36 species considered toxic and the presence of mushrooms in different narratives is also part of this body of knowledge.

Keywords : ethnobiology; use of natural resources; edible mushrooms; mushroom use.

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