2007 Tibet Summer Tour

Fungal and Floral Summer Exploration - Kham - Eastern Tibet  - July 21-Aug 8, 2007

Starting from Kunming, Yunnan Province
Kunming's Mushroom Market, July 22, 2007

Two mushroom stands in Kunming's vegetable market.
In mid July a variety of boletes, two Russulae (greenish: Russula virescens and a reddish R. cf volemus in the back row in photo to the left), Front row above: Boletus bicolor, Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius), Thelephora ganbajun (blue basket); Top row: Lactarius hatsudake, and Laccaria laccata. © Daniel Winkler

 

 
An interesting selection of boletes on the market
Leccinum extremiorientale
 
 Boletus bicolor
 
Boletus cf. griseus

 Thelephora ganbajun, a.k.a. Thelephora vialis

"Ganbajun" being sold on the market in Kunming. It is very expensive, a multiple of matsutake. Its scientific name is Thelephora ganbajun Zang and was formerly known as Thelephora vialisSchwein., after an American relative, which is commonly listed as inedible. Ganbajun is regarded as a choice edible in Yunnan. For preparation it is sliced across very thinly and fried, which results in a crispy texture. The ganba jun I ate in Kunming was still a bit bitter, but overall it was an excellent and unique culinary experience. © Daniel Winkler



 
"Bianlu honggu"
 Russula virescens (Schaeff.) Fr. is a beautiful green brittlegill. This cracking Russula is also popular in Europe, where it grows in warmer areas.
© Daniel Winkler

No bolete here:



Lysurus mokusin f. sinensis  © Daniel Winkler
Visiting the Botanical Gardens near Kunming

Lysurus mokusin f. sinensis  
Lysurus mokusin f. sinensis, the Lantern stinkhorn growing in Kunming Botanical Garden. In the picture above 3 stages are nicely recognizable: an egg (supposedly edible), the "hatching" of the fruiting body surrounded by a future volva. Also showing a typical rhizomorph. The mature fruiting body consists of a pseudostipe with a fertile head covered with a fetid sticky substance (gleba) that attracts insects.
© Daniel Winkler

Gyalthang - Zhongdian - Shangrila
A Tolung Kagyupa monk with an Agaricus that grew in the temple yard.
Only 2 pounds of matsutake? Make it 2 kgs.
Mushroom market in Gyalthang / Shangrila.
Gyalthang lady is holding a Himalayan Gypsy (Rozites / Cortinarius emodensis)




Tibetan or Himalayan Gypsy (Rozites / Cortinarius emodensis) is a choice edible known locally in Tibetan as TertseAccording to Lihua and Yeshi from Khampa Caravan ter refers to the Rhododendron shrubs it is growing with in Fir-spruce forest but also oak forests. Its distribution area is the Eastern Himalayas and Eastern Tibet. It is also common in the Eastern Himalayas, where it was first found by John D Hooker in 1856 and named "Cortinarius emodensis", meaning "Himalayan Cortinarius". I have a paper written on this mushroom in Mushroom the Journal.
in work




Fungal and Floral Summer Exploration - Kham - Eastern Tibet  - July 21-Aug 8, 2007

 

Last edited on Sun, September 9, 2012, 7:01 pm