საქართველოს სოკოებისა და ლიქენების ეთნობიოლოგია | Ethnobiology of fungi and lichens of Georgia

Local Name
Mukhisdzira (1).

Description
Cap: The cap is 3–15 cm, convex, becoming broadly convex in age, dry, finely velvety or nearly bald, brownish orange at first, becoming rusty brown to medium or dark brown, bruising dark blue to nearly black. Pore Surface: Dull orange when young, orangish red to reddish orange at maturity, bruising promptly blue. Stem: The stem is 5–15 cm long, 2–5 cm thick, tapering to the apex, slightly club-shaped when young, becoming more equal, often with a tapered, rooting portion, prominently reticulate with vertically elongated, orange to red reticulation, often with a red to wine red, velvety base, yellowish to orangish above and reddish below, bruising and discoloring blue. Flesh: The flesh is thick, whitish to yellow in the cap, yellow to red in the stem, bluing when sliced. Spores: The spores are 9–17 X 5–7 µm, broadly fusiform to nearly ellipsoid, smooth, olive brown.
Habitat: On soils, in leafy forests, with oaks and other hardwoods. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (2).

Uses
Edibility: Edible only when cooked (must be boiled first in the water for at least 15-20 minutes, broth is unusable) (1).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).

Local Name
Ghazhazho (1), Jghibla (tush.) (2).

Description
Fruitbodies: The fruitbodies of Sparassis crispa generally shaped like an irregular sphere on a short stem, with numerous flattened, wavy branches, looking more or less like a cauliflower, cream to pale buff, often with yellowish tints when dry, and with white flesh and can vary in size – around 10–60 cm tall and across, and when fresh may weigh around 6-10 kg. The lobes are flat and curly, resembling lasagna noodles and they are colored white to creamy yellow. They arise from a rooting base, and are much branched, comprising compound lobes forming a dense cauliflower-like mass of up to 30 cm across and 25 cm high. Stem: The stem is whitish, rhizoid elongated, 5–10 cm long. Flesh: The flesh is whitish, at first is brittle, later becomes coarse, with shrilly specific smell and taste of nut. Spores: The spores are 4.5–7 X 3–4.5 µm, elliptic or subovoid, smooth, with big fat drop, dust of spores are yellowish.
Habitat: On conifer roots, especially on pine. Season: August–November.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (3).

Uses
Edibility: Considered one of the best of the edible fungi, usually when young and fresh (1).

Tusheti — “For example you found Jghibla fungi in the forest, which is still small in size, you should not get closer, because if you’ll look at the fungi, it’ll not increase in size, while the big ones sometimes are up to 6 kg in weight. You just need to memorize the place or places and then you can come there to find them again. If you’ll prepare some food with these fungi you’ll notice that it’ll be with a taste of nut” (4).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Tsotsanidze, G. (2012) Tushetian dictionary. Tbilisi: Bakur Sulakauri Publishing.
3. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
4. Asabashvili, P. (2014) Vlg. Omalo, Tusheti.

Local Name
Irema-sok’o, Zgharba-sok’o (1).

Description
Cap: The cap is 4–20 cm across, flattened convex at first later depressed, velvety then felty soon cracking deeply into coarse overlapping upturned scales of a dark reddish or purplish-brown contrasting with the pale pink or flesh-coloured background. Stem: The stem is 2–8 X 1–2 cm, tapering or swollen at the base, whitish at first becoming brownish from the base upwards. Taste slight but bitter after a few minutes, smell slight, not distinctive. Flesh: The flesh is whitish to pale brownish, soft, pulpy. Spores: The spores are 5–8.5 X 5–7.5 µm, brownish, rough, irregularly globose.
Habitat: On sandy soils, in coniferous woods, especially in pine forest. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (3).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when young and fresh (2).

References
1. Makashvili, A. (1991) Botanical Dictionary. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
2. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
3. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).

Local Name
Khakhvilo (1), Khakhvilo (imer. rach.) (2).

Description
Cap: The cap is 5–15 cm across, globose, later convex, finally flattening and often wavy and lobed, verdigris to dull green often ochre-buff to cream in places, half peeling; surface breaking up into small, flattened, angular, scurfy scales. Gills are almost free, cream, somewhat brittle, with veins connecting the bases. Stem: The stem is 5–10 cm tall, 2–3 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish to pale cream, rather hard. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, rather solid, rarely granular or brittle, taste mild, nutty. Spores: The spores are 6–7 X 4–6 µm, ellipsoid-ovoid to somewhat globose with warts.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland, in leafy and coniferous forests. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (3).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when fresh and marinated (1).

Imereti — “Khakhvilo is the tastiest mushroom among brittlegill mushrooms” (4).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Ghlonti, A. (1974) Dictionary of the Georgian Dialects. Vol. I. Tbilisi: Ganatleba.
3. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
4. Sivadze, N. (2016) Vlg. Korbouli, Sachkhere.

Local Name
Datunia (1).

Description
Cap: The cap is 5–10 cm across, somewhat globose at first, later flattened convex, rather variable in colour, often with pastel tints, from dark or pale wine-coloured to buff, sometimes with olive or greenish tints, fleshy, firm, the skin half peeling, tending to retreat from the margin leaving the underlying flesh visible. Gills are adnexed, whitish to very pale cream, rather closely spaced, narrow, forked, especially near stem. Stem: The stem is 4–8 cm tall, 1–2 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish to pale cream, rather hard, often with somewhat pointed base. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, rather solid, rarely granular or brittle, taste mild, nutty. Spores: The spores are 6–8 X 5–7 µm, ovoid with small warts, colourless.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland, both in leafy and coniferous forests. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: Abkhazeti, Svaneti, Javakheti (2).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when fresh and marinated (1).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).

Local Name
Ts’itelk’aba (Ts’itlio) (1), Kveshts’itela (gur.) (2).

Description
Cap: The cap is 5–10 cm, convex when young, later flat, mostly bright cinnabar to carmine red. Gills are whitish or pale cream, brittle, and occasionally with a red edge at the rim of the cap. Stem: The stem is 4–7 cm tall, 1–2 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish to pale cream, often with pinkish tinge at the base. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, rather solid, sometimes becomes darker. Spores: The spores are 7 X 9 µm, globose, with conspicuous warts.
Habitat: On soils, in leafy forests. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (3).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when fresh and marinated (1).

Kakheti — “We gather Ts’itlio together with Ghvina mushrooms” (4), “You can find Ts’itelk’aba mushroom here in a quite large amount, we call them also Ts’itelkuda” (5).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Ghlonti, A. (1974) Dictionary of the Georgian Dialects. Vol. I. Tbilisi: Ganatleba.
3. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
4. Chaduneli, Z. (2015) Vlg. Gurgeniani, Lagodekhi.
5. Mzekalashvili, B. (2015) Kvareli.

Local Name
Pkvilio (1), Kpilio (zem. imer.) (2), Pkvilo (rach.) (3), Pkvilue (lechkh.) (4).

Description
Cap: The cap is 2–8 cm, convex, flattening on the edges and creating a saucer-shaped depression, golden or yellow, but sometimes is apricot, peach, or coral colored either partly or entirely. Gills are not adnate, not very close, yellowish to orange. Stem: The stem is 2–4 cm tall, 0.6–0.8 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish to pale cream, then with yellowish-grayish tinge. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, rather fragile, sometimes with yellowish tinge. Spores: The spores are 8–11 X 7–9 µm, elliptical, with conspicuous warts.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland, coniferous and leafy forests. Season: Summer – autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (5).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when fresh and marinated (1).

Racha — “Pkvilio is an edible mushroom, yellowish” (3). Imereti — “These are yellowish mushrooms, we call them Pkvilo, usually we gather them with brittlegill mushrooms” (6).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Makashvili, A. (1991) Botanical Dictionary. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
3. Kobakhidze, A. (1987) Dictionary of the Rachan Dialect. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
4. Ghlonti, A. (1974) Dictionary of the Georgian Dialects. Vol. I. Tbilisi: Ganatleba.
5. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
6. Chighladze, M. (2016) Vlg. Sareki, Sachkhere.

Local Name
Mq’rali khrashuna (1).

Description
Cap: The cap is 5–15 cm, globose then convex depressed, glutinous then dry and shiny, somewhat tawny buff to bright rufous brown, sometimes marbled. Gills are adnate, not very close, interveined at the base, whitish then cream, finally rust spotted, edge sometimes with somewhat rufous dots. Stem: The stem is 4–12 cm tall, 2–3 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, rather fragile, taste very acrid. Spores: The spores are 8–11.5 X 7–9 µm, elliptical or subglobose, with conspicuous, isolated, conical warts.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (2).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when marinated (1).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).

Local Name
Bghavana (1), Jghavana (okr.) (2), K’at’amch’q’avana (rach.) (3).

Description
Cap: The cap is 5–10 cm, convex then expanded depressed, slightly viscid to shiny when dry, smooth, the cuticle almost entirely peeling, pure bright red. Gills are adnate, not very close, white and remaining so, sometimes with pale yellowish tints when young. Stem: The stem is 5–8 cm tall, 1–1.5 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish, rarely with a pinkish tinge. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, soon fragile, taste very acrid. Spores: The spores are 8–11 X 7–8.5 µm, elliptical, with numerous, large conical, often pointed warts.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (4).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when marinated (1).

Racha — “It’s a red mushroom, inedible” (3).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Ghlonti, A. (1974) Dictionary of the Georgian Dialects. Vol. I. Tbilisi: Ganatleba.
3. Kobakhidze, A. (1987) Dictionary of the Rachan Dialect. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
4. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).

Local Name
Tskhenisk’bila (1), Kharisk’bila (imer.) (2), Khari k’bilai (svan.) (3).

Description
Cap: The cap is 6–20 cm broad, with a deep obtuse depression, dry, finely wrinkled or wrinkled, white then dingy reddish buff. Gills are decurrent, arched, at least as wide as the cap flesh is thick, not very close, whitish to pale cream, edge becoming brown or rufous. Stem: The stem is 2–4 cm tall, 1–3 cm thick, white or whitish, rarely with a greenish tinge under the gills. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, flushing slightly rufous, taste mild. Spores: The spores are 8–12 X 7–9 µm, elliptical, with prominent warts.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland, coniferous and leafy forests. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (4).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when marinated (1).

Svaneti — “Kharis k’bila like Arq’a, edible when cooked” (3).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Makashvili, A. (1991) Botanical Dictionary. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
3. Oniani, A. (1917) Collection of Svanetian Names of Trees and Shrubs (on Lashkhuri Dialect), Materials on Japhetic linguistics. Vol. VIII. Petrograd: Academy of Sciences Press.
4. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).