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Andorran ethnomycology: culinary uses and beyond

Summary

This research documents how people in Andorra traditionally use wild mushrooms for food and medicine. Researchers interviewed 131 older residents and found 50 different types of mushrooms being used, with over 150 local names for them. Most uses were for cooking (97%), with mushrooms being dried, pickled, or frozen. The study identified several mushrooms that might be valuable for future nutritional research and product development.

Background

Ethnomycology, the study of traditional uses and knowledge of fungi, remains understudied compared to ethnobotany despite the ecological and cultural importance of wild mushrooms. Andorra, a small Pyrenean country with strong mycophile traditions, had limited ethnomycological documentation despite sharing linguistic and cultural ties with mycophile regions like Catalonia.

Objective

This study aims to enhance ethnomycological knowledge in Andorra by documenting the uses and vernacular names of wild mushrooms, quantitatively analyzing ethnofungal knowledge, and identifying species for future nutritional analyses.

Results

Fifty taxa from 23 mycological families were reported with 1,172 use reports from 42 useful taxa. Culinary uses dominated (97.44%), followed by other uses (1.79%) and medicinal uses (0.77%). The five most-cited wild edible mushrooms were Marasmius oreades, Boletus sect. Boletus, Lactarius sect. Deliciosi, Gyromitra esculenta, and Sparassis crispa. The informant consensus factor was 0.96, and 155 vernacular names were documented.

Conclusion

This ethnomycological prospection reveals the rich diversity of wild mushroom vernacular names and traditional uses in Andorra, confirming its status as a mycophile territory. Several taxa with strong traditional use but lacking nutritional data were identified as candidates for further research and potential food innovation.
  • Published in:Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine,
  • Study Type:Ethnobotanical/Ethnomycological Prospection Study,
  • Source: 10.1186/s13002-025-00829-6, PMID: 41219773
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