6 MUSHROOMS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION IN MEXICO - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

There are several fungi in danger of extinction in Mexico due to trade, excessive exploitation, degradation of their environment, and improper management of biodiversity. Among them the Boletus edulis, Psilocybe pleurocystidiosa and Entoloma giganteum stand out.

Fungi -also called mushrooms- have an important function in the cycle of nature, because they break down complex substances into simpler substances for the use of plants and animals.

Hallucinogenic fungus of the genus Psilocybe, predominant in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Mushrooms are practically a different family from the animal kingdom and the vegetable kingdom, because they do not contain chlorophyll to be plants, nor do they reproduce like animals. They are classified in the fungi kingdom.

Fungi reproduce through a system similar to the seeds of plants, because they spread cells called spores, from which new fungi are born.

Mexico is the country with the fourth largest biodiversity in the world. It is estimated that there are more than 200,000 species of fungi throughout the country, of which only less than half are classified.

The Mexican state of Veracruz has the largest amount of known fungi. Since the industrial revolution, a great new wave of species extinction has been occurring, where the fungi kingdom is no exception.

Endangered or threatened fungi in Mexico

1- Boletus edulis

It is a large mushroom, reaching up to 30cm in its hat. The outer ring of his hat tends to be white and the other parts colored between beige and brown.

It has abundant meat, as its parts are known. It can be appreciated with a smooth texture in the rainy season.

This type of fungus is flexible, adapting to different climates and vegetation. It predominates in the states of Chihuahua, Mexico, Nuevo León and Tlaxcala.

2- Psilocybe pleurocystidiosa

It is a hallucinogenic mushroom. It was first ranked in the 1980s.

It is found predominantly in the state of Oaxaca.

3- Entoloma giganteum

Currently its habitat is threatened. Its first sighting was in 1917, but it was reclassified in 1951. It is located in Tlaxcala.

4- Gomphidius rutilus

Its upper part grows between 5 to 8 centimeters. It does not have an odor, but it does have a sugary taste.

Small groups of these fungi are normally found near the pines. It is characterized by appearing only in the fall. It predominates in the state of Nuevo León.

5- Amanita caesarea

Also called the Caesar mushroom, it is an edible mushroom, native to southern Europe. Its common name derives from the fact that it was one of the favorite mushrooms of the Roman emperors.

Its spores are white. It is a particular species because it is cut from its habitat in the "egg" state, that is, when the fungus is closed.

It predominates in the states of Chihuahua, Federal District, Durango, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacán, Morelos, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz

6- Hygrophorus russula

The German naturalist Jacob Christian Schäffer described the species as Agaricus russula in 1774, and the American Calvin Henry Kauffman gave it its current name in 1918.

Its upper part has a circumference between 5 and 12 centimeters. It is a range of colors because it ranges from red wine, through purple, white or pink with pink stripes.

Its spores are white. It predominates in the states of Chihuahua and Nuevo León.

References

1. The diversity of fungi in Mexico. GUZMAN, GASTÓN. Science Magazine. Recovered from the site: ejournal.unam.mx
2. The diversity of fungi of the genus Psilocybe. GUZMAN, GASTÓN. Acta Botánica Mexicana. Recovered from the site: redalyc.org
3. The relationships of the sacred mushrooms with man through time. GUZMAN, GASTÓN. Annals of Anthropology. Recovered from the site: sciencedirect.com
4. List of some rare, threatened or endangered Mexican plants and fungi and suggestions for their conservation. LUNA, VICTOR and Others. Acta Botánica Mexicana. Recovered from the site: redalyc.org
5. Catalog of Mushrooms and Fungi. FUNGIPEDIA Mycological Association. Recovered from the site: fungipedia.org/
6. Image N1. Photographer: Patrick Ullrich. Recovered from the site: flickr.com.