Eleven species of mushrooms are currently known to be utilized as a food source by the indigenous Patamona Amerindians of the rain forested Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. The majority of these fungi are undescribed species; many belong to groups that are infrequently collected for the table by North Americans (e.g. Clavulinaceae, Sarcoscyphaceae, Amanitaceae) whereas groups which contain highly prized culinary mushrooms by north temperate standards (e.g. Cantharellaceae) are traditionally shunned by the Patamona. Here we discuss some of the more commonly collected mushroom species of the Patamona and their methods of preparation as well as some mushrooms that we have discovered to be choice edibles of the region.
