Edible, Medicinal and Red Listed Monkey Head Mushroom Hericium erinaceus from Japfu Mountain of Kohima needs immediate protection

Abstract

Hericium erinaceus also called as monkey head mushroom or bearded tooth fungi ia an edible and medicinal mushroom. It is available in the Japfu mountain of Kohima district of Nagaland (India) which has an altitude of about 3000m. This mushroom is considered very rare in many countries and was red listed in 13 out of 23 European countries in which it has been recorded and is one of the flagship species for conservation of fungal biodiversity in India. This rare and valuable mushroom needs protection as it is considered to be one of the best edible mushroom and reported to have contain many medicinal properties and above all the local population collect it from the wild and destroy it out of curiosity because of its peculiar look.