Book reviews

The mycoflora of Nepal, a remote and not easily accessible country, has been poorly known so far. This book offers a welcome compilation of current knowledge, brought together by the author, and supplemented with his extensive own research. Introductory chapters deal with the phytogeography and climate, followed by an overview of the history of mycology in Nepal so far. The main part of the book is devoted to an annotated list of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes found in Nepal, giving details on distribution and sometimes substrate, together with references of the records. The genera Amanita, Russula, and Lactarius are treated in more detail with notes on the characters and keys for identification. Also of the Gasteromycetes a key is given to the genera. Chapters are added on ethnomycology, the value of mushrooms for food and trade, and the book concludes with an extensive chapter on mycobiogeography, comparing the mycoflora of Nepal with other regions of the world, ecological factors affecting the mycoflora, and distribution patterns. A few pages are added on conservation and utilization. The coloured photographs are informative, though not always of very good quality. The book is recommended as an important source of information on this region we know so little about.