The mushrooms of Pretoria and surroundings

Abstract

As a result of an increasing interest in mushrooms and demand for information on South African species, a list is provided of 106 species of the Order Agaricales, excluding the Polyporaceae, that have been recorded to date in the municipal areas of Pretoria, Pretoria North and Verwoerdburg. Twenty of the most common species are briefly described and illustrated. The occurence of mushrooms in this area is compared with their occurrence and distribution in other regions of South Africa. It is hoped that this information may serve as a basis for similar studies of the mushroom floras of other regions in order to extend the knowledge of the mushroom flora of South Africa.