Background:

Lagunas de Montebello National Park is a Natural Protected Area with high biological and cultural diversity. Chuj and Tojolabales settlers live in the territory and use edible fungi. Little information is available about Mayan knowledge on macrofungi species in the area.

Objective:

To describe the traditional knowledge about macrofungi species in Antelá and Tziscao, Municipality of La Trinitaria.

Methods:

Interviews were conducted with the inhabitants of both communities, field trips to different vegetation areas for the collection of fungi, and taxonomic determination of the specimens was carried out.

Results and conclusions:

In the Antelá community 16 species of fungi are known and 18 names in Tojolabal language. In Tziscao they know 15 species and 21 names in Chuj language. Information was obtained on different aspects about mushroom species knowledge and uses. Some aspects (e.g., mushroom origin and concept, fructifying factors) are similar as for other cultural regions of the country, only a few mushroom species are used in the area, considering the registered diversity data. Mushrooms from either preserved or disturbed environments, are traditionally used. A previously undescribed species of fungus (Lactarius aff. deliciosus) known locally as K’anchaya was collected.