Local Name
Ghazhazho (1), Jghibla (tush.) (2).
Description
Fruitbodies: The fruitbodies of Sparassis crispa generally shaped like an irregular sphere on a short stem, with numerous flattened, wavy branches, looking more or less like a cauliflower, cream to pale buff, often with yellowish tints when dry, and with white flesh and can vary in size – around 10–60 cm tall and across, and when fresh may weigh around 6-10 kg. The lobes are flat and curly, resembling lasagna noodles and they are colored white to creamy yellow. They arise from a rooting base, and are much branched, comprising compound lobes forming a dense cauliflower-like mass of up to 30 cm across and 25 cm high. Stem: The stem is whitish, rhizoid elongated, 5–10 cm long. Flesh: The flesh is whitish, at first is brittle, later becomes coarse, with shrilly specific smell and taste of nut. Spores: The spores are 4.5–7 X 3–4.5 µm, elliptic or subovoid, smooth, with big fat drop, dust of spores are yellowish.
Habitat: On conifer roots, especially on pine. Season: August–November.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (3).
Uses
Edibility: Considered one of the best of the edible fungi, usually when young and fresh (1).
Tusheti — “For example you found Jghibla fungi in the forest, which is still small in size, you should not get closer, because if you’ll look at the fungi, it’ll not increase in size, while the big ones sometimes are up to 6 kg in weight. You just need to memorize the place or places and then you can come there to find them again. If you’ll prepare some food with these fungi you’ll notice that it’ll be with a taste of nut” (4).
References
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
- Tsotsanidze, G. (2012) Tushetian dictionary. Tbilisi: Bakur Sulakauri Publishing.
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
- Asabashvili, P. (2014) Vlg. Omalo, Tusheti.