MYCOLOGY AND ETHNOBOTANY
The ancestral secrets of the inhabitants of this mountain range
The mycological and botanical richness of this territory
The temperate climate and rainfall of this territory have resulted in a great variety of mycological and botanical species, which not only enrich the landscape, but also form part of the deepest gastronomic, cultural and medical tradition of this region.
There are few greater joys for the inhabitants of the Natural Park Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche, than to find in the field some specimen of its numerous mycological varieties. With more than 500 different species, this point of the peninsular southwest is one of the paradises for mycologists and amateurs. Not all, but many types of mushrooms are regularly present in the gastronomy of this land.
Chestnut groves, dehesas and jarales give this precious fruit in two main seasons: autumn, with amanita caesarea and boletus edulis as main representatives, and spring, with amanita ponderosa and morchela esculenta as queens. Both have the necessary qualities of temperature changes in the soil and the environment and a high level of humidity for the different species identified so far, and those that have not yet been identified, to emerge from the soil.
The mycological activity in the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche is such a spectacle that going into its forests to identify the different species of mushrooms (edible and poisonous), collecting them with the help of expert mycological guides, such as those of the companies Babel Nature or Lynxaia, learning how to cook them or tasting them in one of the magnificent restaurants of the territory, has become an ecotourism product with a great potential.The mycology experts, such as those of the companies Babel Nature or Lynxaia, learning to cook them or tasting them in one of the magnificent restaurants of the territory, has become an ecotourism product with an ever-increasing demand.
But the forest also holds other riches. The native plants not only provide food and culinary condiments to the mountain population. They also allow the elaboration of ointments, oils and other traditional uses that anyone can learn about from specialized companies.