Introductory chapters on Zambian environment, groups and structures of larger fungi, fungal ecology (with an African perspective: mycorrhiza with trees in miombo savannas, symbiosis with termites, decay of wood).
An extensive description on Zambian ethnomycology: what species are collected in the wild for food, which ones are rejected as poisonous or for other reasons, how mushrooms are traditionally prepared and preserved, economic importance of wild mushrooms, medicinal fungi, mushrooms in folklore. 19 recipes of mushroom meals, some of them traditional, and others adopted to suit the African kitchen. Over 90 species of mushrooms, polypores and other fungi are fully described and illustrated with photographs of fresh specimens. The genera Amanita, Lactarius, Russula, Termitomyces and Cantharellus are highlighted. One polypore species (Hexagonia culmicola) is described as new.
