Ethnomycology of South-East Mexico

South-east Mexico comprises the states Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo. Collectively, the region is known for both its high biodiversity and cultural diversity. As house to most of the current Maya peoples in Mexico, as well as other indigenous and nonindigenous groups, the area has been the object of many studies regarding local knowledge of the natural world. For some time, this did not include mushrooms, as the warm tropical climate in most of the region led scientists to the hypotheses that few usable species were available and that peoples in the area were mycophobic. This review delves into the development of ethnomycological studies in the area, which have recorded over 500 useful and recognized species among 13 human groups to date, as well as many practices and local conceptions of fungi. While several patterns that seem to be explained both by cultural affinity and ecological variables have emerged, there are still large portions of this territory that remain to be explored in terms of the relationship between people and fungi.