With reference to “Gucchi” sometimes mentioned in the news, consider the following statements: 1. It is a fungus. 2. It grows in some Himalayan forest areas. 3. It is commercially cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A. 1 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 1 and 2
- D. 2 and 3
Answer: C
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, Gucchi mushrooms are the costliest among fungi in the world. They are also known as Morel Mushrooms, and are a rare variety that cannot be cultivated commercially. Statement 2 is correct: Gucchi mushrooms grow in clusters on logs in decaying wood and are mostly cultivated in parts of India like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. Statement 3 is not correct: The fresh morel mushroom season is limited to a barely few weeks in the spring. It is collected from the wild habitats in northwestern Himalayas by the locals”