The Swedish matsutake (Tricholoma nauseosum syn. T-matsutake):: Distribution, abundance and ecology

The commercially important mushroom matsutake has been considered uncommon in Sweden by most mycologists and has been unknown to the Swedish public. Between 1849 and 1997, 81 matsutake reports were registered in Sweden. A field study in 1998 resulted in 121 matsutake localities, of which at least 30% were prolific, producing 30 - 200 fruit bodies ha (-1) in the far north of Sweden. Using DNA sequencing of rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) it was shown that Japanese and Swedish matsutake (Tricholoma matsutake and T. nauseosum) should be treated as the same species. The oldest name is T. nauseosum, but it is suggested that the name T. matsutake should be conserved. This study has stimulated private companies to investigate possibilities for commercial export to Japan.