A Survey of Macro-fungal

Diversity in the Bharsar

Region, Uttarakhand
Himalaya, India
 SAM HIGGINBOTTOM UNIVERSITY OF
AGRICULTURE,TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCES PRAYGRAJ
 
 

COURSE TITLE : BASIC CONCEPT IN LABORATORY

  TECHNIQUES PLPT-504

PROJECT TOPIC : A Survey of Macro-fungal Diversity in the

Bharsar Region, Uttarakhand and Himalaya, India
 
SUBMITTED TO : Dr. SOBITA SIMON
 

SUBMITTED BY : KUPPALLA CHAITANYA

ID NO. : 20MSPP083
 
 CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF
MACRO-FUNGI
• THE IMPORTANT 12 SPECIES OF MACRO-
FUNGI
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES
 INTRODUCTION
Although extensive areas of the Uttarakhand state in the northwestern
Himalaya of India are covered with forests, there have been relatively few
taxonomic reports on the diversity of wild macro fungi, and many areas
remain unexplored for their rich diversity of these organisms.
However, most of these published studies have been focused on a few groups,
particularly members of the families Amanitaceae and Russulaceae.
• The primary exception is the article by Prasher and Lalita (2013), which
reported 200 species of wood-decomposing non gilled fungi.
• Approximately 60% of the entire state is covered with forests, with the
composition changing with the differences in climate which spans from the
plains, to the foothills, and finally to the alpine region of the Himalaya.
• The area is characterized by a temperate evergreen forest with mild
summers, abundant precipitation, and severely cold, prolonged winters.
• The characteristic temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity, along
with the range in elevation and the proximity of the region to the
Himalayas, are responsible for a rich diversity of higher plants and an
associated high level of diversity of different kinds of macro fungi.
• Many tree species are present in the general study area, with their
distributions determined by the different elevations and different slope
patterns of the mountains.
• Major species include Corylus jacque-montii, Quercus leucotrichophora ,
Q.floribunda , Q. semecarpifolia , Aesculus indica, Rhododendron
arboreum , Juglans regia , Alnus nepalensis, Cedrus deodara, Lyonia
ovalifolia , Pinus roxburghii and Taxus baccata subsp.wallichiana.
• The meaning of the word “Bharsar” in the local dialect is “the region rich
in natural wealth”, and this reflects the availability of different tree and
plant species in the general study area.
• However, owing to the heavy rains that occurred during the survey
reported herein, many specimens could not be collected.
• The primary purpose of this article was to direct some attention to the
rural and remote areas of the Bharsar region of the Garhwal Himalaya for
their macro fungal wealth.
 Collection and Preservation of Macro fungi

• Species were identified based on morphological features (and spore data

for few species) and other information available in the taxonomic literature
and field guides.
• All specimens were air-dried with the use of a commercial dryer.
• The specimens are presently kept in the personnel herbarium of the first
author (K.C.S.) but ultimately will be deposited at the HNB Garhwal
University herbarium.
• Genera are listed in descending order of collection.
• A total of 12 fruiting bodies were collected.
• These are listed in the following, along with notes on their ecology.
 The Important 12 species include following:

1.Cortinarius distans
• Pileus up to 40 mm in diam., convex to flattened but slightly uplifted in the middle,
brownish to tawny; margin tuberculate sritate.
• Lamellae broad, distant, purplish, lamellae of various lengths. Stipe 70×8 mm,
equal, concolorous with the pileus, lighter above to ring. Ring in the form of a
creamish-brown membranous coating on stipe, soon disappearing.
• Habitat: Solitary, occurring among leaf litter, under Quercus leucotrichophora
(banjh oak) and Corylus jacquemontii (Turkish hazelnut).
• This specimen was identified as Cortinarius distans Peck on the basis of the
brownish cap that often splits in age, distant gills, stipe initially covered by a
creamish-brown cortina, rusty brown spore print, ellipsoid spores, with a subfusoid
end, moderately ornamented, yellowish brown in 3% KOH.
• However, the purplish gills of the present specimens suggest that a difference exists
with C. distans as depicted on the Mushroom Expert.com website.
• However, this species was tentatively identified as Cortinarius distans for the
collection number KCS 1076 (year 2007) and KCS 2420 (year 2015) in surveys
carried out in Rajgarh in Himachal Pradesh and Lansdown in Uttarakhand,
respectively (Semwal, unpub. data).
2. Gyroporus cyanescens
• Pileus up to 100 mm in diam., applanate with a depression in the middle,
grayish orange in the middle, dark towards margin as brownish orange, with
a distinct cinnamon brown half circle (but this probably does not represent a
specific taxonomic character), margin smooth, uplifted, irregular, undulated-
folded.
• Pores discolored as bluish to greenish black on handling. Stipe 50×8 mm,
small in comparison to the cap diam., eccentric, possibly due to physiological
factors during development of the fruiting body, grayish-red below, lighter
toward the apex, tapering downward, stipe base observed to be linked with
rootlets of the associated oak tree, context yellowish.
• Habitat: Occurring under Aesculus indica (Himalayan chestnut) and
Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak) among leaf litter.
• Specimen collected. KCS 2429 (elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Gyroporus cyanescens in the family
Boletaceae on the basis of the stout, thick fruiting body, the yellowish tubes
that exhibit a bluing reaction on being bruised and the characteristically
smooth, short-ellipsoid spores.
• However, the present specimen with very small spores compares rather
closely with Gyroporus cyanescens as depicted in Phillips (2010).
3. Lactarius sp
•Pileus 10-25 mm in diam., plano-convex with a broad-conical nipple in the middle,
reddish-brown to rusty red, margin recurved.
•Lamellae subdecurrent, close, forked, orangish white lamellulae present, edges entire.
•Stipe, central, equal to twisted-compressed toward below, concolorous with the pileus.
• Latex milky white, unchanging.
•Habitat: Occurring under Aesculus indica (Himalayan chestnut), Quercus
leucotrichophora (banjh oak), and Corylus jacquemontii (Turkish hazelnut).
•Specimen collected. KCS 2430 (elevation 1950 m).
•This specimen was identified as Lactarius sp. and grouped within the family
Russulaceae on the basis of the latex produced when the fruiting body was cut and the
brittle texture of the entire fruiting body.
•This fruiting body is unique and interesting in the genus Lactarius on account of the
ratio of cap size and stipe length (i.e., a small cap and a long slender stipe) and twisted
glabrous stipe.
•Furthermore, on the basis of this distinctive fruiting body ratio among the rusty red cap
group of species of Lactarius such as L. rubidus, L. sanjappae, and L. hepaticus, it
appears to be morphologically different.
•It is likely that this specimen represents a species new to science.
4. Hebeloma mesophaeum var. longipes
• Pileus broadly convex with flat broad disc in the middle, appearing as
campanulate in some specimens, surface viscid; brownish orange in the middle,
salmon to light orange toward the margin, margin regular, faintly striate.
• Lamellae pinkish grey or reddish grey, to pinkish white, becoming darker in aged
specimens, close to crowded, with various lengths of lamellulae, adnate.
• Stipe terete but becoming slightly expanded toward the base, off white to orange
grey, fibrous stuffed, base with whitish hyphae, possibly ectomycorrhizal with R.
arboreum.
• Ring persistent, thin, adhere to the stipe, brownish orange to reddish orange.
• Habitat: Gregarious to solitary, occurring under Rhododendron arboreum and
Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak).
• Specimen collected. KCS 2431 (elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Hebeloma mesophaeum var. longipes on
account of the tricholomatoid fruiting body, viscid cap, brownish orange to light
orange cap color, the presence of a thin cortina and roughened spores that are non
equilateral in profile view and ovate with snout-like apex in face view (Figure
1F).
• However, the present specimen has slightly smaller spores that are reported in
the original description of the species by Smith et al. (1983).
5. Cantharellus cibarius
• Pileus shallowly depressed, lemon yellow to deep yellow, margin wavy,
split, non striate.
• Hymenium with ribs or ridges, these reaching down the stipe, forked,
concolorous with the cap.
• Stipe concolorous with the cap, tapering downward, compressed.
• Habitat: Occurring under Aesculus indica (Himalayan chestnut) and
Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak). Specimen collected. KCS 2432
(elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Cantharellus cibarius Fr. on the basis of
the yellow to deep yellow fruiting body, the shallowly depressed cap, a
hymenium without true gills, and a very pleasant, apricot smell.
• This species is a very common edible macro fungus in the Uttarakhand
Himalaya.
6. Hygrocybe acutoconica
• Pileus 35-60 mm in diam., plano-convex to plane, with a rather insignificant umbo in
some specimens, and the pileus slightly depressed in few specimens, (Figures 1I and
1J), scarlet red at the middle and orangish red to orange toward the margin, surface
glabrous, glossy, margin entire, slightly split in older specimens.
• Lamellae subdistant, orangish white to creamish, adnate to emarginate, lamellulae of
various lengths.
• Stipe 35-60× 3-5 mm, central, equal or slightly tapering upward, cylindrical or twisted
compressed, dry, glossy bright red in the middle, progressively orangish toward the
apex and base.
• No color change.
• Habitat: Occurring among living grasses under Aesculus indica (Himalayan chestnut)
and Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak).
• Specimen collected. KCS 2433 (elevation 1950 m). The specimen was identified as
Hygrocybe cf. acutoconica (Clem.) Singer (Figure 1I) on the basis of the fleshy
fruiting body, the lack of any color change when handled, the scarlet red to orangish-
red viscid cap with low umbo in the middle, and the subdistant orangish white gills
with a concolorous stipe.
• However, the present specimen differs from original description of H. acutoconica as
reported from North America (Hesler and Smith 1963) on the basis of having an
insignificant low umbo to slightly depressed cap (Figures 1I and 1J).
• This species has been reported from Kerala, India by Leelavathy et al (2006).
7. Hygrocybe astatogala
• Pileus 25-33 mm in diam., conico-plane with an acute conical umbo in the
middle, surface deep orange to orangish yellow, dark blackish at the center,
with black, radial, appressed fibrils, viscid, sticky, margin uplifted, split,
translucently striate.
• Lamellae free, creamish white, blackening when handled, close to subdistant,
broad, lamellulae of 1-3 different lengths. Stipe 45-60 ×2-4 mm, terete to
slightly tapering toward the apex, striate-twisted, light lemon yellow toward the
apex, off white below, surface covered with thin black, appressed fibrils,
remarkably blackening when handled.
• Habitat: Occurring among green grasses under Aesculus indica (Himalayan
chestnut) and Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak).
• Specimen collected. KCS 2434 (elevation 1950 m). Remarks.
• This specimen was identified as Hygrocybe astatogala (R. Heim) Heinem.
(Figure 2A) on the basis of the fleshy fruiting body with an acute conical umbo
in the middle of the cap coupled with the orangish to orangish yellow, viscid
cap, the latter covered with radial blackish fibrils, and the subdistant creamish-
white gills.
• Moreover, the fruiting body blackened when handled or being bruised.
However, it is slightly different morphologically from the specimen reported
from Kerala, India (Leelavathy et al 2006) because of the different stipe color.
8. Cyptotrama asprata
• Pileus 40 mm in diam., convex, saffron yellow in the middle and lemon yellow
outward, surface dry, covered with yellowish small, spike-like scaly projection in
the middle, hairy to woolly toward the margin.
• Lamellae adnate, white, distant, broad, lamellulae of various lengths. Stipe 43 5
mm, terete, slightly broadened at the base, concoloros with the cap, covered with
lemon yellow hairy scales.
• Habitat: Occurring on unidentified dead wood in a forest dominated by Quercus
leucotrichophora (banjh oak).
• Specimen collected. KCS 2435 (elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Cyptotrama asprata (Berk.) Redhead & Ginnson in
the family Marasmiaceae on the basis of the saprobic habitat, bright lemon yellow
cap, the latter covered with characteristic acute pointed scaly projections, distant
whitish gills, a stipe covered with concolorous scaly-wooly elements and a white
spore print.
• Cyptotrama asprata is one of the more widely distributed wild fungi in the world,
having been reported from India (Nidhi and Chowdhry 2013), the United States
(Redhead and Ginns 1980).
• This species has been given 28 names and placed in 14 different genera (Redhead
and Ginns 1980).
• From the Uttarakhand Himalaya, it was collected earlier in 2009 (KCS1287,
Semwal, unpub. data).
 9. Amanita hemibapha
• Pileus 75-130 mm in diam., applanate, often slightly umbonate in the
middle, orange at the center, orange red to deep orange outward, yellowish
orange to deep yellow at the extreme margin, striations on the margin
tuberculate-striate.
• Lamallae free subdistant, lamellulae truncate, of various lengths.
• Stipe 80-120 ×15-20 mm, terete, slightly expanded at the apex, yellowish
orange to deep yellow downward, covered with appressed yellowish
fibrils.
• Ring superior, membranous, pendant, orangish yellow. Volva white,
saccate, membranous, lobed.
• Habitat: Occurring under Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak) and
Rhododendron arboreum.
• Specimen collected. KCS 2436 (elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Amanita hemibapha (Berk. & Broome)
Sacc. on the basis of gross morphology (i.e., truncate gills, a stipe with an
distinct ring, and saccate volva at the base of the stipe).
• This species has been reported from various parts of the India (e.g.,
Upadhyay et al 2008; Vrinda et al 2005) and is the best edible example
among the mostly poisonous members of the family Amanitaceae
10. Lyophyllum turcicum

• Pileus 20-75 mm in diam., broadly convex to applanate, depressed or

umbilicate in the middle, grayish yellow to grayish orange, darker in the
middle as beige-brown, smooth, glabrous and shiny, margin regular.
• Lamellae close, adnate but easily separable from the stipe junction, white,
lamelluale of various lengths, edge toothed.
• Stipe 15-45×5-12 mm, equal but increasingly wider near base (25 mm in
width) due to the caespitose growth habit, at least three fruiting bodies arise
from a single stipe, the latter glabrous, whitish like the lamellae.
• Habitat: Occurring in clusters, caespitose, under Quercus leucotrichophora
(banjh oak). Specimen collected. KCS 2437 (elevation 1950 m). Remarks.
• The specimen was identified as Lyophyllum turcicum.
• On the basis of the tricholomatoid habit, fragile fruiting body, beige-brown
cap, whitish gills that are easily removable from the stipe, whitish stipe, and
the caespitose growth habit.
• However, the present specimens also are morphologically similar to L.
fumosum on the basis of cluster growth habit, somewhat similar cap, stipe and
lamellae color combination, but can be differentiate on overall small fruit
body.
11. Tricholoma aurantium
• Pileus up to 100-160 mm diam, at first convex and then umblicate, sticky to viscid,
smooth to appressed fibrillose-scaly, cinnamon brown in the center, brownish orange,
reddish golden to orange red in the middle, brownish yellow to grayish orange toward
the margin, margin smooth, irregular, undulated-folded.
• Lamellae adnate to adnexed, crowded to close, off white to orangish grey in young
specimens, rusty brown in old specimens.
• Stipe 110-160 ×12-26 mm, terete to tapering toward the base, in some specimens
swollen, concolorous with the cap but significantly white at the junction to the stipe,
making a clear whitish circular patch, surface covered with orangish scales.
• Taste slightly acrid and the odor strong soil-like. Habitat. Gregarious to scattered,
occurring under Cedrus deodara, Quercus leucotrichophora (banjh oak), and
Rhododendron arboretum.
• Specimen collected. KCS 2438 (elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Tricholoma aurantium (Fr.) Ricken (Figure 1B) on
account of the stout, dark orangish-red to reddish golden fruiting body with a viscid
cap, close gills that are whitish at first but become brownish with age, and a stipe that
characteristically has orangish scales that disappear near the apex, leaving a white
zone.
• This species has been reported previously from Kashmir, India (Zahoor and Zafar
2014).
12. Amanita manicata
• Pileus 140 mm in diam., convex to applanate, whitish, brownish orange in the
middle (possibly due to rain or other environmental factors), covered with cottony,
small, ash grey to off white floccose-felted universal veil remnants, dense in
younger specimens, sparse in aged specimens, universal veil remnants often adhere
to the fingers when handled; margin appendiculate, tuberculate-striate.
• Lamallae free, close, whitish to yellowish grey, lamellulae of various lengths, edges
fringed with floccose universal veil fragments.
• Stipe 140-220 ×20-25 mm, terete to slightly expanded toward base, surface white,
covered with floccose-squamules, concolorous with the universal veil remnants at
the cap, dense toward the base.
• Ring superior, felted, soon disappearing. Volva consisting of floccose-felted patches
on a slightly expended stipe base.
• Habitat: Solitary to scattered, occurring in a Pinus roxburghii (chir pine) forest,
among grasses.
• Specimen collected. KCS 2439 (elevation 1950 m).
• This specimen was identified as Amanita manicata, which has been assigned to the
section Lepidella of the genus Amanita on the basis of having amyloid spores, an
appendicuate cap margin, and an elongated, broadened stipe base.
• However, an earlier DNA molecular sequencing study of collection number KCS
1388, collected from the Shiwalik Himalaya indicated 99% similarities with A.
manicata and A. nauseosa (Semwal and Stephenson, unpub. data).
 CONCLUSION

• Macro fungi represent an important element of the biota in forest ecosystems,

where their ecological roles range from ectomycorrhizal associates of many of the
trees present to the major decomposers of all types of dead plant material.
• Some species are known to be highly edible and can be collected for human
consumption.
• In the study reported herein, 12 taxa of macro fungi belonging to 9 families and 10
genera were identified in the order Agaricales of the phylum Basidiomycota.
• The results obtained in just one day of collecting certainly provide evidence of the
high level of mycodiversity of the Bharsar region, which is seriously understudied
for macro fungi.
• As noted, several of the species collected are possibly new to science. As such, the
present study should be considered as preliminary, but it does serve as the basis for
more comprehensive future investigations, which almost surely will yield numerous
other species.

REFERENCES :
1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2287884X183028
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