ISSN 2456-7876 Archive of Life Science and Environment (Arch. Life Sci. & Env.) 1 (2): 52-56 (2017) FIRST REPORT ON FOUR MACROFUNGI FROM MEGHALAYA, NORTH EAST INDIA Rajesh Kumar1*, Krishna Giri1 and Shailesh Pandey2 1Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat-785 001, Assam, India. 2 Forest Research Institute, Dehradun- 248001, Uttarakhand, India. *Corresponding author email:
[email protected] Abstract: The present study was undertaken to explore the wild mushroom diversity of Meghalaya, Northeast India. Extensive field surveys were conducted in the entire state, and the wild mushrooms were collected from different forest types. A total of 138 mushroom species were identified on the basis of morphological and micro‐ scopic characteristics. Four fungal species, viz., Amanita bisporigera G. F Atkinson, Amanita magniverrucata (Thiers & Ammirati), Cortinarius caninus (Fr.) and Laccaria affinis (G.F. Atkinson) were found as new records from Baghmara Reserve Forest, Meghalaya. Though, these macrofungi have been described from other parts of the world, however, to the best of our knowledge these are being reported for the first time from India. Keyword: Baghmara Reserve Forest, A. bisporigera, A. Magniverrucata, C. Caninus, L.. affinis. Introduction minimum temperature of the state is 24.3 0C and 17.8 0C, respectively. The average annual rain fall in Macrofungi (Mushrooms) play an important role in Meghalaya is about 1200 mm. The floral diversity of fulfilling nutritional and medicinal requirements in Meghalaya is well reputed for its richness and abode of many counties, and serve as a livelihood source of many endemic species. In Northeast India, the wild forest dwelling communities. The wild edible mush- edible fungal resources and ethno mycological knowl- rooms are one of the most important natural resources edge on wild mushrooms of Nagaland have been docu- having high nutritional and economic value (Khaund mented earlier (Kumar et al., 2013; 2014).