THE FORESTS OF WESTERN GHATS. AN ABODE OF NOVEL AND INTERESTING MICROFUNGI* I
K avaka 36: 1— 11, 2008
The forests of Western Ghats, an abode of novel and interesting microfungi*
D.J. B hat Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa-403 206. India, E-mail: bhatdj® rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT "Nahi jnaanena sadnisham pavitmmahi vidyati" (■=.Nothing is more purer than knowledge) - Lord Shrt Krishna in Bhagavad Gita
I am deeply honoured lo have been elected as President of Mycological Society of India. I am equally thankful lo Thapar University, Patiala, for organizing the 34th Annual meeting of die Society along with a National Symposium
Mycological Society of India Kanyakumari. These mountains are 30-80 km away from the sea coast. The escarpment is steep and The Mycological Society of India was established in January 1973 in Chennai (formerly precipitous along the western side and gently inclined Madras), on the sidelines of International Symposium on the east, the highest elevation is at Anamudi in on Taxonomy of Fungi held at Centre for Advanced Kerala. Many Studies in Botany. University of Madras. The main short, fast flowing, seasonal streams and architect of the event was Professor C.V. perennial rivers originate in the Western Ghats and Subramanian. 1 joined the Botany Department, at a flow down to the Arabian Sea. The ghats receive slightly later date in the same year, for my post-M.Sc. south-west monsoon rain from June to September; the Diploma in Mycology and Plant Pathology and downpour is heavy on the western side of the ghat subsequently for doctoral studies. I narrowly missed ranging from 200 to 350 cm annually. The mean the opportunity of witnessing the birth of the Society. annual temperature ranges between 26°C to 37°C, Nevertheless, I have been associated with the Society which seldom falls below I6°C. The mean annual ever since, in various capacities which 1 considered as relative humidity is about 80f& Under these warm and a privilege. The Society has completed 33 years and I humid conditions, luxuriant forests flourish in the am very glad that a Luge number of young students of windward western side of the ghats, which include mycology are now enrolling as Members. wet-evergreens, sholas, moist-deciduous, dry-deciduous, scrub-jungles and plateau-grasslands. Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany. Diverse plant species flourish in the forests of Western University of Madras Ghats (Pascal. 1989). I did my doctoral thesis under the supervision of Fungi of the Western Ghats have been explored Professor C.V. Subramanian and, subsequently also and documented to some extent (Subramanian. 1971; worked on a UGC-sponsored project entitled 'Fungus Rao and de Hoog. 1986; Subramanian and Bhat, 1987; Flora of South India’ My stay at the Centre for Bhat and Kendrick, 1993; Sarbhoy et a i, 1986; Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras, for Sarbhoy et al., 1996; Jamaluddin et al., 2004; duration of sin years was most rewarding. Invaluable Manoharachary et a i, 2005; Jacob, 2000; D’Souza, guidance from Professor Subramanian and numerous 2002; Nair, 2002; Keshav Prasad, 2003; Jalmi. 2006; mycological events and interactions that t
* Presidential address delivered during the 34,h Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of India at Thapar University. Patiala, Punjab, India 2 K P. RADHIKA AND B F RODRIGUES
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In this address, I sphencal spores in masses on phialidic conidiophores. will highlight the excitements derived while This was nothing to do with Hypocrealean fungi; yet, 1 encountering some of the new hyphomyectous fungi in showed the slides to Professor Subrantanian The the forests of Western Ghats. mycology laboratory of Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany at Madras University then had total command on Hyphomycetes from the forests of Western Ghats conidial fungi, at global level. Professor Subramanian It was in the monsoon of 1976, in search of was instant in declaring that the fungus might be an llypocrealean fungi. I set out on my first field trip into unknown one and 1 should examine it further. Continued THE FORESTS OF WESTERN GHATS, AN ABODE OF NOVEL AND INTERESTING MICROFUNGi* 3 detailed studies in the next few months, resulted with 1980. We traveled in a train engine to the Falls from description of Bahusutrabeeja d w a y a Subram. et Bhat, a Londa railway station and I had an hour-long swim in new species in a new genus (Subramanian and Bhat, the pond adjacent to the railway track. I had no idea 1977a). Though Hypocrealean fungi were my focus, in my those days that I would continue my quest on fungi, inner-self, 1 developed spccial interest on hyphomycetous subsequently from Goa University. fungi. It was my firm conviction then that 'knowledge gaining exercises will surpass everything else’ A brief with fungi of Ethiopia A phiaJidic hyphomycete, Putagraivam During 1981-88, I had worked in Asmara sundaram Subram et Bhat (Subramanian and Bhat, University, Ethiopia (presently Eritrea) Positioned in 1977b), anamorphic phase of a hypocrealean Asmara, I had a distinct opportunity to survey the Peethambara sundara Subram et Bhat (Subramanian highland forests of southern Ethiopia. From fungal and Bhat, 1977c), that I gathered from my native diversity study point of view, Ethiopia is equally rich village, Darbhe (Irde) located in the foothills of and. undoubtedly, those were some of my very Western Ghats, Karnataka State, was an accidental productive mycological study period (Bhat, 1983, discovery. Closely and curiously watching my fungus 1984, 1985, 1986; Bhat and Sutton, 1984, 1985. 1986, collecting methods, my father who didn't even have Bhat and Chien. 1990. 1992). any formal education, brought a head-load of decaying Return to the Western Ghats twigs o f Macaranga indica Wright which had bright-coloured stromatic ascocarps on the surface, My interest on hyphomycetes grew steadily from the nearby forests. The ascocarps of and progressively, on return to India. In the subsequent Peethambara sundara, a new hypocrealean fungus, years, while working in Mangalore (1988-89) and Goa had accompanying cotudial synnemata on the Universities (1990-2007), along with my students and substrate- Single ascospore in culture also produced colleagues, I surveyed many forests and streams of the the synnematous conidial phase. The study ended up in Western Ghats and collected fungal samples from the description of hitherto unknown everywhere. We trekked long distances; stayed telcomorph-anamorph connection of the new fungus. overnights in deep jungles, nearby bus stands and Putagraivam sundaram is now a synonym of railway platforms. Collection and description of fungi Didymostilbe sundara (Seifert. 1985) were sheer excitements. Our mycofloristic investigations were was not confined to the forests of My two visits to Silent Valley in Kerala during Western Ghats alone. We also surveyed the forests of March-April and December 1980 for collection of Andaman Islands (Bhat and Kendrick, 1993; D’Souza lungi were most memorable. Led by the Botanical el al., 2002) and north-eastern highlands of Arunachal Survey of India, I was part of a big team set out to Pradesh, Assam and Nagaland in India (Bhat, 2006). study the extent of biodiversity of the region I collected samples of fungi from all over the forests and I had invaluable support from Professor K M, streams over a period of 6 weeks. Together with Kavcriappa, Vice Chancellor. Mangalore University, Professor Subramanian. I examined every bit of the Professors K, Natarajan and B.P.R Vittal, Centre for samples and documented the fungi (Subramanian, Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras; Dr 1992; Subramanian and Bhat, 1987). This was a major B. Sutton, International Mycological Institute, UK; fungal biodiversity study of the region. There is no Professor B. Kendrick. University of Waterloo, exaggeration if I state that the then proposed plan of Canada; and Dr. Kevin D Hyde, University of Hong construction of a major hydro-electric dam across Kong (now in Mac Fah Luang University, Thailand), Kunthi puzza river in Silent Valley was permanently in my mycological journey. They not only scrapped because of the evidences provided by the accommodated me in their work places for a while but high biodiversity of the region, especially the fungi. also supplied needful literature on fungi. Major fungal haul came from the wet-evergreen forests of Western As a project staff in the 'Fungus Flora of South Ghats in Silent Valley in Kerala State (Subramanian India' programme. I collected samples of fungi from and Bhat, 1981, 1987-88), Agumbc, Sampaje, different forests of Karnataka. Kerala and Tamilnadu, Kodachadri hills and Sharavati valley in Karnataka during May-Deccmbcr 1980 In one of the field trips, State (Bhat and Kendrick. 1993) and Bondla, Molem near Hassan. Karnataka State, our vehicle was hit by a and Cotigao in Goa State (Bhat et al., 2009). Not only huge vulture and the van tell into a 20 m deep ditch. many new but also numerous common, rare, Miraculous as it was. we escaped with very minor interesting microfungi were discovered by us. The injuries. Nothing of the sort deterred us from hitherto described novel fungi from the forests of continuing investigations on fungi, I do remember my Western Ghats are listed below, with details on their first visit to Goa (Dudhsagar Falls), during November substrate, locality and time of collection (Table 1). 4 K. P RADHIKA AND B F. RODRIGUES Table-1. New hyphomycetes discovered from the forests of Western Ghats: Year of Fungus name’ Substrate Locality Reference collection A crodictys malabarica Suhram Dead Bamboo Silent VaJIcy. 1980 Subramanian & Bhat Kerala and Bhat. 1987 Anavirga vemiifomiis Bhal & Unidentified dead twigs Kodachadn 1991 Bhat and Kcndnck, Kendrick Hills. 1993 Karnataka Arthrinium myiilomorphum Bhal Dead leaves of Kodachadn 1991 Bhat and Kendrick, et Kcndnck A ndropogon sp Hills. 1993 Karnataka Aquaphila mmdayalca Maria & I .eaves of Caryota urens Coligao. 1999 D'Souza and Bhat. Bhal Goa 2001 Bahusutrabeeja dwaya Decaying coffee twigs Abby Falls. 1976 Subramanian Subram & Bhal Karnataka and Bhal. 1977 B. dubha\hn Bhal Leaf Litter of Pandwius Molem. Goa 1992 Bhat, 1994 faseieutans 8 globosa Bhat & Kcndnck Unidentified Dead Twig Kudrcmukh. 1989 Bhat and Kendrick, Karnataka 1993 H manoharacharii Piatibha & Leaves of Bridetia Chorla ghat. 2004 Pratibha and Bhal scandens Goa Bhat. 2004 Beltmnia circmata Bhat & Dead leaves of Kodachadn 1989 Bhat and Kendrick Terminalia sp. Hills. Kendrick. 1993 «. Karnataka Benjpalia sundara Subram & Dead petiole of Calamus Silent Valley, 1980 Subramanian Bhal sp. Kerala and Bhat. 1987 Bharat he eva goantnsis D' Souza Unidentified dead Leaves Morpirla, 1993 D'Souza and & Bhal Goa Bhat, 2002 H mmaiden D'Souza & Bhal Dry leaves of Calamus Bondla. 1999 D'Souza and ihntaleii Goa Bhat. 2002 Blasunalena pulnyensis Suhram Unidentified decaying Kodaikanal, 1980 Subramanian & Bhal twigs Tamil Nadu and Bhat. 1987 B nachysponellina pulneynsis Unidentified dead twig Kodaikanal. 1981 Subramanian Suhram.& Bhat Tamil Nadu and Bhat, 1987 Catenulaha katakadensts Subram Unidentified decaying Kalakad. 1980 Subramanian & Bhal twigs Tamil Nadu and Bhat. 1987 C. malahanca Suhram. & Bhal Unidentified dead twig Silent vally, 1980 Subramanian Kerala and Bhal. 1987 Ceeveesubramaniomyrex litseae On leaves of Litsea sp. Yana. 2005 Praubha and Ptaiihha. Hyde & Bhat Karnataka Bhat. 2004 Certtosporrlla pulneyensis Unidentified dead twig Kodaikanal, 1980 Subramanian Suhram & Bhat Tamil Nadu and Bhat. 1987 (ludam indica Pratibha, Gawas, Live leaves of Aneca Kesarval. 2003 Pratibha and Hyde & Bhat catechu Goa Bhal. 2005 Cheimpolyschema ghaticum Bhat Dead decaying leaves Edakumcn, 1989 Bhat and & Kcndnck Karnataka Kcndnck. 1993 Cnapedodidymum ftmhriatum Unidentified dead twigs Shiradi ghat. 1988 Bhat and Bhat & Kcndnck Karnataka Kcndnck. 1993 Cmspedodidymum hyalosporum Unidentified dead twigs Edakumen, 1989 Bhat and Bhat & Kcndnck Karnataka Kcndnck. 1993 THE FORESTS OF WESTERN GHATS, AN ABODE OF NOVEL AND INTERESTING MICROFUNGI* 5 Year of Fungus name Substrate Locality Reference collection C.pulneyensis Subram. & Bhat Unidentified dead twig Kodaikanal, 1980 Subramanian Tamil Nadu and Bhat. 1987 Cryptophiale apicaiis Bhal & Dead leaves of Valeria Shiradi ghat. 1989 Bhat and Kendrick indica Karnataka Kendrick, 1993 Cryptophiale verrucosa Bhal & Dead leaves of Valeria Sampajc ghat, 1989 Bhat and Kendrick indica Karnataka Kcndnck. 1993 Dendrosporu yessemreddyl Nair Fresh water stream Bondla. 1999 Nair and & Bhat Goa Bhat. 2002 Ihclyochaeta ediata (Onofn & Dead leaves of Kudremukh, 1989 Bhat and Ramhclli) Bhat & Kendrick Cinnam omum sp. Karnataka Kcndnck. 1993 Dichotom ophthompsis liead leaves of Oryza Karnataka 1989 Shccba safeeulaeusis Bhat, Rashccd & itf/iYaKonaje et a l. 1989 Shccba Didymoboiryum spirillum Dead culm of Molem. 2000 D'Souza and D’Sou/a & Bhal Dendn>calamus strict us Goa Bhal. 2002 Dig it a non ispo ni tanibdisurlensLs Unidentified Dead twig Tambdi surla, 2008 Pratibha Pratibha. Raghuk & Bhal Goa et al.. 2009 Dtmastigosporium yanenseYadav Decomposed cattle dung Yana. 2008 Yadav and & Bhal Karnataka Bhat, 2009 Diplospom indica Nair & Bhal Unidentified submerged Cotigao. 1999 Nair and litter Goa Bhat. 2001 Echuiosphaeria macmsporu Puja. Endophyte of Ceiuella Colem. 2005 Puja Hyde & Bhat asialica Goa et cd.. 2006 E pleridis Dharg & Bhat Endophyte of Rachis of Gersoppa, 2007 Dhargalkar h e n s v ittaia Karnataka and Bhat, 2009 h'usichalara goanensis Bhat & Unidentified dead twig Cotigao. 1991 Bhal and Kendrick Goa Kcndnck. 1993 Gangliostilbe maiabanca Subram Unidentified dead twig Silent valley, 1980 Subramanian & Bhat Kerala and Bhat. 1987 Gliocladiuni sampajense Subram Dead bark of Theobmma Sampajc, 1979 Subramanian & Bhat Cocoa Karnataka and Bhat. 1987 Gotuuobotryum bimorphosporum Endophyte of Carrisa Taleigan 1998 Jacob and Jacob & Bhat carandas plateau. Bhat. 2000 Goa Helminlhosporium belgauntense Dead twig of unidentified Upper Anmod, 1980 Subramanian Subram & Bhat plant Goa and Bhal. 1987 Hyphopolynema sitlbotdeum Dead leaves of Syzigium Kodachadri 1991 Bhat and Bhat & Kcndnck sp. hills. Karnataka Kcndnck, 1993 Idriella maiabanca Subram. & Unidentified leaf litter Silent Vally. 1980 Subramanian Bhal Kerala and Bhat. 1987 Kumaruuamuha kalakadensis Unidentified dead twig Kalakad. 1980 Subramanian Subram A Bhal Tamil Nadu and Bhat, 1987 Kumbhtmtaya goanensis Maria Dead leaves of Cotigao. 1999 Bhat and & Bhat Floucourtia montana Goa Kendrick, 1993 K. jalapriya Nair & Bhat Live roots of Hopea Molem. 2000 Nair and ponga Goa Bhat, 2002 Kumbhamaya indica Miriam & Endophyte of Canssa Verna plateau, 1997 Jacob and Bhal carandas Goa Bhat. 2000 6 K P RADHIKA AND B F RODRIGUES Year of Fungus name Substrate Locality Reference collection Micmspomm appedicuUtium On goal dung Verna, 1996 Miriam and Miriam & Bhat Goa Bhat. 1998 Satarajania indica Prahhha & Dead leaf of Ant ions Netravali, 2006 Pratibha and Bhat toxic aria Goa Bhat. 2005 Parahelminthnsporium Dead Rachis o f Calamus Oochipara. 1980 Subramaman nutlabaricum Subram & Bhat sp. Silent vally, and Bhat. 1987 Kerala Phalangispom bhanahensis Leaf litter of Holigama Cougao, 1999 Prasad and K Prasad & Bhat amotiana Goa Bhat, 2002 Phudospomstib* seiosa Bhat & On decaying leaves of Kudremukh. 1989 Bhat and Kendrick, Kendrick Ochlandra sp. Karnataka 1993 Ptettmihecium magnum Subram Unidentified rotten wood Kodaikanal, 1981 Subramanian and Bhat. & Bhat Tamil Nadu 1987 P.pulneyense Subram. & Bhat Unidentified Dead twig Kodaikanal, 1980 Subramanian and Bhai, Tamil Nadu 1987 Pincauduipsis appcndicuhaa Bhat Unidentified dead twigs Kudremukh, 1989 Bhat and Kendrick. & Kendrick Karnataka 1993 Porosubranmniania malabarica Unidentified Dead twig Thekkadi, 1977 Subramanian and Bhat. Subram & Bhat Kerala 1987 Pseudotomla helica Subram & Unidentified Dead twig Kodaikanal, 1981 Subramanian and Bhal. Bhat Tamil Nadu 1987 Putagraivam sundaram Subram, Dead twigs of Macaranga Darbhe (Irde), Subramanian and Bhat, & Bhal indica Karnataka, 1977 Rattania sctuijcra Endophyte of Calamus Dhoodhsagar, 2008 Prabhugaonkar and Bhat, Prabhugaonkar & Bhat. thwaiiesii Goa 2009 Sorocybc indicus Gawav Hyde Hanging dead twig Amholi, 2003 Pratibha tt a l, 2005 & Bhat Maharashtra Sptgazzinia submmantnii Bhal Hyperparasite on Kodachadri 1989 Bhat. 1994 Helm inthosporium hills. Karnataka veluiinum Speimpsh mgergoosensi.% Dead leaves of Subramanya. 2001 Prasad et a l. 2002 K Prasad &t Bhat Artocarpus hirsuius Lam. Karnataka S points' loci ad tops is ascptala Unidentified leaf litter Calicut, 2008 Pratibha and Bhat. 2009 Pratibha. Raghuk & Bhal Kerala Sporidesmina nudabarica Subram Dead petiole of Curcuma Silent Vally. 1980 Subramaman and Bhat. & Bhat sp. Kerala 1987 Sporidesmiopsis malabarica Dead pefiole of Curcuma Silent Vally, 1980 Subramaman and Bhat. Subram & Bhat sp. Kerala 1987 S goanfiists Bhat & Kcndnck Unidentified dead twigs Kodachadri 1991 Bhat and Kcndnck. 1993 hills, Karnataka Spontschisma uniseptatum Bhal Unidentified decaying twig Morphirta, 1991 Bhat and Kcndnck. 1993 & Kendrick Goa Stcllomyces kendrickii K Prasad Decaying twigs of Hopea Molem, 2001 KeshavPrasad and Bhal. & Bhat pong u Goa 2002 letmfiloa cininata Pratibha & Dead bamboo twig Mahabaleshwar, 2006 Pratibha and Bhat. 2008 Bhal Maharashtra Inchobolrys mmosu D’Sou/a & Dead leaves of Molem. 1999 Mana and Bhal. 2001 Bhat Dendmcatamus strictus Goa THF. FORESTS OF WESTERN GHATS. AN ABODE OF NOVEL AND INTERESTING MICROFUNGI* 7 Year of Fungus name Substrate Locality Reference collection Trinacnum indica Soosarnma. Decaying leaf litter of Somvarpei, 1998 Soosamma et at,. 2001 Lekha. Srcckala & Bhat Coffea amhica Karnataka Uberispora tropicaiis Bhat & Unidentified dead twigs Donigalu, 1989 Bhat and Kendrick, 1993 Kcndnck Karnataka Vamsapriya indica Gawas & Dead bamboo twig Yellapur. 2005 Gawas and Bhat. 2005 Bhat Karnataka V mahabalcshwarensis I*r3tihha Unidentified dead twig Mahabaleshwar. 2006 Pratihha and Bhat. 2008 & Bhat Maharashtra Xanakripa gigaspora Bhat, Unidentified dead twigs Molem, 1991 Bhat and Kcndnck, 1993 Kcndnck & Nag Raj Goa V.pana Bhal ct Kcndnck A Unidentified dead twigs Cotigao, 1991 Bhat and Kcndnck. 1993 Nag Raj Goa Vennictdariopxiella elegans le a f litter of Sanaa asoca Bondla, 1999 Prasad el al.. 2003 K Prasad, D Sou/a & Bhal Goa V' cndophytica Puja. Shcnoy, Endophyte of Centella Colem, 2005 Puja et al.. 2006 Hyde & Bhat astatua Goa V indica K.Prasad. D'Souza & Endophyte of Samca Bondla. 1999 Prasad et al.. 2003 Bhat asoka Goa V pteridis Dharg & Bhat Endophyte of rachis of Gcrsoppa, 2007 Dhargalkar and Bhat. Pteris villain Karnataka 2009 Vermispom cauvenana Dead leaves of Ficus Srirangapalana. 1991 Rajashekar et al.. 1991 Rajashekar„Bliat & Kavcriappa religioxa Karnataka Xrnoheteroconiuni bicolor Bhat, Unidentified decaying Agumhe. 1989 Bhal and Kcndnck. 1993 Kcndnck & Nag Raj leaves Karnataka 7.ygosponum tuberculatum Unidentified dead twig Silent Vally. 1980 Subramanian and Bhat. Subram & Bhat Kerala 1987 * New genera arc in bold (Establishment of a fungus culture repository in Dcuteromycotina which embodied the Hyphomycetes G oa University and Coelomycetes. Persoon (1801) was taken as the starting point. The International Code of Botanical Professor Subramanian had always advocated Nomenclature (ICBN) provides rules and culturing and maintenance of fungi in the repositories. I did numerous single-spore isolations of hypocrealean recommendations with regard to application of names and hyphomycetous fungi, while in Madras, for the at different taxonomic hierarchy in fungi. Presently, St, Fungus Flora project. Along with my students and Louis Code published in 2000 is in use. According to colleagues, I continued the exercise in Goa University. Article 59.1. of the Code, for ascomycete and While dried herbarium specimens satisfy mandatory basidiomycete fungi with asexual and sexual morphs, taxonomic obligations of description of novel species, the name of the holomorph (species with all its culturing and maintaining the fungi in repositories is a morphs), typified by the telcomorph, is the earliest potentially optimistic approach of not only slowing legitimate name to be applied. down the loss of bioresources from our forests but also In the treatment of Hawksworth et al. (1983), a meaningful way of organizing sustainable and Eumycota included five subdivisions: Mastig utilizable fungal gene banks. We set up an in-house omycotina (Chytridiomycetes, Hyphochytriomycetes, such facility for fungi in the Department of Botany, Oomycetes). Zygomycotina (Zygomycetes. Goa University, and I had Professor Subramanian to Trichomycetes). AscomycoUna, Basidiomycotina and switch on the programme, in 1998, Dcuteromycotina Kirk et al. (2001) accommodated ‘true fungi' in 4 phyla, viz, Chytndiomycota, Evolution of ilyphomycete taxonomy Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. The Fries (1821-1832) was considered as the Dcuteromycotina is not accepted as a formal starting point for most fungi For conidial fungi or taxonomic group as they are polyphylctic (Seifert et 8 K P. RADHIKA AND B F. RODRIGUES al., 2000; Shcnoy et al.. 2006, 2007). Recently, the two. Sequencing of the ITS, 18S and 28S rRNA llibbett et al. (2007) proposed a higher-level gene regions for fungi is employed to distinguish phylogenetic classification for fungi based on isolates at gencnc and species level and to study their morphology, molecular biology and phylogenetic phylogenetic affinities and relatedness (Hibbett et al. relationships which did not treat the sexual and 2007), Major drawback in general applicauon of this asexual morphs separately. technology, however, is the high cost of Notwithstanding what is said above, conidial instrumentation, chemicals and lab-wares, especially in fungi are rarely encountered in their full form, as the fungi-rich developing countries such as ours. holomorph, in nature. Either they exist in their sexual Nevertheless, there are renewed efforts made to phase (teleomorph) which reproduce by meiospores unravel the mysteries associated with refusal of resulted from sexually differentiated cells as in asexual fungi to reproduce sexually. O'Gorman et al Ascomycotina or Basidiomycotina or in asexual forms (2008) studied the mating behaviour and sexuality of (anamorph) which arc propagated by mitospores, as in genetically variable 12 isolates of an opportunistic Dcuteromycotina. In nature, sexual and asexual phases human pathogen. Aspergillus fumigatus, in a range of of fungi are oltcn separated in space and time; that is, media and temperature regimes. In one of these separate entities of anamorphic and tcleomorphic fungi crosses, after 6 months of incubation, they discovered exist. More often, an anamorph remains unconnected fruiting bodies characteristic of a sexual phase of an with a teleomorph, or the latter may be totally absent. aspergillus, Neosartorya fumigata. Examination of Since, the teleomorph holds nomcnclatural priority segregation of five gcnetic markers in ascospore over anamorphic phase and as and when more and progeny from different crosses confirmed that meiotic more anamorph-teleomorph connections arc recombination did take place. The discovery of sexual established, provisions are made in the Code to cycle in this species offers not only a useful tool for accommodate conidial fungi with binomials as investigations into classical genetic analyses and ‘form-gcnera’ and 'form-species', that is studies on genetic basis of pathogenicity and ‘anamorph-genera’ and ‘anamorph-species’. fungicidal resistance in A. fum igatus but also opens up Though all anamorphs are expected to get avenues to improve the methods of control of connected to their telcomorphs, sexual phase of a aspergillosis. These results propose insights into the number of conidial fungi are not yet known. Absence potential of sexual reproduction in similar supposedly of sexual phase does not imply that the fungus lacks ‘asexual’ fungi. sex. If the fungus is totally asexual, it wouldn’t get the Sex determination in fungi is controlled by a advantages of sexual reproduction such as generation small, specialized region of the genome. Different of novel genotypes capable of living in changing gene combinations reside at these mating-type (MAT) environments, withstanding the deleterious effects of loci and confer sexual identity. The MAT loci have mutations, escaping from pathogens, etc. It is possible that substrate- and habitat-wise, seasonal and been characterized for a single monophyletic clade of geographic separation of compatible mating types fungi, the Dikarya (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota), might be limiting the sexual reproduction in fungi but the ancestral state and evolutionary history of these (O ’Gorm an et al., 2008) It is also intriguing that 22% loci have so far remained a mystery. Applying of the reported fungi do not have sexual morphs bioinformatic and genetic mapping tools to identify the (Shenoy et a l.. 2007). This includes many of the sex-determining region in Phycomyces blakesleeanus industrially important strains and human pathogenic (Zygomycota), which represents an early branch fungi. Though ‘anamorphy' will continue to remain as within the fungi, Idnurm et al. (2008) found out that an independent entity in the taxonomy of fungi at least each sex allele contains a single gene that encodcs for for some time, in the future we will have a single a high mobility group (HMG)-domain. implicating that system of classification of fungi based on the HMG-domain proteins are an earlier form of DNA-sequence data supplemented by other available fungal MAT loci. biological data. Eighty years after Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin by a strain of Penicilhum Future of taxonomy of Hyphomycetes notatum, Hoff et al (2008) discovered another strain Molecular genetic data of fungi provide value o f Penicilhum with hyper antibacterial acuvity. Using addition in taxonomic studies. Advanced methods a heterologous PCR approach, they showed that these applied and data generated serve as molecular strains are of opposite mating types and that both have signatures which on comparison with similar data from retained transcriptionally expressed pheromone and other isolate/s facilitate confirmation of relatedness of pheromone receptor genes required for sexual THE FORESTS OF WESTERN GHATS. AN ABODE OF NOVEL AND INTERESTING MICROFUNGI* 9 reproduction. This discovery gives us a clue why so Dha rg alk a r. S and B h a t, D J 2009 Echinosphaeria many of (he fungi still remain as asexual. pteridis sp nov. and its Venniculariopsiella anamorph Mycotaxon. 108: 115-122 Epilogue D’SOUZA, M. 2002. Studies on Diversity, I believe that the basics lie, at least for theEcology and Biology of microfungi associated with a present, in the morphological diagnoses of the fungi. few dicof and monocot plant species of Western Ghats Every type or rcfcrencc taxon needs to be correctly in Goa State, India. Ph.D. Thesis. Goa University. identified morphologically before its sequence forms a D'SOUZA, M a n i> B h a t , D J 2001 A new species of reference for comparison with other isolates. Tnchobotrys from the Western Ghat forests. India. Morphology-based identification is a quick, pragmatic Mycotaxon 80: 104-108 and inexpensive method for diagnosis of the fungi. D'SOUZA, M, AND Bh a t, D J 2002. Didymobotryum Often, these arc found to be phylogcnctically natural spirillum, a new synncmatous hyphomycetc from India (Seifert and Gams. 2001). I appeal fellow mycologists, Mycotogia, 94: 535-538 young and elder, to simultaneously venture on D'SOUZA, M. and B iia t . D J 2002. 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