PIONEERING STUDIES ON HIGH-ALTITUDE MUSHROOMS OF TRANS-HIMALAYAN LADAKH (JAMMU & KASHMIR), INDIA- DISTRIBUTION, PHENOLOGY AND ETHNOMYCOLOGY Konchok Dorjey1* and Roshi Sharma2 1Department of Botany, Eliezer Joldan Memorial College, Leh, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India 2Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India *Correspondence:
[email protected] ABSTRACT Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir is positioned at 30˚15΄ to 36˚15΄N latitude and 75˚15΄ to 80˚15΄E longitude in Trans- Himalayan region of Indian subcontinent. The region represents a unique geographical location with wide range of floristic and faunal composition. The present paper provides a review of the distribution of high-altitude mushrooms in Ladakh. The paper, besides providing a preliminary list of 26 macro fungi reported from Ladakh, also gives an overview of the distribution, habitat, phenology and substrate preferences of these macromycetes. A part of this, paper also contributes information on ethnomycology, edibility and molecular characterisation of mushrooms of Ladakh. Keywords: Ladakh, High-altitude, Mushrooms, Distribution, Phenology, Ethnomycology. INTRODUCTION 27,046 were considered to be mushrooms (Kirk et al.. Mushrooms, particularly called macrofungi, fleshy fungi 2008). However, Deshmukh (2004) mentioned the existence or macromycetes, are typical heterotrophic organisms that of as many as 41,000 mushrooms worldwide, of which consist of distinct epigeous and hypogeous fructifications approximately 850 species were recorded from India. produced from the underlying mycelial thread under Macrofungi are significant group of organism on earth. optimum climatic conditions. Being saprophytic, parasitic Edible mushrooms, for centuries, have been used for and symbiotic heterotrophs, they constitute a significant human consumption owing to the potential flavour as well component of terrestrial ecosystem in particular and earth’s as medicinal and tonic attributes of mushrooms (Manzi et biodiversity in general.