Pak. J. Bot., 43(3): 1777-1787, 2011. CHECK LIST OF AGARICS OF KAGHAN VALLEY-1 KISHWAR SULTANA1, CHAUDHARY ABDUL RAUF, ABID RIAZ, FARAH NAZ, GULSHAN IRSHAD AND MUHAMMAD IFRAN UL HAQUE 1Department of Plant Pathology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Abstract The list of Agarics of Kaghan valley includes 228 species belonging to 59 genera, placed in seven orders. Out of these, 24 species are edible. These were collected from Kaghan: Sharhan, Shogran, Naran and Lalazar ranging from 5000 feet to 9000 feet with thick forest cover. However, the forest become scanty in alpine region; at Babusar top (13684 feet) few Boletus species under Juniper bushes were reported. Introduction Materials and Methods The Kaghan valley is one of the most beautiful places in The cited species were collected by the senior author Pakistan. It is subtropical contiguous to Hazara (Ahmad, herself and Muddassar Fida, Field Assistant. These were dried 1969). It is situated between 34 30’to 35 15’ latitude N and 73 in the sun and identified by comparing the field data and 18’ to 74 5’ longititude E. It extends over about 160 km rising microscopic characters with the existing literature. The from an elevation of 1,343 meters to its highest point, the mushrooms were deposited in the mycological herbarium of Babusar Pass at 4150 meters (13684ft). This valley lies in the Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH), H-7, North of district Mansehra of Hazara Division, North West Shakarparian, Islamabad. Species recorded for the first time Frontier Province (N.W.F.P.). It is at its best in the summer from Pakistan are indicated by an asterisks (*). months, with temperature between 3.3-12oC from the middle of May up to the middle of October. Results and Discussions Champion et al., 1965 divided Hazara division into Order Boletales three major zones. Later Anwar (1971) divided the whole Fruiting body fleshy, with pores and tubes Kaghan valley into four Ecological zones: 1) Subtropical pine zone: including Balakot, Kewai, Mahandari, Bhunja sharif. 2) Family: Bolitaceae Singer Temperate zone (Trans Himalayan): including Sharhan, Shogran, Sari hut, Bella, Kaghan. 3) Subalpine (Trans Hymenium tubular. Pores simple/compound, minute, Himalayan): including Naran, Saif ul Maluk, Lalazar, broad or hexagonal, some times radial, elongated or nearly Batakundi, Burawai & Besal and 4) Alpine (TransHimalayan): gill-like, spores mostly fusiform or elongated. including Lulusar lake, Gittidas, Babusar. The Kaghan valley is drained by the River Kunhar Subfamily: Bolitoideae originating from Lulusar Lake. The average rainfall for spring, Cap thick and dome shaped. Pores small to medium, cap summer and winter are 14.3, 25.8, and 7.5 inches respectively. surface glabrous to greasy, neither distinctly velvety nor truly The average snow fall received annually at Jared (5000 ft viscid. Clamps absent and trama divergent. high) Kaghan: 662; Shogran: 7,749; Naran: 800 is 03, 08, 10 and 20 ft respectively. The reliable data for the other zones Genus: Boletus Dill. ex Fr. like sub alpine, alpine, and trans Himalayan are Fruiting body thick, cap hemispherical with stout stipe, not available. This valley is at its best in the summer months often reticulate surface, swollen in the middle or spindle- from May to September. shaped. Spores smooth or only very obscurely ornamented. Late Dr. Sultan Ahmad (1910-1983) being a pioneer, worked on the taxonomy of fungi of Pakistan and published Boletus edulis Bull., Edible over 170 research papers including monographs. In 1980 he Cap 12-25 cm, fleshy, surface greasy, dark-brown, with published an account of order Agaricales of Pakistan slightly russet tint, margin persistently white. Pores surface containing 61 genera. He also recorded many agarics in his changing to yellowish. Spores 15 x 5 μm. Under broad-leaved publications entitled Contributions to the fungi of Pakistan tree and conifers. It is known the best Boletus (delicious). (1956, 1969). Khan (1975) studied wild and exotic mushrooms On soil, Shogran, Sharhan, 25.8.89, PMNH5776; Shibata in Pakistan and reported 91 different mushrooms from different (1992). Iqbal & Khalid (1996); Ahmad et al., (1997). parts of the country. Mirza & Qureshi (1978) compiled all the published material in “The fungi of Pakistan”. Jamal Boletus edulis f. appendiculatus Fr. (1982) studied the common Boletus and Amanita of Pakistan. On ground, Kund, Nadi, Balakot, Iqbal & Khalid (1996). Sultana et al., (1996) worked on edible mushrooms. The japanese scientists during the Cryptogamic Expedition of Boletus erythropus Pers. Northern areas recorded many higher fungi alongwith micro =Boletus luridus var. erythropus (Pers.) Fr. fungi. Shibata (1992), Murakami (1993) also worked on fungi. On soil Sharhan, 24.8.89, PMNH 166; Shibata (1992): The Fungi of Pakistan have been compiled by late Sultan 146; Malakandi, Sharhan, Iqbal & Khalid (1996), Ahmad et Ahmad, Iqbal & Khalid, 1997. In addition to the above al., (1997). described literature the following books were also consulted for the identification: Marcel, (1987), Pegler, (1977), Smith, (1973), Boletus fraternus Peck, Svrcek (1983). These studies show that the agaric flora of In the forest of Quercus trees, Murakami, (1993): 125. Pakistan is extremely rich. The described species seem to be a fraction of the fungal flora, which remain to be discovered. *Boletus lupinus Fr. On soil, Kamalban, 10.7.89, PMNH 5775. 1778 KISHWAR SULTANA ET AL., Boletus pulverulentus Optawski Subfamily: Suilloideae On ground, under Abies pindrow, Sharhan, Iqbal & Khalid Cap viscid, pores yellow to ochraceous or olivaceous, stipe (1996). sometimes with a ring, granulated surface. Trama diverging (Boletus). Boletus subvelutipes Peck. On ground, in Cedrus, Picea and Pine forests, Shogran, Genus: Suillus Mich. ex S.F.Gray, Murakami (1993): 125 Ahmad et al., (1997). Fleshy, pores small/ large various, cap viscid, olivaceous; ring present or absent, membranous; stipe granular or without. Boletus ustalis Berk. On the ground, Murree, Ahmad, (1980). Suillus collinitus (Fr.) Kuntze. Edible =Boletus tomentosus Kauffm. Genus: Tylopilus Karst. Cap medium size, fleshy, 10-15 cm dia lumpy, surface Spores and pores pink and stipe with pink net. darker brown, pores bright yellow medium size. Stipe 8 x 2 cm dotted, bright rosette. Flesh yellow spores 9 x 3 - 4 μm. On Tylopilus prophyrosporus (Fr.) A.H. Smith grassy ground / under pines, Shogran, 30.8.89, PMNH 8001. Taste none, odour none. On ground, Shogran, Murakami Naran, 25.8.89, PMNH 8005 & 8636. (1993), Iqbal & Khalid (1996). Suillus granulatus (L.):Fr. O.Kunze. Genus: Krombholziella‚ L.Vass. =Boletus granulatus L., = Ixocomus granulatus Fr. Quel Stipe cylindrical or spindle-shaped, finelly scaly or rough, On the ground, Shogran, Shibata (1992): 154; Murakami cap of dull coloured, Ferous (Fe) reaction gray to greenish. (1993): 126. *Krombholziella aurantiaca (Bull.) R.Mre.‚ Edible Suillus placidus (Bonord.) Sing. Commonly growing under conifers, spruce etc. on soil, It is found under 5-needle conifers (blue-pine), Shogran, Naran, 25.8.98, PMNH 8008. 30.8.89, PMNH 8196, 8201; Murakami (1993):126; Iqbal & Khalid (1997). *Krombholziella scabra‚ (Bull.) R. Mre. Spores 9.75-11.25 x 3.75-4.50 μm. On soil, Lalazar, Suillus sibricus Singer & Singer, 28.8.89, PMNH 8065. On ground, Sharhan, Ahmad (1969):46; Murakami (1993): 126, 127. Subfamily: Xerocomoideae Cap surface dry or velvety/cracking, pores often broad. Order 2: Russullales (single family) Compound, yellow to rust colour, without clamps. Flesh granular, brittle, spore print white, creamy, ochraceous or yellow, spores with an amyloid ornamentations, Genus: Xerocomus Quel. sphaerocysts present. Pores yellow, regular to becoming gill like. Family: Russulaceae‚ Roze Xerocomus chrysenteron (Bull.) Quel. Edible Same as above. Spores 12-12 x 5-6 μm. On soil under conifer, Malakandi, 25.9.90, PMNH 8393. Genus: Russula (Pers.): Fr. S.F.Gray, No exudation of milky fluid when the flesh is broken. *Xerocomus substomentosus (L.) ex Fr. Quel. Gills horizontal, rarely at an angle, often forked. Length of On soil under conifers, spruce, fir, 28.8.89, PMNH 8644. stipe is almost equal to cap diameter. Genus: Strobilomyces‚ Berk. Russula adusta (Pers.: Fr.):Fr. Ring present, pores grey, polygonal. On the ground, Maklakandi, Shibata (1992): 153. Strobilomyces strobilaceus (Scop.), Fr. Berk. Russula aurata (With.) Fr. On ground, Malakandi, Shibata (1992): 154 On the ground, Malakandi, Shibata, (1992):153. Genus: Chalciporus‚ Baitaille *Russula amara Kucera‚ Edible Pore surface of rust colour, reddening cap, dry, smooth, or Cap violaceous, umbonate, 8-10 cm diam, cuticle, velvety. shining, gills medium yellow, stipe 7 x 1 cm white, smell light like bitter fruit taste. Spores 9 x 7 μm, closely warted *Chalciporus piperatus (Bull.) Bat. with an incomplete reticulum, sulfo anillin rection red. Under On soil, under conifers and broad-leaved trees; Shogran pine and on acidic soils. 26.9.90, PMNH 8392. On soil, Shogran (Malakandi) 26.9.90, PMNH 8518. Genus: Phylloporus Quel. *Russula amoenicolor Romagn. Pores becoming gill-like. On soil, Lalazar, 28.8.89, PMNH 8635. Phylloporus rhodoxanthus (Schw.) Bres. Russula badia Quel. =Phylloporus bellus (Mass.) Corner On soil, Shogran (Malakandi) 26.9.90, PMNH 8526; Iqbal On soil, under broad-leaved trees. Sharhan 24.8.89, & Khalid (1996). PMNH 7953. LIST OF AGARICS OF KAGHAN VALLEY 1779 Russula cyanoxantha (Schaef.) Fr. Lactarius akahatsu Tanaka On ground, Malakandi, Shibata (1992): 153; Khalid & On ground, Shogran, Shibata, (1992):149 Iqbal (1995 & 1996). *Lactarius atlanticus Bon. *Russula corminipes Blum. On soil, Kamalban, 24.9.90, PMNH 8420 & 8441. On soil, Naran, 25.8.89, PMNH 8159. *Lactarius brunneoviolascens Bon. *Russula consobrina‚ (Fr.) Fr. On soil, Shogran, 30.8.89, PMNH 8657. On soil, Naran, 30.8.89, PMNH 8113. Lactarius badiosanguineus Kuhn. & Romagon, *Russula decipiens (Sing.) K.R ex Svr. On the ground, Shogran, Shibata, (1992):149. On oil, Shogran, 30.8.89, PMNH 7893. *Lactarius controversus (Pers.) Fr. Edible Russula delica Fr. On soil, Naran 25.8.89, PMNH 8634b.