Studies on Diversity and Ecology of macro- fungi in Laterite ...

Studies on Diversity and Ecology of macro-

fungi in Laterite Zone of West Bengal

FINAL PROJECT REPORT

Submitted to

Department of Environment

Government of West Bengal

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Anirban Roy

West Bengal Biodiversity Board,

Paribesh Bhawan,

10A, LA Block, Sec-III,

Saltlake City, Kolkata – 700098

West Bengal.

CO-INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Krishnendu Acharya

Department of Botany,

University of Calcutta,

35, B. C. Road,

Kolkata – 700 019.

Studies on Diversity and Ecology of macro-

fungi in Laterite Zone of West Bengal

FINAL PROJECT REPORT

Submitted to

Department of Environment

Government of West Bengal

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Anirban Roy

West Bengal Biodiversity Board,

Paribesh Bhawan,

10A, LA Block, Sec-III,

Saltlake City, Kolkata – 700098

West Bengal.

CO-INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Krishnendu Acharya

Department of Botany,

University of Calcutta,

35, B. C. Road,

Kolkata – 700 019.

Study Team

Dr. Anirban Roy, Investigator Dr. Krishnendu Acharya, Investigator Mr. Prakash Pradhan, Project Fellow

Mr. Subhankar Banerjee, Project Fellow

Acknowledgement

➢ Department of Environment, Govt. of West Bengal for financial

assistance.

➢ Prof. Arun K. Sharma, Chairman, West Bengal Biodiversity Board for

his inspiration and valuable suggestions during the project.

➢ Mr. Debal Ray, Member Secretary West Bengal Biodiversity Board for

his tireless cooperation and above all hearty inspiration.

➢ Dr. Soumyendra Nath Ghosh, SRO, West Bengal Biodiversity Board

for his constant co-operation, encouragement and support.

➢ Department of Forest, Govt. of West Bengal for logistic help during

field study.

➢ Prof. Nirmalendu Samajpati, President, Indian Mycological Society

and Dr. Asit Baran De, Head, Department of Botany, Burdwan Raj

College, for their valued advice and guidance during identification of

specimens.

➢ Dr. Goutam Aditya, Department of Zoology, Burdwan University, for

his sincere guidance in data analysis.

➢ People of the study area for their guidance, co-operation and traditional

information.

➢ Officials, West Bengal Biodiversity Board.

➢ Dhar Brothers for printing and binding of the report.

INTRODUCTION:

The variety and galaxy of fungi and their natural beauty occupy prime place in the biological

world and India has been a cradle for such fungi. Defining the number of fungi on earth has

always been a point of discussion and several studies have focused on enumerating the

world’s fungal biodiversity (Crous et al. 2006). Only a fraction of total fungal wealth has been

subjected to scientific scrutiny and mycologists continue to unravel the unexplored and hidden

wealth. The number of existing fungi worldwide has been estimated to 1.5 million species

(Hawksworth 2004). One-third of the fungal diversity of the globe exists in India and of this,

only 50% are characterized until now (Manoharachary et al. 2005). The number of fungi

recorded in India exceeds 27,000 species, the largest biotic community after insects. Fungi are

not only beautiful but play a significant role in the daily life of human beings besides their

utilization in industry, agriculture, medicine (Cowan 2001; Chang and Miles 2004), food

industry, textiles, bioremediation, natural cycling, in recycling nutrients and decomposing the

dead organic matter (Molina et al. 1993; Keizer 1998; Pilz 2001) in soil and litter (Hunt 1999;

Gates 2005), as biofertilizers and many other ways. Fungal biotechnology has become an

integral part of the human welfare (Manoharachary et al. 2005). The presence of extensive

biodiversity available in tropical forests has been identified as the treasure box for the

emerging field of biotechnology. Macrofungi are defined as fungi that form macroscopic

fruiting bodies, such as gilled fungi, jelly fungi, coral fungi, stinkhorns, bracket fungi,

puffballs, and bird’s nest fungi (Hawksworth et al. 1995; Richards and Murray 2002; Bates

2006). There are many thousands of species that all are unique and each species beautiful in

its own way. It is usual for a particular fungus to produce a visible fruiting body only under a

precise combination of conditions, including geographic location, elevation, temperature,

humidity, light and surrounding flora. Macrofungi grow prolifically and are found in many

parts of the world (Smith 1963). Studies on this subject, in fact, have been carried out in

different countries (Peck 1873; Stojchev 1995) and new species for the world macrofungal

flora have been recorded (Laferriare 1990). Macrofungi studies have long been of interest to

scientists as well as the public due to their important role in human welfare, in food industry,

in medicinally effective products and in biodegradation (Ozturk et al. 2003). Macrofungi were

considered ideal for the purpose of evaluation as biosorbents, because it has been

demonstrated that many fungal species exhibit high biosorptive potentials (Muraleedharan et

al. 1995).

OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of the proposed project are:

1. Inventorization of macro-fungal diversity at laterite zone of West Bengal.

2. Identification of habitat for the growth of the macro-fungi.

3. Estimation of degree of species richness and diversity of macrofungi.

4. Preparation of data on present and former distribution as well as frequency of fungi.

5. Compilation of the ethno-botanical values of macrofungi from the ethnic people of this

area.

6. Lastly by locating and giving guidelines to the people for better management of

mycologically valuable spots.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Study Area

Lateritic zone of West Bengal lies between 24°28.340'-21°53.976'N latitude and 86°52.884'-

88°15.235'E longitude and comprises of parts of six districts of Birbhum, Murshidabad,

Burdwan, Bankura and West Midnapur, covering an area of 10873.35 Sq. Km., representing

12.25 % of the total geographical area of the state and 28.72 % of the total geographical area

of the six districts. Climatically, majority of this zone is within tropical dry sub-humid zone

where summers are hot and winters are mild. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1307 to

1392 mm, potential evapo-transpiration (PE) varies from 1405 to 1468 mm and moisture

index is >1(Bengal District Gazetteers, 1996). It experiences a temperature range of 12-45˚C.

The pattern of land use is dominated by forests and different kinds of fallows and waste lands.

Forest covers 30.6% of the total recorded forest area of the state (State Forest Report, W.B.,

05-06). (Fig.1, 2). Dominant species in the natural forest is Sal (Shorea robusta ), other trees

like Mohua (Madhuca latifolia), Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna ), Simul (Bombax ceiba), Amlaki

(Phyllanthus emblica), Shireesha (Albizzia lebbeek ), Kend (Diospyros melanoxylon), Lannea

coromandelica, Sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo), Ashan (Terminalia tomentosa), Bat (Ficus

bengalensis), Asvattha (Ficus religiosa), Arka (Calotropis gigantea), Palas (Butea

monosperma), Palas (Butea monosperma), Bans (Bambusa arundinacea), Aam (Mangifera

indica) and shrubby species like Ghentu or Bhat (Clerodendron infortunatum), Kurabaka

(Barleria Cristata), Gulancha (Tinospora cordifolia), Solanum torvum, S. verbascifolium,

Trema orientalis, Shiora (Streblus asper) and Dumur (Ficus hispida) Lantana camara,

Antidesma gisembilica, Semicarpus anacardium, Aristolochia sp., Randia sp., Vanguria sp.,

are also found intermixed with Sal. Besides these, plantations of Eucalyptus sp. and Sonajhuri

or Akashmoni (Acalypha auriculiformis) are found especially near villages and mostly

Lantana camara and members of Poaceae and Cyperaceae are associated with them.

Figure1. Area under Lateritic zone of West Bengal

Survey:

Surveys are particularly sensitive to timing and location of observations. Macrofungi exhibit

pattern of diversity that is related largely to substratum and host availability (Natarajan et al.

2005). Surveying is best just after the period of rain but some macrofungi can be found any

time in some locations (Susan metzler and Van metzler, 1992). Difficulty was small

proportions of macrofungi were visible on a single visit. Hence repeated surveys were done

during May 2008 to Oct 2009 in all the sampling stations. The sporocarps encountered were

collected and analyzed for its identity. Density, abundance, frequency and Shannon-Weaver

diversity index were calculated using standard protocols.

Sampling:

Vegetation zones and plant associations are useful criteria to use when dividing a landscape

for sampling. Many macrofungi occur only in association with particular plant/species. The

macrofungi generally fruit when temp was above 200C and RH more than 80-85%. Different

species however exhibit different fruiting phenologies, which vary from month to month

(Lodge et al. 1995) and regions. Thus a particular species may fruit, at different seasons

across wide geographic distance or long strong elevation gradient (Lodge et al. 2004).

Sampling for population/community was studied through quadrat each measuring 200 × 200

m (Mueller et al. 2004). Total of 101 sampling plots in laterite region of West Bengal were

studied.

Equipments:

Sampling were with the help of equipments like axe, sharp knife, forceps, measuring tape,

hand lens, pens, books, labels, GPS (Garmin), Canon A470 Powershot 7 megapixel camera,

papers and containers. The axe was used to incise to a depth sufficient to enable identification

of the host, a sharp knife for collecting sporocarps from soil. Forceps were used for the

collection of very small sporocarps with the help of hand lens and containers were used for

the collection of the specimens. Georeferencing were done with the help of GPS.

Collection and preservation:

Sporocarps were removed from habitat with a great care to avoid damage to the base of the

stipe to reveal any volva, rotting base, bulb or attachment to a sclerotium or buried substrata

that included cones, fruits and other fungi. Soil was removed using a soft brush (Stojchev et

al. 1998). The habitat and morphological characteristics of the macrofungi were noted

(Peksen and Karaca, 2003; Kaya, 2005) and photographed for diagnosis during the collection

(Demirel and Uzun, 2002; Fadime and Mustafa, 2002; Yesil and Yildiz, 2004). If specimen

was on the wood or litter, including substratum it was collected to facilitate identification. The

specimens were collected in the plastic bags or boxes for further identification in the

laboratory (Afyon et al. 2005). The specimens were wrapped in the aluminium foil, which

offers a good protection. Small plastic boxes were used for woody Basidiomycetes and

Ascomycetes. Care was taken to avoid distortion of fleshy fungi and labeling of the specimen.

The collection was brought to the laboratory and soon preserved in a preservative liquid or as

dried specimens.

Characterization of macrofungi:

The collected sporocarps were described for the morphological characters like colour, size,

shape, odour and texture. Accurate and consistent notation of sporocarps colour, including

colour changes of mature sporocarps and colours of different development stages, presence or

absence of texture, gills that are important for describing macrofungi were noted. The

chemical colour reactions were noted on the fresh collection. After the specimens were

brought to the laboratory, their microscopic properties were determined by using an

Olympus/Zeiss (Axiostar plus) research microscope. Field labels were tagged to the

specimens with the collection data which includes scientific name of the fungus, local name,

date, location, habitat, and a brief note on distinguishing macroscopic features, collection

number, microhabitat and the collector’s code having a unique identity. Then they were

identified with the help of standard literature (Ramsbottom, 1965, Bessey, 1978, Singer, 1986,

Hawksworth et al. 1983 and Zoberi, 1972). The voucher specimen has been deposited in

Molecular and Applied Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory, University of Calcutta,

Kolkata.

Analyses of field survey data:

The community analysis of macrofungi like abundance, density, relative density, frequency,

relative frequency etc. in different distribution range was done as follows:

In each district the several plots were randomly selected by putting stone marks. The area of

each of the plot was 200 × 200 sq. m which was taken as a quadrate. In this way several

randomized quadrates were studied. The number of the fungal fruit bodies of the different

species of macrofungus present in each quadrat were counted and recorded. Abundance is the

number of individuals of any species per sample unit of occurrence. It is calculated as follows:

Abundance =Total no. of individuals of the species in all the sampling unit/ No. of sampling

units in which the species occurred.

Density represents the numerical strength of a species in the community. The number of

individuals of the species in any unit area is its density. The density gives an idea of degree of

competition among the species and it is calculated as follows:

Density = Total no. of individuals of the species in all the sample units/ Total no. of sampling

units studied. The value thus obtained is then expressed as number of individuals per unit

area.

Frequency is the number of sampling units in which a particular species occurred.

Frequency = Sample units in which fungal species occurred/Total number of sample units

examined and relative frequency percent= Number of isolates for each species/Total number

of isolates × 100.

The data obtained were then subjected to analyze statistically. The data obtained of individual

species abundance was recorded per quadrate and was used to calculate the Shannon-Weaver

index (1948) following Krebs (1999). The formula used were H′ = -∑ pilnpi.

where H’ = Shannon-Weaver diversity index, pi = Relative abundance of each group of

organism (n1/N, the no. of individuals within a species/ Total no. of individual present in the

entire sample, ln = Natural log. The evenness component of the index was determined by

measuring the H′ max (Heven = Hobserved / Hmax)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A total of 122 species of macrofungi belonging to 43 families, 73 genera were enumerated of

which 31 species were identified to genus level and 91 were identified to species level.

Ascomycetes accounted for 6.56% of the total samples distributed over 4 families and 6

genera; Basidiomycetes accounted for 93.44% of the total samples distributed over 39

families and 67 genera (Table 1).

Table 1: List of macrofungi collected from the laterite region of West Bengal.

FAMILY SPECIES NAME FAMILY SPECIES NAME

Agaricaceae Agaricus campestris Cortinariaceae Cortinarius sp.

Agaricus sp. Cudoniaceae Spathularia flavida

Agaricus sp. Dacrymycetaceae Dacryopinax spathularia

Lepiota cristata Diplocystidiaceae Astraeus hygrometricus

Lepiota procera Entolomataceae Entoloma sp.

Leucocoprinus fragilissimus Entoloma sp.

Leucoprinus cretaceous Ganodermataceae Ganoderma applanatum

Macrolepiota mastoidea Ganoderma lucidum

Cystoagaricus trisuphuratus Geastraceae Geastrum rufescens

Amanitaceae Amanita banniangiana Geastrum triplex

Amanita ocreata Hydnangiaceae Laccaria laccata

Amanita vaginata Hygrophoraceae Hygrophorus sp.

Amanita vaginata var. alba Hymenochaetaceae Coltricia cinnamomea

Amanita sp. Hymenochaete tabacina

Ascobolaceae Ascobolus magnificus Phellinus durissimus

Auriculariaceae Auricularia auricula Inocybaceae Inocybe sp.

Auricularia mesentrica Inocybe sp.

Bolbitiaceae Bolbitius fragilis Lycoperdaceae Lycoperdon perlatum

Conocybe sp. Lycoperdon pusillum

Boletaceae Porphyrellus malaccensis Lycoperdon pyriforme

Xerocomus sp. Lycoperdon sp.

Bondarzewiaceae Amylosporus campbelli Marasmiaceae Marasmius androsaceous

Calostomataceae Calostoma sp Marasmius epiphyllus

Cantharellaceae Cantharellus sp. Marasmius oreades

Clavariaceae Clavaria sp. Marasmius

haematocephalus

Clavaria straminea Marasmius ramealis

Clavulinopsis sp. Marasmius rotula

Coprinaceae Coprinus atramentarius Marasmius siccus

Coprinus comatus Meripilaceae Rigidoporus zonalis

Coprinus disseminatus Meruliaceae Flavodon flavus

Coprinus lagopus Mycenaceae Mycena pura

Coprinus micaceous Nidulariaceae Cyathus striatus

Coprinus plicatilis Paxillaceae Paxillus sp.

Paneolus sp. Phallaceae Clathrus sp.

Dictyophora indusiata

Table 1: List of macrofungi collected from the laterite region of West Bengal.

FAMILY SPECIES NAME FAMILY SPECIES NAME

Pleurotaceae Pleurotus ostreatus Schizophyllaceae Schizophyllum commune

Pleurotus

squarrosulus Sclerodermataceae Pisolithus tinctorius

Pluteaceae Volvaria bombycina Scleroderma cepa

Volvaria diplasia Strophariaceae Galera sp.

Volvaria volvacea Tricholomataceae Calocybe indica

Podoscyphaceae Cotylidia sp. Termitomyces clypeatus

Podoscypha

petaloides

Termitomyces eurhizus

Polyporaceae Daedalopsis flavida Termitomyces

microcarpus

Coriolopsis

occidentalis

Termitomyces heimii

Hexagomia badia Collybia dryophilla

Hexagonia tenuis Omphalina sp.

Lentinus sp. Tricholoma crassum

Lenzites palisoti Tricholoma sp.

Microporus

flabelliformes Xylariaceae Daldinia concentrica

Microporus xanthopus Xylaria hypoxylon

Navisporous floccosus Xylaria longipes

Polyporus brumalis Xylaria sp.

Polyporus

grammocephalus

Poria sp.

Pycnoporus coccineus

Pycnoporus

sanguineus

Tramates scabrosa

Trametes cingulata

Trametes hirsuta

Psathyrellaceae Psathyrella sp.

Pyronemataceae Psilopeziza

Lamprospora

carbonaria

Ramariaceae Ramaria sp.

Russulaceae Lactarius rufus

Russula albonigra

Russula cyanoxantha

Russula delica

Russula foetens

Russula lepida

Russula nigricans

Russula sp.

Detailed characterization of the collected macrofungal species are discussed further:

Chacterization of the collected macrofungi

Agaricus campestris L. ex. Fr. [Figure 3]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5-12 cm; white later tinged brownish especially in the center, convex, later flattening,

smooth or with a few flattened, brownish fibrillose scales, margin incurved. Pileus context

thick, soft, odour pleasant gills pink at first, later chocolate brown free and closely spaced

gills, 2-3 lengths. Flesh white when fresh, becoming red by the auto oxidation, pinkish on the

exposure, tender, flavour excellent. Gills crowded, distinctly formed, unequal, free separable,

pliable, at first white, turns pink and purple, narrow to moderately broad, and rounded towards

to the stipe. Stipe 4-8 cm × 2-4 cm, white, bruising brownish smooth, solid at first but later

with a narrow cavity. Annular ring narrow, thin and membranous, soon disappearing, volva

absent, the shape is slightly bulbous at the base. Spore print pink to purplish.

Microscopic characters:

Basidiospores elliptical brownish 7-8 × 4-5 µm apiculate, non-amyloid. Basidia broad and

squat, purple brown, 32-50 × 8-10 µm, clavate, thin walled, bearing from sterigmata.

Subhymenium distinct pseudoparenchymatous. Hymenophoral trama regular. Cheilocystidia

present. Pileus context made up of thin walled septate hyphae.

Ecology:

Growing alone, gregariously, or sometimes in fairy rings, in meadows, fields, lawns, and

grassy, in exposed and moist areas.

Distribution:

Bankadaha, Bishnupur (Bankura); Nischintapur, Morgram, Nalhati (Birbhum); Panagarh,

Mankar (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Kandi (Murshidabad).

Figure 3: Agaricus campestris. (a) Basidiocarps in a fairy ring(inset single Basidiocarp); (b) Basidiospores; (c) Basidium; (d)Basidiocarp ; (e) L.S. through Basidiocarp; (f) Basidium withBasidiospores; (g) T.S. through gill; (h) Basidiospores.

a

bc

d e f

g

h

a

b

Figure 4: Agaricus sp. (a) Basidiocarps; (b) Basidium withBasidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Agaricus sp. [Figure 4]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 10-24 mm broad × 8- 11 mm long, creamy white with tint of salmon which darkens at

the umbo to clay pink. Surface moist, smooth to minutely pubescent. Broadly umbonate, non

striate smooth, sometimes with annular remnants. Gills salmon pink when young, brownish

black when mature, 2-3 mm wide, with 1 mm spacing, Gillsregular, free, short gills two

tiered, gill margin concolorous. Stipe colour same as pileus, 2-4.5 mm wide × 10-36 mm

long, central, equal, bulbous at the base, base slightly ochraceous, with rhizoids. Surface

moist, smooth to minutely pubescent. Smell pleasant taste mild, annulus single edged,

downturned, and evolvate.


Basidiospores brownish black, elliptical, 6.70-8.19 × 4.69-5.00 µm, basidium hyaline,

clavate,11.82-15.17 × 5.87-7.56 µm; Sterigmata-2.76 µm long; Cystidia hyaline, 15.76-17.73

× 7.80-10.32 µm; apiculus inconspicuous, less than 0.39 µm in size.

Ecology:

Commonly found in the roadside of the Sal forest or in the peripheral ground of the forest in

exposed, moist or semidried soil either in solitary or in scattered form, sometimes very

sporadic.

Distribution:

Gangajalghati, Vairabsol, Raskunda more, Dhadhika, Eucalyptus Plantation-Garhbeta (West

Midnapur).

Agaricus sp. [Figure 5]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 35 mm broad × 18 mm long, fawn on pale cream context. Surface dry, with appressed

scales. Broadly conic to umbonate, non striate smooth. Gills clay pink when young. 6 mm

wide, with 1 mm spacing, Gills regular, free, short gills two tiered, gill margin concolorous.

Stipe pale white, 9-10 mm wide × 43 mm long, central, equal, bulbous at the base, rhizoidal,

surface moist, smooth to minutely pubescent. Smell pleasant taste mild, annulus double

edged, and evolvate.


Basidiospores brownish black, 7.88 - 8.23 × 4.18 - 5.83 µm; basidium clavate, hyaline, 23.64

× 11.03 µm, sterigmata straight, 3.94 - 3.15; cystidia abundant, hyaline, bulged, sometimes

with apical thickening, 8.27- 13.79 × 8.27 - 8.67 µm.

Ecology:

Common in shady and moist soil of grasslands and wastelands, either solitary or in troops, it

is scanty in the region.

Distribution:

Sagardighi, (Murshidabad).

Figure 5: Agaricus sp. (a) Basidiocarps; (b) Hymeniumwith Basidium and Basidiospores.

a

b

Amanita banningiana Tulloss nom. Prov. [Figure 6]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 22-60 mm in diameter, colour yellow to yellowish buff, surface shiny, moist, glabrous,

convex to hemispheric when young to broadly convex to moderately indented at maturity,

smell pleasant, taste mild, margin sulcate striate, striations up to 15 mm from margin to

centre. Gill colour whitish yellow, 5-6 mm wide, spacing 1 mm at margin, gills regular, and

short gills in one tier, gills finely adnexed to free, and margin even, concolorous. Stipe 72-97

mm long, 9-12 mm wide, with pale yellow fibrils on cream to pale yellow ground colour,

equal to bulbous at base, centrally attached to the pileus, hollow, surface dull and minutely

pubescent, appressed. Base rhizoidal, annulus skirt like, yellowish, striate, membranous,

persistent, and attached to the stipe halfway down then hanging. Volva saccate, white,

membranous to thickened, covering up to 1/3rd of the stipe from base.


Hymenial cells clavate to elongate, hyaline, numerous with vacuolar elements 27.58-35.46 ×

5.32-8.04 µm. Tramal cells composed of (i) aseptate, branched, highly refractive, mostly

apically rounded hyphae 2.96-7.10 µm broad and (ii) thin walled, septate mostly apically

pointed hyphae 10.24-19.86 µm broad. Basidium tetrasterigmatic, hyaline, 27.58-35.46 ×

8.077-10.64 µm, sterigmata straight. Cystidia clavate to elongated, 27.19-47.28 × 8.23-12.02

µm. Basidiospores ellipsoidal to subglobose, glabrous, apiculate 9.85-12.02 × 7.80-7.88 µm,

inamyloid.

Ecology:

Growing in solitary or scattered form on shady, moist Sal forest floor with ectomycorrhizal

connections with Sal, during July to September. It is uncommon and scanty in the region.

Edibility was confirmed by interviews with local people.

Distribution:

Taldangra Ecopark, (Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar, (Birbhum); Malandighi, Panagarh,

(Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 6: Amanita banningiana . (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores (insetBasidiospores).

Amanita ocreata Peck [Figure 7]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 8 cm in diameter, shiny white in colour with a pale yellowish brown area at the centre,

surface moist, glabrous, plane in shape having a slight depression at the centre, margin sulcate

with marginal striations extending 1.8-2.7 cm towards the centre, context thin, white,

unchanging on cutting or bruising. Gills white, thin, free, regular, 8.5-9 mm wide and spacing

of 1-2 mm, margin entire, concolorous, short gills double tired. Stipe white, 6 cm in long, 1-

1.2cm broad, glabrous to squamulose, squamules mostly appressed, white on creamy white

ground, cylindrical, hollow, flesh white, surface moist, centrally attached to the pileus.

Annulus skirt like, white, extending broadly from the gill attachment region to surround 1/5-

1/6 the upper part of the stipe, with fine striation, margin incurved. Base rhizoidal, volva

saccate, white, membranous, sheathing 1/3rd of the stipe from base.


Basidiospores 9.46-12.77 × 8.27-11.66 µm, globose to ellipsoidal, thickwalled, inamyloid,

white in mass, apiculus oblique to straight and hyaline, elongated, 1.77-2.00 µm, intine

smooth to irregular, wall 0.71-1.58 µm wide. Basidium tetrasterigmatic, clavate, 20.49-28.37

× 15.56-15.84 µm, sterigmata straight, 3.94-4.02 µm long. Pleurocystidia abundant, clavate,

encrusted, 24.034-35.46 × 8.08-13.00 µm. Tramal cells 3.86-6.70 µm broad, refractive,

smooth, aseptate. Pileipellis interwoven with (i) thin walled, irregular margined 23.25-23.64

µm broad hyaline cells; (ii) 8.27-9.06 µm broad hyaline hyphae tapered parallel (5.91 µm) at

the base; (iii) branched refractive oleiferous hyphae, 11.82-15.76 µm broad, golden yellow in

colour.

Ecology:

Growing in shady and moist condition in Sal forest floor with ectomycorrhizal connections

with Sal. Growing solitary in July, very uncommon and rare in the region and no report was

found regarding its edibility.

Distribution:

Dhadhika (West Midnapur).

a

b

Figure 7: Amanita ocreata. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiumwith Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Amanita vaginata (Bull. ex. Fr.) Vitt. [Figure 8]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 7-11 cm in diameter, fleshy to brittle, ovoid to broadly parabolic when young and

moderately indented when matured. Whitish; greyish when young, then greyish colour limited

to the centre at maturity, glabrous, moist and viscid when wet, margin striate, striation

extending up to 2.5 cm towards the centre from the margin. Pileal context thin, whitish, no

change on cutting and bruising or, with pleasant smell and mild taste. Gills creamy white, 7-9

mm wide with spacing of 1.5-2 mm, regular, short gills one tiered, crowded, free, margin

entire, concolorous. Stipe central, cylindrical, 65-120 mm long and 7-11 mm wide, whitish to

pale hazel, equal to partly tapered at apex, fleshy to sub fleshy, glabrous, surface viscid when

wet, usually fistullar, context white, colour unchanging, annulus absent, volva saccate, white,

thick, free, , covering up to 1/3-1/4 of the stipe base. Spore print white.


Basidiospores 10.05-13 × 8.67-12.53 µm, smooth, walls 1.18-2.95 µmm, intine irregular,

apiculate, inamyloid, usually uniguttulate. Basidia 32.30-39.4 × 12.41-15.76 µm, clavate,

irregularly thick walled at the base, sterigmata (2-4). Sterigmata straight 5.91 µm long.

Hymenial cells composed of hyaline, clavate to subclavate cells with variable sized vacuoles.

Trama bilateral, divergent.

Ecology:

Very common on the moist floor of Sal forest and especially grow at the base of Sal with

ectomycorrhizal association, mostly solitary, sometimes more than one fruit bodies are also

found to close together. It is locally edible and local people call it “Sal Chatu”.

Distribution:

Raskundamore, Dhadhika, Jhargram, Salbani, Tapovan (West Midnapur); Chagulia, Chougan

(Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar, Tumbani (Birbhum); Kataberia, Panagarh, Malandighi

(Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 8: Amanita vaginata. (a) Basidiocarps; (b)Basidium (inset Basidiospores).

Amanita vaginata var. alba Gillet [Figure 9]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 32.5-75 mm in diameter, creamy white in colour, Surface moist, glabrous to

squamulose appressed, somewhat areolate at maturity, broadly convex to plane, sometimes

with remains of universal veil. Smell pleasant, taste mild. Margin sulcate striate. Gill colour

white, 3-3.2 mm wide, spacing 2 mm, regular, short gills one tiered, free, serrate, concolorous,

edge mild brown at maturity. Stipe colour whitish to faded brownish cream, width 9-14 mm,

length 56-88 mm, central, subcylindrical, flesh white, tapering at apex, hollow, surface moist,

with squamulose appressed scales, base rhizoidal. Exanulate and volva saccate, membranous,

white, covering 1/8th of the stipe from base.


Stipe context composed of hyaline elongated septate hyphae with blunt ends 21.67-45.31 µm

broad, and sometimes culminating in to trichomatous hyaline septate 7.80-8.03 µm broad

hyphae. Volva hyphae 3.15-7.88 µm broad, hyaline trichomatous, septate. Spores subglobose

to ellipsoidal, refractive, distinctly apiculate, 8.47 - 11.82 × 7.56 - 8.11 µm, apiculus up to

0.90 µm long, inamyloid. Basidium clavate, with refractive incrustations 35.46 - 38.80 ×

11.11 - 13.94 µm, sterigmata (2-4) 1.18 µm long. Cystidia clavate, with refractive

incrustations 40.18-41.37 × 12.41-13.39 µm.

Ecology:

Growing solitary or sometimes in groups in shady and moist Sal forest floor with

ectomycorrhizal association with Sal; fruitbodies developed from June to September, it is

common but scanty in the region. Edibility was confirmed by interviews with local people.

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur); Gonpur, Ilambazar (Birbhum); Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 9: Amanita vaginata var alba. (a) Basidiocarps; (b)Basidium (inset Basidiospore).

Amanita sp. [Figure 10]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus size 5-7 cm in diameter, brownish black to black, surface moist, partly shiny, glabrous

to minutely fibrillose, viscid when wet, convex then plane with slight dark umbo, minutely

striate, striations less than 8 mm towards the centre, flesh white. Gills whitish, 3-5 mm wide,

spacing 1mm, regular, free, margin entire, concolorous, short gills one tiered. Gills turning

pinkish with wet preservation by formalin. Stipe central, subcylindrical, creamy white,

squamulose appressed to minutely pubescent, 2.5-3 cm long, 1-1.2 cm wide, equal to tapering

towards apex, exannulate, volva saccate, double layered, white, covering 1/4th of the stipe

from base.,

Microscpic characters:

Tramal hyphae septate, hyaline 4.53-8.66 µm, walls 0.39 µm thick. Pileipellis composed of (i)

abundant elongated hyaline cells with pointed to blunt ends 110.32-141.84 × 19.7-21.67 µm,

joined end to end, no distinct septa. (ii) septate hyaline branched hyphae with blunt ends 7.88-

13.79 µm broad, walls 0.98-1.26 µm thick. (iii) Septate long hyaline hyphae 5.91 µm broad

and (iv) refractive, oleiferous branched hyphae 4.33-4.92 µm broad. Pileus context composed

of (i) abundant elongated to subclavate cells, (ii) septate long hyaline hyphae, 3.74-3.94 µm

broad. Basidiospore subglobose to ellipsoidal, smooth, apiculate, 7.88-11.82 × 7.88-10.24 µm,

apiculus hyaline, straight to rounded, 0.39-1.18 µm, spore wall 0.59-0.78 µm thick. Basidium

clavate to subclavate, hyaline to slightly encrusted 9.85-14.77 × 21.67-27.58 µm, wall 0.78-

1.18 µm thick, sterigmata straight (2-4), and 1.18-3.54 µm long. Cystidia clavate with

refractive incrustations 30.33-43.34 × 8.66-12.01 µm.

Ecology

Growing on shady or exposed, and moist condition in the Eucalyptus and Akashmoni forest,

either solitary or in groups of 2-3. Its prevalence is very uncommon and rare in the region.

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur); Lalpahari (Birbhum); Malandighi (Burdwan).

Figure 10: Amanita sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium(inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Amylosporus campbellii (Berk.) Ryv. [Figure 11]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp annual,solitary, centrally stipitate,soft, fleshy and succulent when fresh, brownish

and crumpled on drying, very light on weight, pileus circular to elliptical, 7-9 cm in diameter,

0.5-1.8 cm thick in fresh condition, stalk white to pinkish, fleshy, upto 5 cm long, 1.5cm

thick, in fresh condition upper surface glabrous, azonate, white to pinkish, the former soft, up

to 1.7 cm thick, tubes upto 1 mm long, pores somewhat angular, about 2 per mm, on drying

entire fruit body brownish and crumpled.


Hyphal system dimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, irregularly inflated, septa,

septa simple or with single and occasionally with double or multiple clamp connections and

pseudoclamps, 2.8-12.6µm wide, branched, some slightly thick walled, mostly collapsed in

dried basidiocarp. Binding hyphae hyaline, thick walled to solid, distantly branched, usually

2.5-5 µm wide, occasionally encountered wide hyphal cells, upto 9.8 µm wide, producing

from sides and corners of their truncate ends long tepering thick walled to solid branches, 2-

4.2 µm wide. Gloeopleurous hyphae hyaline, thin walled, septate, 2.8-8.4 µm wide.

Pseudoparenchymatous tissue found only in the basal part of the stipe, made up of hyaline to

pale brown, thin to thick walled cells. Basidia clavate, 12-18×5.6-7 µm wide. Basidiospores

hyaline, thin walled, short elliptic to subglobose, smooth or very finely warty, 3-4.5 ×2.8-3.5

µm, amyloid. Cystidioles hyaline, thin walled, clavate, 12-16×3-5.2 µm.

Ecology

Growing solitary or in troops in moist and shady places of wastelands or shrubs and hedges;

growing on dead bamboos or dead branches of higher plants. Common in village areas of the

region during rainy season.

Distribution:

Keshiyari, Jhargram, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Borjora, Hatgara, Kamarpara

(Bankura); Bishnupur, Morgram, Tezhati, Hiyatpur, Goalgram (Birbhum); Nachan, Gopal

Math (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Palsadra, Puriapara (Murshidabad).

a

b cd

e

f

g

Figure 11: Amylosporous campbelli. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium; (c) Basidiospores;(d) Cystidiole,;(e) GenerativeHyphae; (f) Binding Hyphae;(g) Gloeoplerous Hyphae.

Ascobolus magnificus Dodge [Figure 12]

Ascocarp:

Apothecia scattered or closely crowded, sessile, at first globose and appearing closed or nearly

so, white or whitish, gradually opening, becoming cup shaped with smooth margin, inrolled,

finally becoming subscutellate, externally pruinose from the projecting tips of thin-walled,

hair like hyphal branches which finally become discoloured and brownish, reaching a

diameter of 0.5-2.7 cm; hymenium concave or nearly plane, at first greenish-yellow,

roughened by the protruding asci and becoming nearly black at maturity on account of the

dark coloured spores.


Ascospores becoming irregularly 2 seriate, ellipsoid, at first hyaline, then pale-lilac, finally

rose purple or violet, fading to brown in aged specimens, smooth, becoming sculptured, 12-14

× 20-25 µm, germinating by one germ pore; spore sculpturing consisting of one faint line

extending from one end of the spore to the other or obliquely across its surface. Asci cylindric

to clavate, reaching a length of 200-300 µm, and a diameter of 18-25 µm, 8-spored.

Paraphyses filiform, slightly enlarged above, septate, reaching a diameter of 5-7 µm at their

apices, filled with a greenish granular content.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously on cow dung heaps (coprophilous in nature), in shady to exposed and

moist areas within villages.

Distribution:

Kultikri, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Kochkunda, Hatgara, Kadashol (Bankura);

Nischintapur, Bishnupur, Kolitha (Birbhum); Nachan, Gopalpur (Burdwan); Sagardighi,

Kharjuna (Murshidabad).

Figure 12: Ascobolous magnificus. (a) Ascocarp; (b)Ascus with Ascospores.

a

b

Astraeus hygrometricus (Pers.) Morg. [Figure 13]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp sessile, subglobose to tuberiform, hard, 1-2 cm diameter. Peridium white, 1.5-2

mm thick on side and 3.5 mm at the base three layered, hard and hygroscopic, splits into 6-9

radiating arms. Gleba sessile, white, when young, dark brown at maturity, globose, 1.8 cm in

diameter, dehiscence by irregular apical slit. Rhizomorph hyphae thick walled, clamped,

branched, 3.8-4.2 mm in diameter.


Basidiospores yellowish brown to brown, spherical to slightly ovoid, thick walled, highly

echinulate, inamyloid, 8.3-9.8 µm in diameter. Basidia clavate, 17.25-33.81×10.32-11.43 µm.

Hyphae hyaline, yellowish in microscope, thick walled, branched, septa with distinct clamp

connection, 3.8-4.2 µm abroad.

Ecology:

Growing solitary or in aggregates in the moist Sal forest floor with ectomycorrhizal

association with Sal. Very common and abundant in the Sal forest belt and is also considered

edible in by the ethnic groups and they locally call it “Putko chhatu”.

Distribution:

Raskundamore, Dhadhika, Jhargram, Chilkgarh, Salbani, Tapovan (West Midnapur);

Chagulia, Chougan, Upossyal (Bankura); Gonpur, Tumbani, Ilambazar (Birbhum); Kataberia,

Malandighi, Dangapara (Burdwan).

Figure 13: Astraeus hygrometricus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiospores.

a

b

Auricularia auricula (Hook) Undrew. [Figure 14]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp wavy and irregular, typically ear-shaped, 2-15 cm, gathered together and attached

at a central or lateral position, fertile surface (usually the "downward" one) gelatinous, tan to

brown, sterile surface (usually the "upper" one) silky to downy, veined, irregular, brown, flesh

thin, gelatinous-rubbery. Spore print white.


Basidiospores 12-19 × 4-8 µm; sausage shaped; smooth. Basidia cylindric; 3-septate

(transversely); with 3 epibasidia; up to 80 × 8 µm. Upper surface with hyaline hairs to 200 × 8

µm.

Ecology:

Growing saprobically on the dead wood of Sal, Siris, Simul etc. growing in shady or exposed

condition, fruitbody sensitive to the humidity of the environment (swells in high humidity and

dries in dry weather).

Distribution:

Keshiyari, Manikpara, Midnapur (West Midnapur); Borjora, Moynapur 3 point crossing,

Hatgara (Bankura); Rampurhat, Nalhati, Mallarpur (Birbhum); Hospital More-Durgapur,

Goplapur, Mankar (Burdwan); Palsadra, Hatpara (Murshidabad).

Figure 14: Auricularia auricula. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospore).

a

b

Auricularia mesenterica (Dus.) Farl. [Figure 15]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp disc-shaped at first then spreading laterally to form densely tiered gelatinous

brackets 2–4 cm wide; upper surface of bracket hairy, zoned greyish to grey-brown, paler at

the lobed margin, lower surface reddish purple to dark purple with a white bloom, gelatinous

and rubbery, coarsely and irregularly wrinkled.


Basidiospores white, subcylindrical to somewhat curved, 11–13 × 4–5 µm.

Ecology:

Growing saprobically on the decaying hardwood, growing in shady or exposed condition,

fruitbody sensitive to the humidity of the environment (swells in high humidity and dries in

dry weather).

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur); Bankadaha (Bankura); Nalhati (Birbhum); Kharjuna

(Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 15: Auricularia mesenterica. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores .

Bolbitius fragilis (L.) Fr. [Figure 16]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 18-21 mm broad, pileus colour brownish leaden grey, pileus sub-membranaceous,

viscid, pellucid when wet, dry on sunny day. Pileus surface smooth to moist, planar to

subumbonate, margin sulcate striate. Gill colour violaceous black when matured and dried,

1.5 mm wide, spacing of 1.5 mm. Gills crisped, short gills one tiered, adnexed, margin even,

discolorous (paler). Stipe central, attenuated, naked, whitish, 1.5 mm wide, 39 mm, equal,

hollow, surface shiny, smooth. Stipe base with mycelial pad. Exannulate, evolvate. Smell not

distinctive, taste mild. Spore print rusty brown.


Basidiospores 8.66-9.85 × 7.88-8.19 µm, dark brown, ellipsoidal to irregularly elliptic, double

wall thick with a broad truncate germ pore. Hymenial complex hyaline, basidium

tetrasterigmatic, thin walled, hyaline, 8.66-15.76 µm broad, circular to flattened in outline.

Trama regular, Cheilocystidia not abruptly capitate.

Ecology:

Growing mostly on sandy, semidry, exposed substratum near river banks, either solitary or in

associates among themselves (Fruitbodies).

Distribution:

Tapovan, Raskunda More, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Borjora, Taldangra (Bankura); Deul,

(Burdwan); Nityagopal Math (Birbhum).

Figure 16: Bolbitius fragilis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores with Hymenial Cells.

a

b

Calocybe indica Purkayastha & Chandra [Figure 17]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 10.0-14.0 cm in diameter, at first convex, later expanded and flattened, white, non-

hygrophanous, cuticle easily peeled, mat polished, sometimes appressed scales present at or

around the centre, margin regular, incurved, smooth, non-striate. Gills distinctly formed,

crowded, emerginate, separable, white, non-interveined, unequal, pliable, not thin, attenuated

toward the margin of the pileus, entire. Stipe central, some times eccentric, cylindrical with

subbulbous base, 10.0 cm long, white cartilaginous, surface dry and fibrillose, base not

hollow, without annulus and volva. Flesh white. Hymenophoral trama regular but for a slight

divergency below the subhymenium.


Basidia with carminophilic granules, clavate, tetrasterigmatic, 25.5-30.6 × 6.8-8.5 µm.

Basidiospores hyaline, broadly ellipsoidal, thin walled, without ornamentation, with

prominent apicules, nonamyloid, 5.9-6.8 × 4.2-5.1 µm ; spore print white.

Ecology:

Growing solitary or sometimes in groups in moist soil or at the shade of trees and it is

uncommon in the region.

Distribution:

Nischintapur (Birbhum).

Figure 17: Calocybe indica. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores.

a

b

Calostoma sp. [Figure 18]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp at first appearing like a raised gelatinous egg or lump, with a translucent outer

layer and a red inner layer, later appearing like a smooth or dusted pinkish to red balloon with

a central pore, finally appearing like a pinkish to reddish, perforated balloon upto 2 cm across,

the spore mass within the ball is white, becoming buff or yellowish at maturity.


Basidiospores 14-28 × 6-11 µm; elliptical; pitted.

Ecology:

Saprobic; growing alone or gregariously on woods, along the edges of roads and paths, and so

on during late monsoon.

Distribution:

Dhadhika (West Midnapur).

Figure 18: Calostoma sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores.

a

b

Cantharellus sp. [Figure 19]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 50 mm broad, dark clay buff to milky coffee in colour, surface dry, smooth;

infundibuliform, margin uplifted. Gills brownish luteous in colour, 3 mm wide, with spacing

of 5 mm, regular, decurrent, margin even, concolorous, short gills three tiered; Stipe central,

brownish buff in colour 50 mm long and 10 mm wide; flared at top, solid; surface dry,

smooth, base insititious, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores elliptical to ellipsoidal, apiculate 4.72-5.91 × 4.33-4.72 µm; Basidium

tetrasterigmatic, hyaline, clavate 11.82 × 4.72 µm; sterigmata pointed, straight upto 3.94 µm

long.

Ecology:

Growing on buried underground sticks in shady areas of Sal forest, mostly gregarious but it is

not so common in the region.

Distribution:

Kataberia Jungle (Burdwan).

Figure 19: Cantharellus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidia and Basidiospores (insetBasidiospore).

a

b

Clathrus sp. [Figure 20]

Basidiocarp:

Peridium 4-7 cm broad, rounded to pulvinate, expanding and rupturing to reveal a pale orange

to reddish-orange, hollow, fragile, lattice-work structure, branches flattened, the inner surface

lined with a sticky, fetid-odored slime; mostly sessile, rhizomorphs are characteristically

found at the base of fruiting bodies. Peridium (egg) thin, white, irregularly bumpy over an

inner gelatinous layer tissue creating a white volva around the base when sporocarp matures.


Spores 4-6 ×1.5-2.5 µm, hyaline to olive brown, oblong, smooth.

Ecology:

Saprobic, growing gregariously in soil and crevices of wood chips lying at the fringe of

Eucalyptus plantation.

Distribution:

Chougan (Bankura).

Figure 20: Clathrus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiospores.

a

b

Clavaria straminea Cotton [Figure 21]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp simple, 30 – 100 × 2 – 4 mm, in small clusters or occasionally single, mostly

tubular with acute apex, smooth or irregularly ridged, sometimes compressed, sometimes

spiralled, typically pale straw or pale dull yellow to ochraceous, with a weakly defined or

distinct stipe (5 – 10 mm long) which is more strongly coloured yellow to orange-brown.


Basidiospores globose to subglobose 6 – 7.5 × 6 – 7 µm, thin-walled, smooth, hyaline. Basidia

clavate, 40 – 60 µm long, four-spored, with open, loop-like clamp connexion at base. Hyphae

hyaline, 3 – 25 µm wide, lacking clamp-connexions.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously or scattered on the moist floor of Sal forest in either exposed or shady

condition.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Hatigeria (West Midnapur); Taldangra, Chagulia, Upossyal (Bankura); Ilambazar

(Birbhum). Deul, Malandighi, Bhatkunda (Burdwan).

Figure 21: Clavaria straminea. (a) Basidiocarp;(b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Clavaria sp. [Figure 22]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp coralloid, erect, 3-7 cm tall, 2-4 cm broad, branched 3-4 times, tips with short,

tooth-like projections; base 2.0 cm tall, consisting of fused branches; surface smooth to

slightly wrinkled, white, becoming cream, sometimes tinged yellowish in age, the branch tips

typically ochraceous-brown; flesh white to marbled, unchanging; odor and taste mild. Spore

print white.


Basidiospores 7-9 × 6-7.5 µm, round, subglobose to broadly elliptical, smooth, nonamyloid;

Basidia and cystidia clavate, sterigmata 4.

Ecology:

Abundant in shady areas of Sal forest floor throught the rainy season.

Distribution:

RaskundaMore, Chilkigarh, Hatigeria (West Midnapur); Asna, Dhangasol, Amdohra

(Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar (Birbhum). Debsala, Malandighi, Deul (Burdwan).

Figure 22: Clavaria sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium (inset Basidiospore).

a

b

Clavulinopsis sp. [Figure 23]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp slender, cylindrical to slightly club-shaped, branching variable, 2-5 cm tall, 1.5-3

mm thick, straight to slightly curved in profile, sometimes flattened in cross-section; apex

obtuse to spatulate, less commonly pointed, usually tapering toward the base; surface smooth,

yellow-orange to orange, yellow below, typically pallid to white at the base; flesh pale-

yellow, pliant, turning yellow-green to green in 10% KOH; odor and taste mild. Spores white

in deposit.


Basidiospores 5.5-6.5 × 4-5 µm, smooth, subglobose, apiculate.

Ecology:

Growing mostly in clusters on leaf litters of the forest floor throught the monsoon.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Salbani (West Midnapur); Asna, Upossyal (Bankura); Ilambazar (Birnhum);

Malandighi, Bhatkunda, Panagarh (Burdwan).

Figure 23: Clavulinopsis sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores.

a

b

Collybia dryophila (Bull.) Fr. [Figure 24]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 2–5 cm broad, convex with an incurved margin when young, becoming broadly convex

to flat; moist; smooth; dark reddish brown to brown when young, becoming tan to orangish

brown to very pale. The gills, thinly attached to the stipe, whitish and crowded. Stipe 1-10 cm

long; 2-7 mm thick; equal (occasionally slightly flared to base); dry; pliant and fibrous;

smooth; whitish above, light buff below, becoming darker, soon hollow, usually with thin,

whitish rhizomorphs attached to the base. Flesh whitish, thin. Odor and taste not distinctive.

Spore print white to creamy or pale yellowish white.


Basidiospores 5-6.5 × 2.5-3.5 µm, smooth, elliptical, inamyloid. Cheilocystidia 15-50 × 2-6

µm, clavate, subclavate, cylindric, or irregular, often with lobes or coralloid projections.

Pileipellis composed of branched and swollen, interwoven hyphae 2-13 µm wide.

Ecology:

Growing mostly in clusters on leaf litters or decaying woods in moist and exposed condition.

Common in the region.

Distribution:

Dhadika, Kanchangiri, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Upossyal, Joypur (Bankura); Gonpur,

Tumbani, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi, Parulia (Burdwan).

Figure 24: Collybia dryophila. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores(inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Coltricia cinnamomea (Jacq.) Murrill [Figure 25]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 1.0-5.0 cm broad, shallowly to strongly infundibuliform, sometimes merely plano-

depressed or umbilicate; margin at maturity deflexed, wavy, thin, entire to eroded; when

young, growing around and incorporating twigs and debris; surface reddish-brown, rust-

brown, to chestnut-brown, usually faintly-zonate, velutinate at the disc, elsewhere silky to

coarsely, appressed fibrils, if the former, then somewhat shiny in appearance; context thin,

0.5-2.0 mm thick, coloured like the pileus surface, blackish with 3% KOH. Pore layer adnate

to subdecurrent, cinnamon-brown to tan; pores 2-3/mm, elongate at first, angular and thin-

walled in age; tubes 1-2 mm deep, concolorous with the pore surface. Stipe 1.0-3.0 cm long,

1.0-3.0 mm thick, central, round to compressed, solid, equal except enlarged at the base, the

latter frequently fused with adjacent fruiting bodies; surface finely velutinous, rust-brown to

dull orange-brown; context leathery when fresh, rigid at maturity, colored like the stipe

surface. Spore Print yellowish brown.

Microscopic Features:

Basidiospores 6.5-8.5 × 4.5-5.0 µm, elliptical to oblong-elliptical, smooth, thin-walled,

inequilateral, slightly bean-shaped in profile, hilar appendage inconspicuous, a single guttule

usually present, weakly dextrinoid in Melzer's reagent; spore deposit not seen.

Ecology:

Saprobic; growing alone or in small groups on the floor of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Salbani (West Midnapur); Dhangasol, Chougan, Amdohra (Bankura); Gonpur,

Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi (Burdwan).

Figure25: Coltricia cinnamomea. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia (inset single Basidiospore); (c) Pileal HyphalSystem.

a

b

c

Conocybe sp. [Figure 26]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 20-25 mm broad, pale brownish salmon in colour; Surface moist wen wet, mostly dry,

smooth; slightly umbonate in shape; margin non striate smooth. No colour change (after

cutting and bruishing) and with time. Gills creamy vinaceouss buff in colour, 3.5 mm wide,

with spacing of 2mm, regular, attachment lateral, margin crenate, slightly discolorous (paler)

in edge, short gills two tiered. Stipe central, brownish salmon in colour, 55-69 mm long to

2.5-3.5 mm wide, equal, hollow; surface shiny, smooth to minutely pubescent; base rhizoidal,

exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores 11.42-12.41 × 7.09-9.85 µm, Basidium clavate to cylindrical, hyaline,

tetrasterigmatic 27.58 × 8.27 µm, Sterigmata pointed with broad base.

Ecology:

Growing on soil substrate mostly in and around villages and in troops.

Distribution:

Bishnupur (Birbhum).

Figure 26: Conocybe sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiumwith Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Coprinus atramentarius (Bull.) Fr. [Figure 27]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5–8 cm broad, sooty brown to lead-gray in colour, scales persistently marked brown or

brown ache, ovate, obtuse with lengthwise grooves and ribs, soft to touch, minutely pruinous

when young. Pileus cuticle smooth, soft, annular veil absent. Gills up to 2 cm, white then

blackish brown deliquescent, free. Stipe 7.20 × 0.8-1.8 cm, central, cylindrical equal slightly

bulbous at the base, white at first, short and fusiform, smooth at the apex with small brown

scales at base, fibrous, not distinctly annulated. Spore print black.


Basidiospores elliptical smooth 7-11 × 5.65 µm, sometimes with distinct ornamentation.

Basidia clavate, thin walled with four sterigmata bearing four elliptical basidiospores at the

tip. Subhymenium layer distinct, hymenophoral trama regular. Hyphae smooth, septate.

Cystidia are not differentiated but parenchymatous tissue is present.

Ecology:

Growing solitary on the soil rich in decaying matters and in exposed condition.

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur).

Figure 27: Coprinus atramentarius. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores(inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Coprinus comatus Fr. [Figure 28]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 4-6 cm broad, white turning pink at margin then black, cylindrical, hairy when young

upto 20 cm.tall, then campanulate, cuticle initially continuous then quickly breaking up into

soft, broad, imbricate scales, often raised white then ochraceous at the margin. Gills white

then pink, finally black and deliquescent, free, straight, crowded upto 1cm long, free very

closely spaced, dissolving into a black fluid from below upwards, shortgills 1-2 tiered. Stipe

fistular, 12-25 × 1-2cm, white then dirty white, central, cylindrical, equal, hollowing at the

top, with enlarged rooting base, surface smooth, moist stuffed, white movable thin fugacious

ring. Spore print black.


Basidiospores blackish, elliptical, smooth, 11-13 × 6-7 µm, apiculate, non-amyloid. Basidia

clavate, thin walled, bearing 4 sterigmata, sub-hymenium distinct and pseudoparenchymatous.

Hymenophoral trama regular.

Ecology:

Basidiocarp growing directly on dung or on manured ground or grassland and in exposed

condition.

Distribution:

Kolitha (Birbhum).

Figure 28: Coprinus comatus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium and Basidiospores; (c) Mature Basidiocarp; (d)L.S. of Basidiocarp; (e) Cystidia; (f) Basidium; (g)Basidiospores.

a

b

C

d

e

f

g

Coprinus disseminatus (Pers.) Gray [Figure 29]

Basidiocarp :

Pileus 1-2 cm broad, whitish or yellowish, then ash colour, generally with small unicellular

hyaline erect hairs visible under a good hand lens, at first ovate, then parabolic, slightly

expanded and deeply striate sulcate. Gills whitish then blackish, adnexed, narrow and

crowded. Short gills 1-2 tiered. Stipe fistular, 2.5-6 × 0.2 cm, white, fragile, sometimes

supple, at first slightly furfuraceous owing to a silky white mycelium, central, cylindrical, of

same size, moist, exannulate, evolvate. Spore print black.


Basidiospores blackish, broadly ellipsoid, smooth, apiculate, non-amyloid 9-10 × 5-6 µm,

Basidia tetrasterigmatic, 15–30 × 5–8 µm. Subhymenium layer distinct and

pseudoparenchymatous. Hymenophoral trama regular with thin walled septate hyphae.

Cystidia absent. Pileus cuticle and context made up of thin walled, septate hyphae.

Ecology:

Growing mostly on decaying matters and in rock crevices with organic debris, mostly

gregarious and common in and around human settlements.

Distribution:

Kultikri, Midnapur, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Bankada, Borjora, Jorka (Bankura);

Morgram, Tezhati, Hiyatpur (Birbhum); Nachan, Gopalmath, Mankar (Burdwan);

Sagardighi, Palsadra, Kharjuna (Murshidabad).

Figure 29: Coprinus disseminatus. (a) Basidiocarp in group; (b)

Microscopic view of the Gill (inset: Basidium with Basidiospores);

(c) Basidiocarp; (d) L.S. of the Basidiocarp; (e) Cystidia; (f)

Basidium with Basidospores; (g) Basidiospores.

a

b

c d

e f

g

Coprinus lagopus (Fr.) Fr. [Figure30]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 3-6 cm broad, obtuse-conical, expanding to nearly plane, umbonate, margin recurved in

age, often split or ragged from deliquescing gills; surface at first covered with erect, soft,

white hairs (universal veil remnants), typically weathering away at maturity to reveal a striate,

greyish-brown cuticle; flesh thin, pale grey. Gills free, close, narrow, white soon greyish,

becoming black and deliquescing in moist weather. Stipe 5-10 cm tall, 0.3-0.5 cm thick, more

or less equal, fragile, hollow; surface dry, white tomentose from universal veil remnants;

partial veil absent or evanescent. Spore print black.


Basidiospores 11-13 × 6-8 µm, elliptical smooth.

Ecology:

Growing on decaying rice straw and other organic debris in and around villages. It is abundant

in the region.

Distribution:

Kultikri, Jhargram, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Kochkunda, Kamarpara, Kadashol

(Bankura); Bishnupur, Morgram, Nityagopal Math (Birbhum); Nachan, Gopalpur (Burdwan);

Sagardighi, Palsadra, Kharjuna (Murshidabad).

Figure 30: Coprinus lagopus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiiospores.

a

b

Coprinus micaceus (Bull.) Fr. [Figure 31]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus yellow-ferruginous glittering yellowish livid, disc darker at length submembraneous

oval then campanulate, rimosely splitted, striate, at first covered with glistering micaceus

particles soon naked and becoming sulcate disc. Gills 1.7 × 0.5 cm or very light brown then

brown grayish brown with age eventually rot brown, deliquescent. Stipe white or whitish

hollow and soft, often curved, equal silky fibrillose becoming smooth; Stipe 5-7 × 0.3-0.5

cm flesh thin pale. Veil composed of sphaerocysts exclusively or with thin filamentous

connective hyphae intermixed.


Basidiospores blackish brown elliptical smooth 7.5-10 × 4.5-6 microns.

Ecology:

Growing on decaying rice straw and other organic debris in and around villages. It is abundant

in the region.

Distribution:

Keshiyari, Jhargram, Midnapur (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Bishnupur, Hatgara (Bankura);

Nalhati, Tezhati, Mallarpur (Birbhum); Nachan, Panagarh, Gopalpur (Burdwan); Sagardighi,

Puriapara, Kandi (Murshidabad).

Figure 31: Coprinus micaceus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Coprinus plicatilis (Curtis) Fr. [Figure 32]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 1-3 cm broad, grey-brown then ash gray, bluish darker at centre, first ovate cylindrical

then campanulate finally expanded sulcate and plicate radially, almost glabrous, gills cream

colored then gray, eventually blackish grey, separated from stipe by a collarium, radially

sulcate pileus with no ornamentation, short gills 1-2 tiered. Stipe 2.5 - 7.5 × 0.1-0.2 cm,

cylindrical, smooth, fistular, cylindrical, central, base slightly bulbous, and flesh whitish,

extremely thin. Exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores subglobose, apiculate, non amyloid 8–11.2 × 8–10.4 µm.

Ecology:

Growing on the moist grassy floor of the grasslands, gardens, forests and roadsides.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Jhargram, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Borjora, Kadashol (Bankura);

Nischintapur, Mallarpur (Birbhum); Nachan, Panagarh (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Puriapara,

Kandi (Murshidabad).

Figure 32: Coprinus plicatilis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Single Basidiocarp; (d) L.S.ofBasidiocarp; (e) Basidium with Basidiospores; (f)Basidiospores.

a

b c d e

f

Coriolopsis occidentalis (Kl.) Murr. [Figure 33]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp solitary or in groups, sessile or effused reflexed, applanate or dimidiate, often

concave above, coriaceous to rigid, 6-13×1.5-6×0.1-1 cm, upper surface hirsute, strongly

sulcate, yellowish brown to buff brown, margin acute, undulate, context white when fresh,

cream of light brown on drying, 0.5-5 mm thick, hymenial surface brown, pores circular,

mostly regular, sometimes angular, 1-2 per mm, pore tubes 0.5-6 mm long.


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, branched, clumped, 2.2-3µm

wide. Skeletal hyphae subhyaline to pale yellowish brown, thick walled to subsolid, straight

or flexuous, usually unbranched with occasional apical brunching, 3.5-7.5 µm wide.Binding

hyphae thick walled to solid, hyaline with long tortuous branches, 1.5-4 µm wide. Basidia

long clavate, 4 sterigmate, 14-18×3.5-4.5 µm. Basidiospores hyaline, cylindrical,thin walled,

smooth, 4.5-7×2-2.5 µm. Hyphal pegs present.

Ecology:

Mostly annual, growing on logs of trees in exposed and moist condition.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Behind Vidyasagar University, nayagram (West Midnapur); Bankadaha (Bankura);

Ilambazar, Nalhati, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Pratappur More, Nachan, Parulia forest

(Burdwan); Kandi (Murshidabad).

Figure 33: Coriolopsis occidentalis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia; (c) Basidiospores; (d) Generative Hyphae; (e)Skeletal Hyphae; (f) Binding Hyphae.

a

b

c

d

ef

Cortinarius sp. [Figure 34]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 1.6 cm broad, creamy white in colour, surface moist, smooth, convex in shape, margin

non striate smooth; gills fawn in colour, 1-2 mm broad, mostly in two tiers, margin even to

minutely serrate, free to adnexed, concolorous. Stipe white, smooth, 1.8 × 0.6-0.4 cm,

tapering towards apex, base with mycelia pad, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores smooth, elliptical, brownish in colour 7.09-8.08 × 5.12-5.91 µm, Basidia

tetrasterigmatic, hyaline or filled with granular content 14.58-15.76 × 5.91-9.06 µm.

Ecology:

Growing solitary on floor of grasslands and forests, mainly around villages.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Borjora, Hatgara (Bankura); Nischintapur, Bishnupur,

Tezhati (Birbhum); Nachan, Panagarh (Burdwan); Kandi (Murshidabad).

Figure 34: Cortinarius sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Cotylidia sp. [Figure 35]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus flabelliform to spatulate, rarely entire, frequently deeply lobulate, erected or inflexed

pseudoinfundibuliform, 5-11 mm broad, thin, yellowish on the upperside, whitish to pale

ochraceous, below. margin involute or revolute, deeply laciniate. Hymenial surface smooth,

setulose under the lens, paler than the pileus. Stipe 10- 15 ×1.1-2 mm, cylindrical, equal,

somewhat bulbous at the substrata attachment, colour same as pileus, context white. Smell

and taste absent.


Basidiospores 7.88-8.27 × 7.88-5.91 µm, lacrymoid to subcylindrical, smooth, thin walled,

inamyloid, non cyanophilous, with a poorly developed hilar apendix. Basidia narrowly clavate

to subcylindric 19.7-23.64 × 7.48-8.27 µm, 4-spored, sterigmata up to 7.48 µm long. Cystidia

numerous through the hymenial surface, hyaline, thin to slightly thickened at the apex 23.64-

27.58 × 4.72-6.30 µm, very protruding. Pileipellis composed of hyaline, straight, parallel,

very compacted, thin walled, simple-septate, supporting numerous cylindrical to claviform

pilocystidia shorter than hymenial cystidia, aseptate. Hyphae of the stipe similar to the cuticle,

with long cylindrical to filiform caulocystidia indistinctly septate. Hyphal system monomitic

sparsely branched in the trama, densely branched and interwoven in the subhymenium. Clamp

connections absent at all septa.

Ecology:

Growing among the leaf litters in Sal forest and especially under the canopy of Sal trees.

Distribution:

Panchmura, Chougan (Bankura); Ilambazar, Gonpur, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Deul,

Malandighi, Panagarh (Burdwan).

Figure 35: Cotylidia sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Hymeniumwith Basidium and Basidiospores.

a

b

Cyathus striatus (Huds.) Willd. [Figure 36]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp cup-shaped, the base narrow, flaring upward, 0.5-1.0 cm tall, 0.4-0.8 cm broad,

tough, persistent, the mouth covered with an evanescent, whitish, pubescent membrane; outer

surface faintly grooved, shaggy with grey-brown to dark-brown hairs, in age matted to

roughened; inner surface shiny-smooth, conspicuously grooved or ribbed; peridioles (eggs)

light-grey to dark-grey, smooth, flattened, attached to the cup by a short, elastic cord

(funiculus).

Microscopic structures:

Spores 14-20 × 8-10 µm, elliptical, smooth; spores hyaline.

Ecology:

Growing on the wooden sticks, chips, cut stumps or other woody debris mostly in moist

condition. They are very often found on the bamboo grove in village ecosystem.

Distribution:

Kamarpara (Bankura); Morgram (Birbhum); Puriapara (Murshidabad).

Figure 36: Cyathus striatus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) T.S. ofperidiole (inset single Basidiospore)

a

b

Cystoagaricus trisulphuratus (Berk.) Singer [Figure 37]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus campanulate to umbonate 23 mm (d) × 12 mm (h) with bright orange colour, surface

dull, scales squarrose, margin non striate, toothed, no colour change after cutting and

bruishing. Gill colour white when young, olivaceous black when mature, 4.5 mm wide,

Spacing 1.1 mm, regular, short gills two tiered, adnexed; with even margin, discolorous

(paler); Stipe bright orange in colour, 51 ×2.6 mm; equal, context hollow, surface dull;

squamulose, recurved, base rhizoidal, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores irregular in shape and varying in size; globose to subglobose, apiculate, thick

walled, smooth, brownish, 4.73 – 7.49 × 4.33 - 5.516 µm. Basidium clavate, tetrasterigmatic,

smooth walled, 15.76 × 8.27 µm, sterigmata 3.94 - 4.72 µm long. Pileal context and surface

cells filamentous, septate, thin walled, irregular, rarely branched, hyaline, 35.46-39.4 × 4.72-

12.21 µm.

Ecology:

Growing solitary on soil on grasslands adjoining riverbanks, bamboo groves, forest floor and

village roadside in moist condition. It is uncommon in the region.

Distribution:

Jhargram, (West Midnapur); Hiyatpur (Birbhum).

Figure 37: Cystoagaricus trisulphuratus. (a)Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores.

a

b

Dacryopinax spathularia (Schwein.) G.W. Martin [Figure 38]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp caespitose, yellow to orange when fresh, hymenium drying yellow-brown to dull

wine, stipe and abhymenial surface dull white, cream, or pallid tan. Pileus typically petaloid,

spathulate or palmate, often deeply divided, infrequently morchelloid, 3-8 mm broad, entire

basidiocarp 5-12 mm high, tough-gelatinous to cartilaginous in consistency. Cortex and stipe

tomentose, Stipe slender, cylindrical at base, becoming flattened toward pileus, often

protracted basally into a tough, flattened root.


Basidiospores slightly curved-cylindrical, thin-walled with thin septa, tinted, apiculate, 8-10 ×

3.5-4 µm becoming 1-septate at maturity, probasidia cylindrical subclavate, 20-35 × 3.5-5 µm,

with basal septa, becoming bifurcate, clamp connections absent.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously or in straight lines on moist dead logs in exposed condition.

Distribution:

Behind Vidyasagar University, Tapovan, Midnapur (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Joypur

(Bankura); Pratappur More, Panagarh (Burdwan); Nalhati, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Kandi

(Murshidabad).

Figure 38: Dacryopinax spathularia. (a)Basidiocarp;(b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Daedaleopsis flavida (Lev.) Roy & Mitra [Figure 39]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp sessile, resupinate, with a thick short lateral and central stalk 1-4 cm in length and

3.5-5.5 cm in diameter, dimidiate, fan shaped or circular, usually solitary to imbricate, 2.5-

20×3-27×0.8-1.5 cm, upper surface white to cream and velvety, on drying glabrous and wood

brown, finally zonate, thinly crustose towards the base in some basidiocarps, margin thin or

thick, coriaceous or corky,white to wood brown, 0.5-1cm thick, hymenophore white to wood

brown, may be poroid, daedeloid or lamellate, pore tubes concolourous with the context, 0.2-

1.3 cm long.


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, clamped, branched, thin walled, 1.5-2.5

µm wide, Skeletal hyphae-subhyaline to pale brown, thick walled to solid, occasionally

encrusted, frequently swollen at intervals, unbranched or apically branched with several

tortuous branches, 1.5-2.5 µm wide, Binding hyphae thick walled to solid, hyaline, branched

with long tapering branches, 1.3-2.6 µm wide, more common in the lower context than

elsewhere; circular cells somewhat isodiametric, occurring in the crustose part formed

occasionally on the pileal surface. Basidia clavate, 14.3-22 ×3.6-7.5 µm. Basidiospores

hyaline, thin walled, short cylindric, slightly bent at one end, 5.2-8.7 ×2.3-3.6 µm. Hyphal peg

present.

Ecology:

Annual, growing solitary or gregariousy on the dead logs in shady to exposed condition.

Distribution:

Raskundamore (West Midnapur); Asna Jungle (Bankura).

Figure 39: Daedaleopsis flavida. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Basidia; (d) Generative Hyphae; (e)Skeletal Hyphae; (f) Binding Hyphae.

a

bc

d

e

f

Daldinia concentrica (Bolton) Ces. & de Not. [Figure 40]

Ascocarp:

Ascocarp up to 5 cm in diameter, hemispherical to subglobose, sometimes incurved at the

base initially brown soon becoming black and shiny, dotted with the pores of perithecial

ostioles which form a circular layer beneath the crust, sessile, flesh hard to brittle, fibrous,

with greyish brown, purplish brown to blackish concentric zones.


Ascospores black elliptical to fusiform 12-17 × 6-9 µm, asci 200 × 12 µm.

Ecology:

This perennial nonedible fungs is abundant with gregarious growth on woods mostly dead

logs.

Distribution:

Keshiyari, Jhargram, Midnapur (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Bishnupur (Bankura);

Pratappur More, Panagarh (Burdwan); Rampurhat, Nalhati, Mallarpur, Hiyatpur (Birbhum);

Sagardighi, Kandi, Kharjuna (Murshidabad).

Figure 40: Daldinia concentrica. (a)Ascocarp; (b) Asciwith Ascospores.

a

b

Dictyophora indusiata (Vent.) Desv. [Figure 41]

Basidiocarp:

Egg up to 4 cm in diameter, globose, ovoidal, white to greyish. Carpophore 15-20 × 2.5–3.5

cm, fusiform or cylindrical, barbed toward the top, white, porous, hollow, head ogival for

short time, then bell shaped, yellowish under the gleba, white if stripped, with rugulose

surface, reticulate with perforated apex, and delimited by a raised and distinct collar. Veil

distinct, hanging almost to the ground, with wide polygonal chains formed by elliptical

strands. Gleba olive green, mucilaginous, not very fetid.


Basidiospores colourless, elliptical, smooth 3.5-4.5 × 1.5-2 µm.

Ecology:

Sporadic in and around villages, mostly in solitary form. Fruitbodies are developed during the

monoon.

Distribution:

Manikpara, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Kadashol (Bankura); Nachan, Panagarh (Burdwan);

Bishnupur, Nityagopal Math (Birbhum); Puriapara (Murshidabad).

Figure 41: Dictyophora indusiatus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospore).

a

b

Entoloma sp. [Figure 42]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 2 cm broad, hazel in colour, moist, smooth, broadly parabolic with umbo, with

transucent striate margin, no colour change due to time and after cutting and bruishing; gill

creamy hazel in hazel, 1 mm wide, with spacing of 1 mm, regular, adnate to adnexed, margin

even, concolorous, short gills two tiered, stipe central, concolorous with pileus, 2.5-3 cm long,

1 mm wide, equal, moist, smooth and shiny, stipe base rhizoidal, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores hyaline, spirally angular to nodulose 7.88-9.85 × 5.91-7.88 µm, basidia hyaline,

clavate to cylindric, tetrasterigmatic, 14.97-16.15 × 7.88-8.27 µm, Cystidia 20.09 × 7.88-9.06

µm.

Ecology:

Growing on moist exposed forest floor especially in Eucalyptus plantation, either solitary or

in group.

Distribution:

Eucalyptus plantation (West Midnapur).

Figure 42: Entoloma sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) HymenialCells with Basidium (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Entoloma sp. [Figure 43]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 17 to 29 mm broad, cream with brownish vinaceous buff striations/fibrils, surface dull,

minutely pubescent, plane with umbo, margin striate. Gills creamy-brownish buff, 3 mm

wide, with spacing of 1.5 mm, regular, adnexed, margin even, concolorous, short gills one

tiered. Stipe creamy white, 24 to 43 mm long, 4 to 5.5 mm broad; central, equal, slightly bent

at base; surface shiny, minutely pubescent, exannulate and evolvate.


Basidiospores angular to nodulose, hyaline, 1.8-2.09 × 5.91-7.80 µm, basidia clavate to partly

cylindric, tetrasterigmatic, filled with ochre granules 19.7-23.64 × 7.09-11.03 µm, sterigmata

≤3.94 µm, pointed, mostly divergent.

Ecology:

Common in moist exposed soil of Sal forest or Eucalyptus-Sal transitional area, either

sporadic or in troops.

Distribution:

Behind Vidyasagar University, Harimari Jungle (West Midnapur); Chagulia, Pierdoba

(Bankura); Ilambazar (Birbhum); Parulia forest, Bhatkunda (Burdwan).

Figure 43: Entoloma sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiumwith Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Flavodon flavus (Kl.) Ryv. [Figure 44]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp effused, reflexed, attached by a broad base, frequently resupinate, coriaceous to

corky, 2-6×1.5-3×0.5 cm. pileal surface yellowish brown, tomentose, with concentric zone,

margin thin, entire, context yellow, corky, up to 1.5 mm thick, hymenial surface sulphur

yellow to yellowish brown, irpicoid to dentate, poroid near the margin, pores 1-2 per mm,

dissepiments tapering, 0.5 mm thick, up to 4 mm long.


Hyphal system dimitic, generative hyphae hyaline to sulphur yellow, thin to slightly thick

walled, branched, simple septate, 2-3 µm wide. Skeletal hyphae yellowish to sulphur yellow,

aseptate, thick walled but showing lumina, rarely subsolid, unbranched, somewhat tortuous, 2-

4.5 µm wide. Basidia narrow, clavate, hyaline, thin walled, 4 sterigmate, up to 6.5 µm wide.

Basidiospores hyaline, usually thin walled, some slightly thick walled, ellipsoid, 4-6.5×2-3

µm. Cystidia encrusted, formed of encrustation on terminal ends of skeletal hyphae and

projecting into pores. Acanthophyses thin walled and thick walled and having warty

projections towards their apical ends, present on the abhymenial surface and also on the

hymenial layer.

Ecology:

Annual, grows lignicolously on dead and moist logs, mostly in shady condition.

Distribution:

Behind Vidyasagar University, Tapovan, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Asna

Jungle, Pierdoba, Adhkata (Bankura); Nischintapur, Nalhati, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum);

Malandighi, Pratappur More (Burdwan); Kandi (Murshidabad).

Figure 44: Flavodon flavus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium;(c) Basidiospores; (d) Encrusted Cystidium; (e)Acanthophysis; (f) Skeletal Hyphae; (g) GenerativeHyphae;

a

b

c

e

g

fd

Galera sp. [Figure 45]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus planar to uplifted in shape, 23-31 mm broad, pale vinaceous buff in colour, slippery,

lubricous in texture, smooth, slightly depressed. Gills dark drab in colour, 6.5 mm wide, with

spacing of 2.8 mm, regular, sinuate, margin even, slightly discolorous paler, short gills three

tiered. Stipe pale vinaceous buff in colour, central, 40 to 73 mm long, 3.9 mm wide, equal,

hollow, surface dry, smooth to fibrillose, base rhizoidal, exannulate and evolvate.


Basidiospores brown, wall double layered, ellipsoidal smooth 11.82-12.01 × 7.48-7.724µm,

Basidium hyaline clavate, tetrasterigmatic 20.48 × 8.07 µm.

Ecology:

Growing solitarily and lignicolously on decaying bamboo stump in shady and moist condition.

Distribution:

Tezhati (Birbhum).

Figure 45: Galera sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores (inset magnified view).

a

b

Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat. [Figure 46]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp woody, typically sessile, 6-60 cm broad, 5-10 cm thick, fan-shaped to slightly

convex, rarely hoof-like, usually solitary; margin rounded early, becoming narrowed at

maturity; surface a hard crust, dull grey, grey-brown to brown, irregular, often furrowed,

nodulose and zonate, frequently dusted with brown spores. Flesh up to 6.0 cm thick, brown,

tough, corky, blackening in KOH. Pores 4-6 per mm, white, quickly bruising brown when

injured, fading to pale yellowish-buff when dried; tubes multi-seried, 4-13 mm long, brown,

each layer separated by a thin layer of tissue; tubes and pores blackening in KOH.


Basidiospores 6-9.5 × 5.7 µm, broadly elliptical, blunt at the distal end, thick-walled,

ornamented with minute spines; spores brown in deposit.

Ecology:

Perennial, growing solitary or in small groups on tree trunks, cut stumps, logs, sometimes also

found on injured trunks of some trees.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Ghangani, Jhargram, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Lalpahari, Prantik,

Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi (Burdwan); Asna, Hereparbat, Bankadaha, Pierdoba

(Bankura).

Figure 46: Ganoderma applanatum. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Binding hyphae; (d) Skeletal Hyphae.

a

b

c

d

Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst. [Figure 47]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 2-20 cm, shape initially irregularly knobby or elongated, but by maturity more or less

fan-shaped; with a shiny, varnished surface often roughly arranged into lumpy "zones"; red to

reddish brown when mature, when young often with zones of bright yellow and white toward

the margin, pore surface white, becoming dingy brownish in age, usually bruising brown, 4-7

tiny (nearly invisible to the naked eye) circular pores per mm; tubes to 2 cm deep. Stipe

sometimes absent, but more commonly present, 3-14 cm long, up to 3 cm thick; twisted;

equal or irregular; varnished and colored like the pileus, often distinctively angled away from

one side of the pileus. Flesh brownish, fairly soft when young, but soon tough. Spore print

brown.


Basidiospores 7-13 × 5-9 µm; more or less elliptical, sometimes with a truncated end;

appearing smooth at lower magnifications, finely spiny at high magnification.

Ecology:

Growing solitary or in small groups on tree trunks, cut stumps, logs, sometimes also found on

injured trunks of some trees.

Distribution:

Gahangani, Dhadhika, Jhargram, Radhamadhabpur, Kendubani, Vairabsol (West Midnapur);

Panchmura, Chougan (Bankura); Lalpahari, Morola, Prantik (Birbhum); Malandighi,

Ausgram (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Puriapara (Murshidabad).

Figure 47: Ganoderma lucidum. (a) Basidicarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Skeletal Hypha; (d) Binding Hypha; (e)generative Hypha.

a

b

c

d

e

Geastrum rufescens Pers. [Figure 48]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp opening to 5–8 cm across, subterranean until splitting into 7–9 pointed rays

which curve back and are covered in a pale vinaceous fleshy layer, drying more ochraceous

brown. Spore sac 1.5–4 cm across, on a short indistinct stalk, pallid to brownish, opening by a

central, slightly elevated, fringed pore.


Basidiospores dark brown, globose, warted, 3–4.5 µm in diameter.

Ecology:

Saprobic, growing alone among leaf litters and woody debris.

Distribution:

Midnapur (West Midnapur).

Figure 48: Geastrum rufescens. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiospores.

a

b

Geastrum triplex Jungh. [Figure 49]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp initially smooth, egg-shaped ball with a prominent pointed beak, 1-5 cm wide,

attached to the substrate by a point at the base; with maturity the outer skin peeling back to

form 4-8 more or less triangular, buff colored, non-hygroscopic arms that are thick and

usually develop fissures and cracks, frequently splitting to form a saucer; spore case more or

less round, smooth, brownish, with a fuzzy conical beak that is often surrounded by a pale

area; 5-10 cm across when arms are opened; interior of spore case initially solid and white but

soon powdery and brown.


Basidiospores 3.5-4.5 µm, round, spiny, brownish to cinnamon in KOH. Capillitial threads 3-

6 µm wide, yellowish in KOH, incrusted.

Ecology:

Saprobic, growing gregariously among leaf litters and woody debris.

Distribution:

Nityagopal math (Birbhum).

Figure 49: Geastrum triplex. (a) Basidiocarp;(b) Basidiospores.

a

b

Hexagonia badia (Berk.) Imaz. [Figure 50]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp solitary, imbricate, sessile with a thick base, coriaceous to corky,dimidiate, 5-

8×3-5.5×0.5-0.8 cm, upper surface coriaceous brown to dark reddish brown,subzonate to

zonate, glabrous often thinly crusty, sometimes showing small raised areas with ages, margin

sterile, thin or thick, context brown to more or less fibrous to silky, up to 0.5 cm thick,

hymenophore dark brown, pores circular to somewhat angular, 1-3 per mm,tubes upto 0.5 cm

long


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae clamped, hyaline, thin walled, some pale brown,

thick walled, often broken at clamp, showing lateral coralloid outgrowths, occurring in the

lower context, 2.8-4.2 µm wide, skeletal hyphae subhyaline to yellowish brown, thick walled,

usually aseptate, occasionally 2-3 septa are present at the apex, 4.2-7 µm wide, Binding

hyphae thick walled to solid, hyaline to yellowish brown, much branched, 1.4-2.8 µm wide,

some with coralloid branches and occurring particularly in the lower context and also to

trama, others with a little longer and flexuous branches and appearing mostly in the upper

context. Pseudoparenchymatous cells hyaline to pale brown, thin to thick walled, occurring in

the crusty part in the pileal surface. Basidia clavate, 4 sterigmate, 20-22×5.6-7 µm.

Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, cylindrical, 8.4-9.8×3.5-4.2 µm. Hyaline pegs present.

Ecology:

Annual and growing lignicolously on some host plants like Sal, Bat etc.

Distribution:

Behind Vidyasagar University (Midnapur); Joypur forest (Bankura); Parulia forest (Burdwan);

Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum).

Figure 50: Hexagonia badia.(a)Basidiocarp; (b) Basidia;(c) Basidiospores; (d) Generative Hyphae; (e) SkeletalHyphae; (f) Binding Hyphae.

a

bc

d

ef

Hexagonia tenuis (Hook.) Fr. [Figure 51]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp solitary, sessile, effused reflexed, occasionally resupinate, applanate, coriaceous,

3.5-6×2-4.5×0.05-0.2 cm, upper surface of pileus glabrous, smooth or rugose, light brown to

chestnut brown, often with blackish or reddish brown crustose areas towards the base; margin

thin, acute, entire, often undulate, context brown, fibrous, upto 1 mm thick, hymenial surface

light cinnamon brown, poroid, pores large, hexagonal, about 1 per mm.


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, branched, clamped, 1.5-3 µm

wide, not very common. Skeletal hyphae abundant, subhyaline to yellowish brown, straight or

flexuous, thick walled to solid, occasionally with septa towards the apex, 3-6 µm wide.

Binding hyphae abundant everywhere, hyaline to subhyaline, thick walled to solid, much

branched, branches mostly coralloid, a few freely branched but short and flexuous, 1.5-3.2 µm

wide. Reddish brown, thick walled cuticular cells with irregular projections occur in the

crustose area of the base on the pileus surface. Basidia narrow,clavate, 4 sterigmate, 15-22×8-

10 µm. Subhyaline to pale brown crystalloid hyphae formed on apical ends of the skeletal

hyphae present, more commonly in sterile pore mouths. Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled,

cylindric, 10-15×4-6 µm.

Ecology:

Annual and growing lignicolously on trees especially on Eucalyptus.

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur); Chougan, Malandighi (Burdwan); Lalpahari (Birbhum).

a

d

bc

Figure 51: Hexagonia tenuis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Generative Hyphae; (d) SkeletalHyphae; (e) Binding Hyphae.

e

b

Hygrophorus sp. [Figure 52]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 11-35 mm broad, conic with blunt-convex peak, red to scarlet-orange, paler near

margin, viscid when wet; margin uneven, somewhat upturned at maturity, flesh thin, white,

gills nearly free, upto 5 mm wide, crowded edges uneven, whitish, waxy, stipe 4.5-2.7 cm

long, 5-8 mm thick, equal, striate-twisted, white, moist, hollow.


Basidiospores elliptical to ellipsoidal, smooth 7.96-8.67 × 5.99-6.90 µm, Basidium clavate,

hyaline, tetrasterigmatic 27.58-35.46 × 7.88-8.27 µm; Sterigmata pointed divergent up to

5.516 µm long; Cystidia abundant, clavate, hyaline, sometimes granular 39.4-43.34 × 8.27-

8.47 µm.

Ecology:

Growing in troops on moist grassland during early monsoon.

Distribution:


Figure 52: Hygrophorus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Hymenochaete tabacina (Sowerby) Lév. [Figure 53]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp leathery, effuse-reflexed, on horizontal surfaces resupinate, at first orbicular, then

forming large patches by confluence, hymenium tobacco brown, tuberculate or with

concentric low ridges, margin yellow, wavy, turned up; on sometimes on vertical surface

forming imbricate brackets about 1 cm wide with upper surface orange brown or greyish

brown and somewhat zoned.


Basidiospores 5-7 × 1.5-2 µm, setae 70-100 × 7-12 µm.

Ecology:

Growing on moist bark of Sal in Sal forest.

Distribution:

Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

Figure 53: sp. Hymenochaete tabacina.(a)Basidiocarps; (b) Setae (c) Basidium with Basidiospores.

b c

Inocybe sp. [Figure 54]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 4.5-12 mm in diameter, conic when young to plane at maturity, dark fawn in colour,

surface moist to dry with short squarrose scales, margin even to partly broken, browning with

time, darkening after cutting and brushing; Gills pale date brown in colour, 3 mm wide, and

with spacing of 2.5 mm at margin, regular, short gills in one tier, free, and margin even,

concolorous. Stipe central, salmon white in colour, 10-13 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide. Stipe

equal, hollow, surface mild shiny and minutely pubescent. Base with mycelial pad,

exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores light brown, ellipsoidal, smooth 9.26 -11.82 × 6.70-7.88 µm, Basidium clavate,

hyaline, tetrasterigmatic 35.46-39.4 × 13.79-15.76 µm, sterigmata straight.

Ecology:

Common in shady, moist soil substratum mostly in Sal forest either scattered or in troops.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Behind Vidyasagar University (West Midnapur); Chagulia, Panchmura, Chougan

(Bankura); Ilambazar, Tumbani (Birbhum).

Figure 54: Inocybe sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Hymeniumwith Basidium (inset Basidiospores).

a

b

Inocybe sp. [Figure 55]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 12 to 20 mm broad, brownish straw in colour; surface dull, pubescent, convex with

slight umbo, margin non striate smooth. Gills creamy white in colour, 2 mm wide, with

spacing of 2 mm, regular, adnexed, margin even, concolorous, short gills two tiered. Stipe

creamy white in colour, 10 to 22 mm long to 2 to 3.5 mm wide; central, equal, slightly bent at

base, surface shiny, minutely pubescent, base rhizoidal, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidispores hyaline, ellipsoidal to obovate, 9.85-11.74 × 6.69-7.88 µm, Basidium hyaline,

tetrasterigmatic, sterigmata straight, 19.7-20.09 × 8.27-9.85 µm.

Ecology:

Growing on the exposed moist soil either scattered or in troops, abundant specifically at

Eucalyptus plantation areas.

Distribution:

Eucalyptus plantation-Garhbeta (West Midnapur); Prantik (Birbhum).

Figure 55: Inocybe sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Hymeniumwith Basidium and Basidiospores.

a

b

Laccaria laccata (Scop.) Cooke. [Figure 56]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5 cm broad, pale pinkish when wet or moist ochraceous when dry, convex then

unevenly flat, fairly umblicate, depressed, moist becoming dry, cuticle thick broken up into

small mealy scales, sometimes silky, undulate wrinkled when mature; Gills up to 2.5 cm

adnexed, thin, short gills 3-4 tiered; Stipe solid, twisted, cylindrical, central and sometime

becoming flattened 7-10 × 0.6.1 cm, fibrillose and striate, exannulate, evolvate. Spore print

white.


Basidiospores 8-9 µm, globose, apiculate, nonamyloid, Basidia with four basidiospores.

Subhymenium cystidia absent. Pileus cuticle and context made up of thin walled septate

branched hyphae. Hymenophoral trama bilateral divergent.

Ecology:

Abundant on the floor of Sal forest among leaf litters, common in the region.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Salbani (West Midnapur); Dhangasol, Chougan, Amdohra (Bankura); Gonpur,

Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi, Deul, Kataberia (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 56: Laccaria laccata. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores (insetBasidiospores).

Lactarius rufus (Scop.) Fr. [Figure 57]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus infundibuliform to umbilicate, fleshy, glabrous, azonate, 40-45 mm in diameter, rufous

buff to rust colour in fresh and also with age, not hyprophanous, faintly zonate. Margin

regular, smooth, entire, incurved or involute, not striate, concolorous with the pileus. Gills

adnate, crowded, not easily separable, intermixed, short gills 2 tiered, pliable, concolorous.

Stipe eccentric, 25-35 mm × 4-5 mm in, at maturity slightly becomes whitish coriaceous,

glabrous, solid, exannulate, evolvate. Spore print pinkish cream.

Miroscopic characters:

Basidiospores globose, echinulate, net work like structure present within the spores 3.70 -7.40

µm in diameter, Pleurocystidia ampulliform, base bulbous, thin walled, hyaline, arising from

the sub-hymenium layer 66.60 - 81.40 × 5.55 - 7.40 µm. Basidia clavate, tetrasterigmatic,

27.76 - 31.45 × 3.70 - 7.40 µm. Hymenophoral trama sub regular, intermixed with laticiferous

ducts of 9.25 - 12.95 µm diameter. Sphaerocyst absent near the gill edge, filamentous hyphae

3.70 - 7.40 µm in diameter, without any clamp connection.

Ecology:

Growing on the floor of Sal forest among leaf litters, common in the region.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Salbani, Raskunda More (West Midnapur); Asna, Upossyal, Taldangra ecopark

(Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar (Birbhum); Deul, malandighi, Bhatkunda (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 57: Lactarius rufus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores.

Lamprospora carbonaria (Fuckel) Seaver [Figure 58]

Ascocarp:

Apothecia gregarious or crowded, at first globose, becoming expanded and scutellate to

discoid, the margin even or wavy, pale-orange, reaching a diameter of 1-4 mm.


Hymenium becoming plane or slightly concave, roughened by the protruding asci, a little

darker than the outside of the apothecium; asci cylindric or subcylindric, reaching a length of

225 µm and a diameter of 18-20 µm, ascospores smooth, hyaline, reaching a diameter of 15-

18 µm, containing one oil-drop which nearly fills the spore; paraphyses filiform or slightly

enlarged at their apices, extending far beyond the young asci and strongly curved or hooked,

reaching a diameter of 3-4 µm at their apices.

Ecology:

Growing on the moist floor admixed with sand and kankar in Sal forest.

Distribution:

Gonpur (Birbhum); Kataberia, Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 58: Lamprospora carbonaria. (a) Ascocarp; (b)Asci with Ascospores.

Lentinus sp. [Figure 59]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus initially whitish then becoming brownish-clay buff, applanate to broadly convex,

depressed in the centre; surface shiny, with recurved squamules, margin slightly inrolled. Gills

pale cream in colour, 2-3 mm wide, with spacing of 2-3 mm, regular, decurrent, with partly

serrate margin, discolorous paler when mature, short gills in two tiers. Stipe mostly lateral,

1.5-2.5 cm long, with recurved squamules, tough, with insititious base. Spore print white.


Basidiospores elliptical, smooth, 13.79-18.82 × 8.27-11.43 µm, tramal cells hyaline, 5.12-5.91

µm broad.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously and abundantly on the rotten logs in the forest and timber depots.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Asna, Joypur (Bankura); Tumbani, Ballavpur W.S.

(Birbhum); Malandighi, Bhatkunda, Panagarh (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 59: Lentinus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Hymeniumwith Basidium and Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Lenzites palisoti (Fr.) Fr. [Figure 60]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp sessile or with a short stipe like base, dimidiate, solitary, corky and flexible when

fresh, more rigid when dry, 5-18.9×3-9×0.1-0.5 cm margin thin, entire, acute, upper surface

white to cream, finely tomentose when young, soon glabrous and smooth or with faint

concentrically sulcate zones, context 2-4 mm deep, white to cream, corky, stipe when present

solid, attached to substrate with a disc, white to cream, hymenial surface white to cream,

variable, poroid to daedaloid to lamellate, pores 3 per mm.


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, branched, clamped, 1.5-2.2

µm wide, occasionally thick walled to almost solid. Skeletal hyphae hyaline, usually

branched, few apically with arboriform type of branches, thick walled to solid, 3.6 µm wide.

Binding hyphae hyaline, with short, 2-4 µm wide branches. Basidia 4-sterigmate, 16.5-

22×4.2-6 µm. True cystidia lacking, branches of binding hyphae sometimes penetrating into

the pore mouths forming cystidia like structures.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously on the moist dead logs.

Distribution:

Rasakunda more, Jhargram (West Midnapur).

a

d

e

c

b

Figure 60: Lenzites palisoti. (a) Basidiocarp, (b)Basidiospores, (c) Generative Hyphae, (d) SkeletalHyphae, (e) Binding Hyphae.

Lepiota cristata (Alb. & Schw.) Fr. [Figure 61]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 3-4 cm in diameter, broadly convex to campanulate then flat in age, with often large

obtuse umbo, dry, smooth at first then becoming whitish fibrillose, covered with adpressed,

usually concentric, reddish brown scales. Pileus cuticle made up of thin walled, septate

branched interwoven hyphae. Gills white to buff, free, thin, and crowded. Stipe cylindrical,

central, 4-6 × 0.3-0.7 cm, white, fibrillose tending to turn yellow or pale or reddish short

lived, fragile. Flesh and annulus white, annulus fragile, ephemeral, volva absent. Spores print

white


Basidiospores ellipsoidal, smooth 6-8 × 3-4 µm, amyloid. Cheilocystidia inflated-clavate

about 25 × 10 µm. pleurocystidia absent. Annular veil consisting of thin walled ovoid to sub-

globose cells, Subhymenium distinctly pseudoparenchymatous. Hymenophoral trama not

bilateral, septate. Clamp connection present. Pileipellis composed of cells of 15-40 × 5-10 µm

magnitude.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously on soil in and around villages.

Distribution:

Keshiyari, Manikpara (West Midnapur); Borjora, Jorka, Hatgara (Bankura); Bishnupur,

Nalhati, Nityagopal Math (Birbhum); Palsadra, Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 61: Lepiota cristata. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiumand Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Lepiota procera (Scop.) Gray [Figure 62]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 7-25 cm, oval when young, becoming convex to broadly convex in age, with a dark

central bump; dry; initially smooth and brownish, soon becoming scaly, the scales brown, the

surface below whitish and later grayish or brownish; often shaggy and torn-up at maturity.

Gills free from the stipe, white when young, sometimes discoloring to pinkish or tan in

maturity; close. Stipe 14-20 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm thick, long and slender, with an enlarged

base, pale above the ring, small brown scales below the ring break up as the mushroom

matures, creating zones or sometimes disappearing, with a double-edged ring that moves

freely up and down the stipe. Flesh white throughout, sometimes tinged reddish, but not

staining reddish when exposed; soft. Spore print white.


Basidiospores 12-18 × 8-12 µm, smooth, broadly elliptical, dextrinoid, with a small pore.

Cheilocystidia to about 40 × 12 µm, clavate or cylindric.

Ecology:

Saprobic, growing alone or scattered in villages, or in grasslands and in Sal-Eucalyptus

intermixed areas.

Distribution:

Tapovan, Jhargram, Vairabshol (West Midnapur); Pierdoba, Chougan (Bankura); Ballavpur

W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi, Parulia, Panagarh (Burdwan); Puriapara, Kharjuna

(Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 62: Lepiota procera. (a) Basidiocarp;(b) Basidium with Basidiospores.

Leucocoprinus fragilissimus (Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Pat. [Figure 63]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 2-5 cm in diameter, very thin and fragile, plane or depressed, surface whitish almost

translucent except for the deep yellowish brown central disk, which darkens on drying, plicate

striate almost to the centre, covered by yellow, flocculose squamules along the radial ridges.

Gills free, white, narrow, moderately crowded but with few short gills. Stipe 7-12 cm. × 2-3

mm, cylindric, equal or gradually attenuated towards the apex, hollow, surface pale yellow

with loose floccose squamules, glabrescent. Annulus fragmentary and evanescent, attached in

the middle of the stipe. Context thin, almost absent except at the disk.


Basidiospores 9-12.5 × 6.-4-8.4 µm, broadly ellipsoid but strongly constricted apically into a

short cylindric region terminated by a broad germ-pore, hyaline to yellowish, with a thickened

compound wall, strongly dextrinoid. Cheilocystidia unknown. Basidia unknown. Pileal

surface a disrupted epicutis which is difficult to recover, mostly a mixture of loose, hyaline

sphaerocysts, 15-35 µm diam., and irregular chains of thin-walled, cylindric elements, 30-80

× 6-15 µm.

Ecology:

Growing solitarily among the moist leaf litter of the forest floor, it is rare in the region.

Distribution:

Upossyal, Asna (Bankura).

a

b

Figure 63: Leucocoprinus fragilissimus. (a) Basidiocarp;(b) Basidium with Basidiospores.

Leucocoprinus cretaceous (Bull.:Fr.) Locq. [Figure 64]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 3.5-9.8 cm broad, hemispherical at first, becoming conic-convex and finally plano-

convex with umbo, surface pure white, entirely covered with floccose squamules, easily

removed by weathering or when handled, margin exceeding the gills, incised, weakly striate.

Gills free, creamy white, up to 9 mm wide, ventricose, crowded with lamelullae of varying

lengths, edge entire, concolorous to the sides and sometimes staining yellow at places. Stipe

6-10.5 × 0.5-1.2 cm, central, narrowly tapering upwards, sometimes with a rooting base, solid,

becoming stuffed, surface white, becoming light yellow on hadling or ageing, completely

covered with floccose squamules below the annulus, more concentrated at the lower half,

easily disappearing when handled. Annulus superior, flaring thin, minutely floccose at the

lower surface, evanescent. Odour unpleasant. Spore print white.


Basidiospores 8.27-12 × 7.05-7.88 µm, ovoid to ellipsoid with a germ pore, smooth with thick

complex wall, dextrinoid, metachromatic. Basidia 22-32 × 8.8-11.8 µm, clavate,

tetrasterigmatic, intermixed with abundant pseudoparaphysis. Sterigmata straight, 3.15-4.14

µm long. Context white, up to 6 mm, soft, composed of interwoven hyphae, inflated to 20.3

µm. Pseudoparaphysis 13.2-18 × 8.8-11 µm, clavate to pyriforme, thin-walled, hyaline. Gill

edge sterile. Cheilocystidia 24.6-77.1 × 9.9-17.6 µm, cylindric to narrowly clavate to

fusiform, sometimes with short apical protuberances, thin walled, hyaline. Pleurocystidia

absent. Hymenophoral trama regular, composed of thin walled, hyaline, 2.2-5.5 µm wide

hyphae, inflated to 16.5 µm. Subhymenium pseudoparenchymatous. Pileipellis composed of

elongate cylindrical hyphae, overtopped with versiform scale cells, 16.5-48.4 × 7.7-14.3 µm.

Ecology:

Growing on the organic debris especially on cowdung heap in moist and shady condition

either solitary or in aggregate.

Distribution:

Bishnupur, Tezhati (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 64: Leucocoprinus cretaceous. (a)Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores.

Lycoperdon perlatum Pers. [Figure 65]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp usually smaller, 3-7 cm high, 2-6 cm in diameter, white when young, dark grey

or grayish brown when mature, fruiting body at maturity with distinct apical pore, fruiting

body ellipsoidal, globose or pestel shaped and not star shaped. Peridium spherical or with

rounded top, usually with a stipe like base, stipe sometimes larger than the rounded top, stipe

stout, white when young, becoming brown with age. Warts and spines of various size

intermingled on the top when immature, larger spines arranged among the smaller persistent

ones. The larger spines usually falling off at maturity leaving scars on the top of the

sporophore, tip of spines not united, capillitium at first greenish yellow with an olive tinge,

later pale brown, columella present.


Basidiospores greenish yellow to pale brown, round, smooth or minutely warted, 9.5-4.5 µm

in diameter.

Ecology:

Growing on the ground mostly in open places, moist forest floor and sometimes even on

rotten wood.

Distribution:

Raskuda More, Ghanghani, Jhargram, Behind Vidyasagar University (West Midnapur);

Taldangra ecopark, Basudebpur (Bankura); Tumbani (Birbhum); Kataberia, Dangapara,

Monkota (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Puriapara, Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 65: Lycoperdon perlatum. (a) Basidiocarp;(b) Basidiospores.

Lycoperdon pusillum (Batsch) Pers. [Figure 66]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp globose to subglobose, small, 4.5-20 mm broad, the base pinched, crimped or

shallowly folded when young, often with an adhering white cord-like rhizomorph, surface

variable, usually almost smooth to naked eye. Exoperidium covered by minute, fugacious,

mealy, polygonal squamules or flattened warts. Endoperidium white, sometimes dotted pale-

brown or bruising so where handled, up to 1 mm thick when fresh, smooth to finely

tomentose, often arranged in tiny flattened warts, at maturity the exoperidium shriveling,

leaving small yellowish-brown scales on a pale-brown endoperidum, the latter releasing

spores via a small apical pore. Gleba passing through yellow to greenish yellow, becoming

brownish with the full maturity filling the entire peridium. Subgleba absent.


Basidiospores globose, 3.9-6.5 µm in diameter, thick walled, minutely verrucose with a short

pedicel. Capillitium threads brown, continuous, branched, attenuated at the tips, 5.2-6.5 µm in

diameter, wall more or less pitted.

Ecology:

Grows solitary in grassland and forest floors, it is common in the region.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Salbani (West Midnapur); Amdangra, Upossyal, Chagulia (Bankura);

Gonpur, Ilambazar (Birbhum); Malandighi, Ausgram (Burdwan); Puriapara (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 66: Lycoperdon pusillus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Lycoperdon pyriforme Schaeff. [Figure 67]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp usually smaller in size, almost sessile or with a very short stipe, white and coarse

strands of mycelium at the base, with distinct apical pore at maturity. Peridium pear-shaped,

whitish or brownish, usually with minute and sub persistent, nearly uniform warts and scales,

sometimes slender deciduous spinules scattered in between, peridium cracking during wet

weather, capillitium initially greenish yellow, dull olivaceous later, columella present.


Basidiospores greenish yellow to dull olivaceous, smooth, 4 µm in diameter.

Ecology:

Usually growing on decaying stumps of dead wood, buried plant debris in forests or in groves,

open fields or on ground, sometimes many fruit-bodies crowded together. Common in the

region and especially abundant in Eucalyptus Akashmoni plantation areas.

Distribution:

Ghangani, Jhargram, Vairabsol (West Midnapur); Lalpahari, Prantik (Birbhum); Malandighi,

Ausgram (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 67: Lycoperdon pyriforme. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores.

Lycoperdon sp. [Figure 68]

Basidiocarp:

Sulphur yellow in colour, with clay buff coloured scales. 0.4-0.7 cm in diameter, globose to

subglobose, sessile, basal mycelium cord like, gleba colour same as peridium.


Basidiospores, subglobose minutely warty, hyaline 7.2-8.2 × 7.40-7.88 µm; Basidium clavate,

hyaline 19.7 × 6.7 µm.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously in the floor of Eucalyptus dominated plantations.

Distribution:

Eucalyptus plantation (West Midnapur).

a

b

Figure 68: Lycoperdon sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiumwith Basidiospore.

Macrolepiota mastoidea (Fr.) Singer [Figure 69]

Basidiocarp: Pileus 40-12 mm broad, when young hemispherical to campanulate with inflexed margin, later wide-conical to applanate, with distinct umbo, margin exceeding gills, when very young totally covered in pinkish-greyish-brownish, to dark brown velvety covering, later still with velvety, or plush-like covering, more and more granulose-patchy towards margin, sometimes in a distinct star-shaped pattern, brownish yellow, brown or pinkish brown, to dark brown, on cream coloured to pale to very pale brown, fibrillose-squamulose background, showing white context in between fibrils. Gills crowded, moderately crowded, free, remote from stipe, segmentiform to ventricose, 6-15 mm wide, some furcated, white, creamy to pale brownish yellow, not discolouring on touch, with even to eroded, whitish edge. Stipe 85-140 × 7-11 mm, bulbous, with 15-23 mm wide bulb, cylindrical to slightly tapering towards apex, hollow, whitish, dark brown after touch, with pale brownish, greyish brown, or brownish pink, or creamy small bands of patches or floccules over total length of stipe, the palest at the apex, sometimes with white tomentose layer on bulb. Annulus mobile with age, with cuff like part around stipe, either ascending or descending, with double crown, but often without, 12-40 mm in diameter; underside brownish, as pileus covering, or with dark patchy rim, if developed as double crown, creamy coloured at upperside, with fringed margin. Context compact, upto 13 mm thick in pileus, white to cream-coloured, after cutting not discolouring or becoming reddish yellow in pileus or reddish in stipe; stipe context protruding into umbo of pileus. Smell none, indistinct (also in cut specimens) to slightly unpleasant, or fungoid, Taste faint. Spore print white.

Microscopic characters: Basidiospores 11.5-18.5 × 7.5-12 µm, ellipsoid to oblong, ovoid. Basidia 31-68 × 10-16 µm, clavate, narrowly clavate, (broadly) fusiform to (narrowly) utriform, sometimes cylindrical and/or rostrate, or lageniform, thin-walled, colourless. Stipitipellis a cutis of narrow, cylindrical, colourless elements, 2.0-10 µm in diameter, with clusters of irregularly twisted and shaped hyphae, with terminal elements 20-70 × 8.0-17 µm, pigment pale and diffuse; brown and refractive in an occasional narrow hyphae. Clamp connections absent to rare at the base of basidia.

Ecology: Growing gregariously as saprophytes on the buried plant debris and sometimes in the open grasslands rich in sandy soil.

Distribution: Bishnupur (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 69: Macrolepiota mastoidea. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Marasmius androsaceus Fr. [Figure 70]

Basidiocarp: Pileus 3-8 mm broad, convex, becoming plano-convex, the disc slightly depressed to

umbilicate; margin incurved in youth, then decurved, crenate; surface dry, dull, more or less

glabrous, initially dark-brown, to dark reddish-brown, remaining so at the disc, fading to

medium-brown or buff-brown at the margin, the latter sparsely covered with a buff-colored

pubescence in youth; context thin, < 1 mm thick, cream-colored; odor and taste mild; fruiting

bodies capable of reviving after drying. Gills close to subdistant, adnate, narrow, pale apricot-

tan in youth, darkening slightly with age; edges lighter than the faces, minutely fringed; short

gills in two to three series. Stipe 25-50 mm long, 0.5-1.0 mm thick, filiform, hollow, equal,

round to flattened; surface reddish-brown at apex, blackish below, more or less glabrous but

with innate fibrils when viewed with hand lens; short, stub-like branches covered with a buff

tomentum occasionally seen at base; numerous hair-like, black rhizomorphs interspersed with

fruiting bodies; partial veil absent.


Basidiospores 6.5-8.0 × 3.5-4.5 µm, ellipsoid, thin-walled, smooth, hilar appendage

conspicuous, spores inamyloid.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously on twigs, leaves and paddy husk in exposed and dry condition.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Midnapur (West Midnapur); Kochkunda (Bankura); Nischintapur, Bishnupur,

Nalhati (Birbhum); Nachan, Gopalmath, Mankar (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Puriapara, Kandi

(Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 70: Marasmius androsaceus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia with Basidiospores (inset Single Basidiospore anda Basidium).

Marasmius epiphyllus (Pers. ex. Fr.) Fr. [Figure 71]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 3–10 (5) mm across, convex to flattened, sometimes depressed, white to creamy-white,

membranous and radially wrinkled. Stipe 15–30 × 1 mm, hair-like, whitish near apex, reddish-

brown below. Gills white, few, broadly spaced, branched and vein-like. Stipe much longer

than pileus diameter. Spore print white. Flesh fibrous usually pliable.


Basidiospores elliptical, 10–11 × 3–4 µm, cuticular cells smooth and subglobose.

Ecology:

Frequent on fallen twigs (leaves) with damp or moist condition, sporocarps developed from

March to October.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Dhadhika, Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Asna, Dhangasol, Panchmura (Bankura);

Gonpur, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Deul, Parulia, Debsala, Panagarh (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 71: Marasmius epiphyllus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidia and Basidiospores.

Marasmius oreades (Bolton) Fr. [Figure 72]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 1.5-4.0 cm broad, rounded, becoming campanulate (bell- shaped), finally convex to

nearly plane, typically with a broad umbo, margin striate when moist, sometimes upturned in

age, surface dry, smooth, light cinnamon-brown to buff-brown when young, fading in age to

pale-buff or cream, flesh thick, reviving after being dried, gills adnexed to nearly free,

subdistant, interspersed with shorter gills and intervenose, cream to buff-colored, stipe 2-6 cm

tall, 2-5 mm thick, equal, tough, cream to buff above, the base usually somewhat darker and

pruinose, veil absent.


Basidiospores 7-8.5 × 4-5.5 µm, elliptical, inequilateral, apiculate (pointed at the end),

smooth, nonamyloid, spore print white to pale-cream.

Ecology:

Growing mostly gregariously on leaf litters, wooden sticks and logs during monsoon.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Dhadhika, Salbani (West Midnapur); Asna, Upossyal, Adhkata (Bankura);

Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Deul, Kataberia, Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 72: Marasmius oreades. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospore .

Marasmius haematocephalus (Mont.) Fr. [Figure 73]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5-2 cm broad, initially campanulate to convex, often with a central papilla, later

broadly campanulate, convex, or nearly applanate, pleated, smooth or minutely roughened,

dry, pink or pinkish brown (occasionally brownish orange), fading with age but retaining a

darker center. Gills attached to the stipe by means of a collar or free, distant or nearly so,

white or pinkish. Stipe 2-6 cm long, less than 1 mm broad, equal, dry, wiry, often curved, pale

pinkish at the extreme apex, darkening downwards by degrees to a reddish brown or black

base, smooth, basal mycelium white. Flesh thin, insubstantial, taste mild or slightly bitter or

radish-like, odor not distinctive. Spore print white.

Microscopic Features:

Basidiospores 11-15 × 3-4 µm, smooth, more or less spindle-shaped, often with one end

pointier than the other. Cystidia present on gill faces, dextrinoid broom cells present on gill

edges. Pileipellis with broom cells.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously among the leaf litters in moist and shady floor of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Chilkigarh, Joychandi Jungle (West Midnapur); Bhatkunda, Malandighi

(Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 73: Marasmius pulcherripes. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores.

Marasmius ramealis (Bull.) Fr. [Figure 74]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 0.6-2 cm broad, convex when young, expanding to plane, surface moist, glabrous, color

off white, flesh very thin, soft, odor and taste mild. Gills adnate to subdecurrent, distant,

intervenose, color white to buff, short gills present. Stipe 7-20 mm long, 1.5-4 mm broad,

fleshy, moist, equal, central or eccentric, surface glabrous to pruinose with a pubescent to

fibrillose base, color white to grey.


Basidiospores 12-14.57 × 4.33-6.7 µm, long lacrymoid to subfusiform, smooth, nonamyloid.

Spore print white.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously and in patches on moist, dead Palm in exposed condition.

Distribution:

Kolitha (Birbhum); Sagardighi, Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 74: Marasmius ramealis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia with Basidiospores (inset single Basidiospore anda Basidium).

Marasmius rotula (Scop. ex. Fr.) Fr. [Figure 75]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5-15 mm broad, white all over or with central umblicate part shaded with yellow,

membranous, never flat, plicate margin, no warts and floccose patches, surface dry, pileus

context thin, odour indistinct. Gills thin, surface of pileus is rivulose, glabrous, gills of single

length, white, adnate, typically attached to the collar which may or may not attached to the

stipe. Stipe 2-5 × 0.1 cm, filiform, brownish black, horny, slender and fistular. Annular veil

and volva absent. Spore print white.


Basidiospores elliptical to pyriform, smooth 7-10 × 3.5-5 µm, apiculate, inamyloid. Basidia

clavate, thin walled, bearing four sterigmata with four basidioles. Broom cells present on

hymenium edges, subhymenium layer distinct, pseudoparenchymatous. Hymenophoral trama

regular. Pileipellis with broom cells that feature very short projections, context made up of

septate branched and interwoven hyphae.

Ecology: Lignicolous, growing gregariously on the moist and decaying twigs and leaves within Sal

forest.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Leccho forest, Tapovan (West Midnapur); Asna, Chougan, Amdangra (Bankura);

Gonpur, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Deul, Panagarh, Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

Figure 75: Marasmius rotula. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenial region showing Basidium and Basidiospores.

b

Marasmius siccus Christ. [Figure 76]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 0.5-3 cm across, dry, smooth, conic to indented centered, with deep, wide, radial pleats;

rust-orange to rust-brown or pale tawny; minutely velvety. Gills attached or free, distant,

broad; pallid to buff; edges even. Gills creamy white, pallid to buff, 0.5 mm wide, with

spacing of 1 mm, regular, attached or free, margin even, gills concolorous, short gills absent.

Stipe deep brown from base upward, yellowish above, cartilaginous, 20-70 mm long, 0.4 -1.3

mm wide, equal, partly shiny, smooth, dry, polished, attached to the rhizomorph; flesh very

thin, pallid, dextrinoid, evolvate, exannulate. Spore print white.


Basidiospores spindle to club-shaped, smooth, 16-21 × 3-4.5 µm.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, growing gregariously on the moist and decaying twigs and leaves within Sal

forest.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Jhargram, Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Asna, Dhangasol, Amdohra (Bankura);

Gonpur, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Deul, Debsala, Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 76: Marasmius siccus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Broom Cells).

Microporus flabelliformis (Kl.) Kunt. [Figure 77]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp stipitate, growing singly or in groups, leathery, hard on drying, flabelliform to

semicircular, 3-8×0.1-0.4 cm, stalk lateral, brownish to reddish brown to black brown with an

expanded disc at the base, upto to 3 cm long and 0.5 cm in diameter, pileus surface yellowish

brown, pinkish brown, tomentose when young, glabrous with age, narrowly concentrically

zonate, margin entire, thin, sterile below upto 2 mm, hymenial surface cream to pinkish, pores

circular, 7-8 per mm.


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled to slightly thick walled,

clamped 2-4 µm wide. Skeletal hyphae hyaline, tortuous, 2.5-6 µm wide, thick walled

showing lumina in context and trama, up to 10.5 µm wide in tomentum showing wide lumina

at the apex. Binding hyphae hyaline, tortuous, and much branched but not coralloid, 1.5-3.2

µm wide, thick walled but with lumina, at the base wider up to 6.5 µm, almost solid.

Basidiospores short cylindric to ellipsoid, hyaline, thin walled, 3-4×1.5-2.2 µm. Dichophytic

elements noted after patient search on the pore mouth, particularly of dry sporophores.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, annual, growing gregariously on fallen litters of leaves and twigs in moist and

shady areas of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Ghangani, Jhargram, Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

e

Figure 77: Microporus flabelliformis. (a) Basidiocarp,(b) Basidiospores, (c) Generative Hyphae, (d) SkeletalHyphae, (e) Dichophytic Element.

c

d

Microporus xanthopus (Fr.) Kunt. [Figure 78]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp single or confluent, funnel shaped, centrally or laterally stipitate, flexible, corky,

stipe yellowish brown, round, glabrous, corky, up to 3.5 cm long and 3.5 mm thick, pileus up

to 10 cm in diameter, 1 mm thick, glabrous, surface chest nut to dark brown, narrow

concentric zones with bands of various shapes of maroon colour, slightly radiately cracking,

margin thin and wavy, entire or crenate, sterile below, context white, up to 0.8 mm thick,

hymenial surface pinkish or cream, pores regular circular, 8-10 per mm.

Micropscopic characters:

Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, clamped, some thin walled, branched, 1.3-

3 µm wide, occasionally collapsed, others with walls, thickened to solid, often broken at

clamps, unbranched or branched with moderately long branches, fairly abundant everywhere

remaining interwined with other hyphae. Skeletal hyphae generally hyaline, few pale brown

just below the pileal surface, flexuous, thick walled lumina narrow to occluded, usually

unbranched, sometimes with few branches at the apex, 2.6-4 µm wide. Binding hyphae

hyaline, subsolid to solid, repeatedly branched with short somewhat coralloid branches, 3.2-4

µm wide, numerous, particularly above the pore tubes. Basidia short, clavate, 7-9×4-4.6 µm.

Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, slightly lunate to narrow cylindric, 3.6-4.2×1.5-2 µm.

Cystidioles hyaline, slightly thick walled, clavate, 7-8×2.6-4 µm. Dichophyletic elements

present at the edge of the dissepiments, hyaline, strongly coralloid, formed by repeated

emergence of fine processes at the terminal ends of hyaline, thick walled, possibly binding

hyphae, mostly broken in prepared condition, 4-4.5 µm wide.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, annual, growing gregariously on fallen litters of leaves and twigs in moist and

shady areas of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Raskunda More, Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Chougan (Bankura).

Figure 78: Microporus xanthopus. (a)Basidiocarp, (b)Basidiospores, (c) Basidia, (d) Generative Hyphae, (e)Skeletal Hyphae, (f) Binding Hyphae, (g) DichophyticElement.

a

c

db

e

f

g

c

Mycena pura (Pers.) Fr. [Figure 79]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 1.5-4.5 cm broad, conic, then convex, finally nearly plane with a low umbo, margin

striate, sometimes upturned in age, surface smooth, moist, hygrophanous, color varying from

purple, lilac, greyish-lilac, rose, pinkish-grey to nearly white, fading in age, flesh thin, pale

lilac, taste and odor mildly of radish. Gills adnexed, close, moderately broad, intervenose,

colored like the pileus but lighter, e.g. dingy-buff-lilac when young to pinkish-buff in age,

edges paler than the faces. Stipe 2-6 cm tall, 0.2-0.7 cm thick, hollow, fragile, equal or

tapering to an enlarged base, the latter hairy, surface pruinose at the apex, otherwise smooth,

concolorous with the pileus, e.g. lilac fading to pinkish-lilac in age, veil absent. Spore print

white.


Basidiospores 6-8.5 × 3-4 µm, smooth, elliptical, amyloid.

Ecology:

Growing gregariously in moist, shady leaf litters on the floor of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Jhargram, Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Taldangra ecopark, Basudebpur,

Upossyal (Bankura); Gonpur (Birbhum); Kataberia, Parulia, Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 79: Mycena pura. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Hymenium(inset Basidium with Basidiospores).

Navisporus floccosus (Bres.) Ryv. [Figure 80]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp sessile with a broad base, resupinate or reflexed, large, usually 12-20×10-12×4-7

cm, hard and woody, somewhat sapy when fresh, drying into very hard and light in weight,

margin thick rounded and sterile below, upper surface usually smooth, buff brown to

yellowish to reddish brown, azonate, context light buff or pale cinnamon, fleshy when fresh,

suberose on drying, distinctly zonate, 1-3cm thick, hymenial surface white to pale cinnamon

brown, pores mostly circular, at places elongated, 2-3 per mm, pore tubes reddish brown, up

to 3.8 cm long.


Hyphal system dimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, much branched with clamp connections,

frequently inflated thin walled or slightly thick walled, 2-4 µm wide, collapsed, partly

gelatinized and formed by anastomosis of small pseudoparenchymatous scattered patches at

the deeper context in the trama. Skeletal hyphae hyaline, thick walled, more easily visible in

the fresh material, dextrinoid, flexuous, usually with distinct lumina, often irregularly inflated,

unbranched, occasionally with 2-more much narrower tortuous apical branches, 3.5-7 µm

wide. Basidia large, clavate, 25-32.2×5.6-9.6 µm, 4 sterigmate, collapsed in dry basidiocarp.

Basidiospores hyaline, slightly thick walled, navicular to fusiform, guttulate, 11.2-12.6×4.2-

5.6 µm. Cystidia present, extending beyond the hymenial layer,hyaline, slightly thick walled,

swollen and fusoid, weakly dextrinoid, 35-42×14.2-21 µm.

Ecology:

Growing at the base of a Tal plant in exposed and dry condition.

Distribution:

Sagardighi (Murshidabad).

Figure 80: Navisporous floccosus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Cystidia; (d) Generative Hyphae; (e)Skeletal Hyphae.

a

b

cd

e

Omphalina sp. [Figure 81]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus size 2.2 cm broad, brownish white with a creamish appearance, surface moist, smooth,

deeply indented to infundibuliform, margin translucent striate; Gill colour creamy white, 1.5

mm wide, with 1 mm spacing, decurrent, regular, gill margin even to eroded, concolorous,

short gills one tiered; Stipe colour brownish white, 3 cm × 2 mm, equal, central, stipe surface

moist, smooth, inserted, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores apiculate, ellipsoidal, hyaline 11.47-11.82×7.88-8.04 µm; Basidium

tetrasterigmatic, clavate, hyaline, vacuolar 21.67-23.64×16.30-8.08 µm; Cystidia clavate with

apical thickening, vacuolar, hyaline 25.61-29.55×7.09-8.2 µm; sterigmata straight, stumpy

1.97 µm long.

Ecology:

Growing upon decaying woody debris, mostly gregarious and sporadic in nature.

Distribution:

Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Taldangra ecopark, Upossyal (Bankura); Tumbani, Ballavpur

W.S. (Birbhum); Pratappur More, Nachan, Panagarh, Monkota (Burdwan); Puriapara

(Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 81: Omphalina sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiawith Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Panaeolus sp. [Figure 82]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 10-23 mm broad, mild bluish cream with mild drab centre, surface slippery, lubricous,

smooth, broadly parabolic, margin non striate smooth, colour changes to mild bluish to mild

drab on handling and cutting and bruishing; Gills olivaceous black with bluish green tint, 4

mm wide, spacing 2.5 mm at margin, regular, adnexed, margin even, gills concolorous-mild

discolorous (paler), short gills in three tiers; Stipe colour whitish with pale greenish blue tint,

35-92 mm long, 1.2-1.6 mm wide, equal, solid, surface shiny, surface with low density

squamulose recurved hairs, exannulate, evolvate.


Spore brownish black, globose to sub globose to ellipsoidal with polar protrusions,

monoporate, 12.21-15.76 × 8.70-11.82 µm; Basidium thin walled, hyaline, 19.7-31.52 ×

11.82-13.79 µm, tetrasterigmatic, sterigmata pointed, 3.94 µm long; Cystidia lageniform with

pointed to apically pileus like encrustations, thick walled 66.98-70.92 × 15.76-19.7 µm.

Ecology:

Growing on shady-semidried soil substratum especially at the base of mud house wall mostly

in scattered form or in troops.

Distribution:

Hiyatpur (Birbhum).

a

b

c

Figure 82: Paneolus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium; (c)Basidium, Cystidia, and Basidiospores.

Paxillus sp. [Figure 83]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 23 mm broad, creamy white, surface moist, smooth, moderately indented, margin non

striate smooth; Gills creamy, 2 mm wide, with spacing of 4 mm, regular to slightly

interveinose, decurrent, margin even to eroded, concolorous, short gills two tiered; Stipe

eccentric, creamy in colour 12-15 mm long and 5-7 mm wide, tapered at the base, surface dry,

smooth, base rhizoidal, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores globose to subglobose, minutely spiny to warted, hyaline 3.94-8.27 × 3.94-7.09

µm; Basidia clavate to cylindric, tertasterigmatic, hyaline 15.76-19.7 × 9.85 µm; Sterigmata

equal to blunt, 3.94-5.91 µm; Cystidia pointed, thickened at apex hyaline 15.6-19.7 × 9.06

µm.

Ecology:

Common in exposed soil surface of Sal forest floor, mostly solitary and sometimes in groups

of two.

Distribution:

Taldangra ecopark, Upossyal, Amdohra (Bankura); Gonpur (Birbhum); Kataberia, Dangapara

(Burdwan); Puriapara (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 83: Paxillus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidia withBasidiospores (inset Single Basidium with fourBasidioles).

Phellinus durissimus (Lloyd) A.Roy [Figure 84]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp usually sessile, attached by a thick, broad base, solitary or imbricate, heavy,

usually 15-20 × 10-13 × 5-8 cm, gradually thinning out towards the edge; upper surface

brown in the current year,s growth, black when old, soft, minutely tomentose when young,

becoming glabrous, sometimes zonate, usually very rugulose due to knob-like projections,

sometimes cracking but not rimose; context yellow to brownish yellow, slightly fibrous, with

a slight silky sheen, with many thin black lines, usully 1 cm thick, sometimes up to 2-3 cm

thick.


Hymenial surface brown, smooth or rough, margin thick, sterile, pores round to angular, 7-9

per mm, pore wall thick; pore tubes dark brown, straight, stratified, up to 4 mm long in each

layer; basidia clavate, 6-7 µm broad; Basidiospores pale brown, subglobose, thin-walled, 3.7-

5 × 3.5-4.4 µm; hyphae (1) pale brown, thick-walled, unbranched, simple septate, 4-7.5 µm

broad, less common, and (2) hyaline or pale yellow, thin-walled, branched, simple septate,

2.5-5 µm broad, less common.

Ecology:

Common on in the region, usually as a parasite on living trees like Sal.

Distribution:

Behind Vidyasagar University (West Midnapur); Asna, Panchmura, Basudebpur, Pierdoba

(Bankura); Tumbani, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi, Panagarh

(Burdwan).

Figure 84: Phellinus durissimus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Skeletal Hyphae.

a

b c

d

Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch [Figure 85]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp 5-20 cm tall, 4-10 cm wide, rounded to lobed, becoming club-shaped, with a

sterile, yellowish-brown, fibrous, deeply rooted base; peridium thin, smooth, often shiny,

yellowish-brown, dark-brown to purple brown; gleba, of tiny, pebble-sized, white to

yellowish-brown, sometimes reddish-brown peridioles (spore sacs) developing in a black

gelatinous matrix; at maturity peridium crumbling apically revealing a mass of cinnamon-

brown spores; odor pleasant.


Basidiospores cinnamon brown, 7-12 µm, globose, spiny.

Ecology:

Terrestrial, abundant on the Eucalyptus and Akasmoni plantations.

Abundant on the moist soil either exposed or associated with some prostrate herbs and

especially growing in Eucalyptus globosus and Acacia auriculiformis plantations.

Distribution:

Ghangani, Jhargram, Radhamadhabpur, Kendubani, Vairabsol (Midnapur); Panchmura,

Chougan (Bankura); Lalpahari, Morola, Prantik (Birbhum); Malandighi, Ausgram

(Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 85: Pisolithus tinctorius. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores.

Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) Fr. [Figure 86]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp usually hygrophanous, whitish, large, tough when old; pileus 8.0-20.0 cm or more

broad, spathulate to kidney shaped, white, grey or sometimes yellowish after drying, surface

smooth, margin incurved; gills not crowded, decurrent, anastomosing at the base, white,

yellowish when dry, broad; stipe eccentric or lateral, 1.0-3.0 cm long, 0.5-2.0 cm thick, firm,

sometimes hairy at the base. Flesh white, soft, spongy, 0.5-1.5 cm thick near the stipe.


Basidiospores white, oblong, 7.0-10.0 µm long. Basidia tetrasterigmatic, 30-38 × 6 µm;

Hymenial tissues well differentiated. Cheilocystidia present.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, growing in moist and shady areas of the forest usually in clusters on the dead tree

trunks or branches. Sometimes also found to occur on living trees.

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur); Asna (Bankura).

a

b

Figure 86: Pleurotus ostreatus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia with Basidiospores.

Pleurotus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer [Figure 87]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus usually 2.0-8.0 cm wide, sub-infundibuliform, with a deep centric depression, white to

cream coloured, same on wetting, turning some what brownish with age, coriaceous and

flexible when fresh, becoming stiff smooth on drying, minutely scaly, margin glabrous,

sometimes with minute scales, straight, when fresh, becoming involute on drying, splitting at

places; Gills crowded decurrent, distinctly formed unequal, separable, pliable, white to cream

when young, brownish with age, edge serrate; Stipe central, sometime eccentric, cylindrical,

4.5 cm long, whitish at first, brown at maturity, smooth or with minute scales, base not

hollow, without ring and volva. Spore print white.


Basidiospores hyaline, oblong-elliptical, smooth, thin-walled, 4.2-6.8×3.0-3.4 µm. Basidia

clavate, tetrasterigmatic, 13.6-18.7×3.4-4.2 µm. Hymenophoral trama not completely

irregular but with a distinct axillary arrangement. Generative hyphae thin walled with clamp

connexions, ligative hyphae thick walled.

Ecology:

Frequent with very dense population (in terms of no. of fruitbodies) on the exposed moist

wooden logs.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Joypur, Bankadaha (Bankura);

a

b

Figure 87: Pleurotus squarrosulus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidia with Basidiospores.

Podoscypha petaloides (Berk.) Boidin [Figure 88]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp erect, compound, forming rosettes about 20 cm diameter individually roughly

fan-shaped, thin, tough leathery and up to 7×5 cm in size, over lapping with waxy or indented

margin, stalks joined below into a common base; upper surface smooth, zonate, at first flesh-

coloured or rosy ochraceous with dark reddish brown bands, drying pale orange-brown or

blackish, lower surface with smooth hymenium rose ochraceous, yellowish brown or greyish.


Basidiospores broadly ellipsoid to subspherical, 4.5-6.5 × 4-5, hyaline, thin-walled, smooth.

Basidia narrowly clavate. Hymenial cystidia hyaline, cylindrical, sinuous, sometimes swollen

at base, up to 120 × 12 µm, thin-walled, smooth. Hyphae with clamps, skeletal ones hyaline.

Ecology:

Growing on the ground in deciduous woods, or from buried roots or wood.

Distribution:

Chilkigarh (Midnapur).

Figure 88: Podoscypha petaloides. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiospores; (c) Basidium; (d) Cystidium

a

bc

d

Polyporus brumalis Pers. ex. Fr. [Figure 89]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp usually solitary, sometimes several from a common base, soft, coriaceous,

centrally stipitate. Stipe up to 3 cm long and 0.6 cm in diameter, frequently bulbous at the

base and slightly flattened just below the pileus, white to brownish, may be minutely

tomentose when fresh. Pileus up to 6 cm in diameter and 0.5 cm thick, circular, convex,

usually slightly depressed at the centre, upper surface yellowish brown to purplish brown,

glabrous or slightly hispid and often covered with indistinct scales, margin thin inturned with

or without hairs, context white subarose, up to 3 mm thick, hymenial surface white, brownish

on drying, pores circular, oval, polygonal or varying in shape, 2-3 per mm, pore tubes up to 2

mm long.


Hyphal system dimitic, generative hyphae clamped, hyaline, thin walled, branched, usually 2-

4.5 µm wide but irregularly inflated up to 10 µm. On the pileus surface occur some generative

hyphae 2.5-4.5 µm wide, thin walled to slightly thick walled, pale brown with black

discontinuous deposits on wall and also small patches of cuticular like cells formed of thin

walled closely interwined hyaline inflated generative hyphae. Gloeoplerous hyphae present,

up to 10 µm wide. Binding hyphae hyaline, thick walled, often solid in old specimens,

dendritic, sparingly branched, usually 3.5-6 µm wide producing whip like branches, 1.5-2 µm

wide from wider stipes up to 15µm wide. Basidia 2-4 sterigmate, clavate, 8.8-17×3.5-5.6 µm.

Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, cylindric, with one or more guttulae. 5.5-7×2-3 µm.

Cystidioles present 8.4-17×3-4.2 µm.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, annual, growing solitary or in group on fallen decaying branches in Sal forest.

Distribution:

Joychandi Jungle (West Midnapur).

Figure 89: Polyporus brumalis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Basidia; (d) Cystidioles; (e)Gloeoplerous Hyphae; (f) Binding Hyphae; (g) GenerativeHyphae,

a

b

c de

f

g

Polyporus grammocephalus Berk. [Figure 90]

Basidiocarp:

Sporocarp laterally stipitate, with small stalk, tough when fresh, rigid drying, pileus fan

shaped, obovate or reniform,9-12×6-9×0.1-0.3 cm. upper surface smooth, glabrous, with fine

striation, ochraceous to reddish brown,margin thin, entire or wavy, context straw coloured,

corky, upto 0.2 cm thick, hymenial surface biscuit coloured to brownish, pores circular, 3.5

per mm, pore tubes upto 1 cm long, stalk upto 2 cm long, 0.6-0.9 cm thick.


Hyphal system dimidiate, generative hyphae 1) hyaline, generally thin walled occasionally

slightly thick walled, branched, somewhat inflated, 2-5.6 µm wide, 2) hyphae pale brown,

slightly thick walled, bearing simple septa, upto 5 µm wide, 3) pale brown, slightly thick

walled to solid hyphae bearing clamp connections as well as simple septa and with

interlocking projections, 2.8-4.2 µm wide, formed at the pileal surface. Binding hyphae 1)

hyaline, aseptate, slightly thick walled to sub solid to solid, freely branched to long tapering

often kinked branches, up to 4.2 µm wide, highly predominating in every region, 2) frequently

encountered hyaline, aseptate, thick walled to solid fibre hyphae, 2.2-3 µm wide, arising as

branches from wider, thick walled to solid stipes, 5-7.5 µm wide. Slightly thick walled, pale

brown mass of pseudoparenchymatous cells found only at the base of stipe. Basidia clavate,

hyaline, thin walled, 4 sterigmate, 18-21×6-8 µm. Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled,smooth,

oblong, 5-7.5×2.4-3.2 µm. Cystidiole hyaline, thin walled, 20-24×5-6.4 µm.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, growing mostly gregariously on dead logs in exposed and moist to semidry

conditions.

Distribution:

Tapovan, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Joypur (Bankura); Tumbani, Kolitha (Birbhum).

Figure 90: Polyporus grammocephalus. (a) Basidiocarp,(b) Basidiospores, (c) Basidia; (d) Cystidioles; (e)Generative Hyphae; (f) Binding Hyphae.

a

b

c

f

e

d

Poria sp. [Figure 91]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp broadly effused, corky; hymenium surface entire, initially white, margin

becoming brownish with age; pores circular, 2-3 per mm, pore tube 0.6-0.7 mm long.


Hyphal system composed of (i) hyaline, thin walled, unbranched hyphae, 5.52-7.99 µm broad;

(ii) hyaline, thick walled, branched hyphae, 3.94-7.99 µm broad. Basidiospores ellipsoid,

apiculate, 11.90-13.20 × 7.92 - 8.08 µm.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, growing on the surface of dead angiosperm wood in exposed and dry condition.

Distribution:

Sagardighi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 91: Poria sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Hyphal systemwith a Basidiospore.

Porphyrellus malaccensis (Pat. & C.F. Baker) Singer [Figure 92]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5.0-7.0 cm broad, applanate to flat, grey to drab or olivaceous grey in colour, glabrous,

fleshy to slightly leathery, slightly viscid; cuticle glabrous, easily separable, without scale;

margin entire and regular; gills polyporaceous, sulphur yellow, buff to deep yellowish brown,

pores large, angular-hexagonal, 0.3-0.5 cm in diameter, 1-1.5 cm width, easily separable; stipe

3.5-4.5 × 0.6 cm, central to slightly eccentric, concolors with the pileus, solid, longitudinal

ridges present, glabrous, base slightly bulbous, leathery, exannulate, evolvate; Flesh dull

yellow or cream white, 0.5 cm thick at the middle, become black on exposure; Spore-print-

rusty tawny.


Basidiospores thick-walled, elliptical, 9.3-10.8 × 3.4-4.21 µm, smooth-walled, apiculate,

inamyloid; Basidia- clavate to obclavate, 26.2-33.8 × 7.2-8.2 µm, tetrasterigmate, holobasidia,

thin-walled, 66-72 µm long; Pileal trama loosely arranged and consisted of branched hyaline,

thin-walled hyphae, 4.2-5.8 µm in diameter; oleiferous hyphae present; Gill trama bilateral in

arrangement.

Ecology:

Growing as ectomycorrhizal associate with Sal in shady moist places of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Taldangra ecopark, Asna, Dhangasol, Upossyal (Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar (Birbhum);

Kataberia, Malandighi, Panagarh (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 92: Porphyrellus malaccensis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Tramal Hyphae with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Psathyrella sp. [Figure 93]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 21 mm broad, pale vinaceous buff in colour, moist, surface pubescent at top, warty to

smooth, margin rimose, darkening with time, and after cutting and bruishing. Gills light cigar

brown when mature, 1.5 mm wide, with spacing of 0.5 mm (margin), Gillscrisped, stipe

central, short gills one tiered, gills adnexed, margin neven, concolorous. Stipe dull cream in

colour, 32-40 × 2 mm, equal, moist to partly shiny, squamulose appressed; base rhizoidal,

sometimes caespitose, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores elliptical, ellipsoidal to oblong 9.45-10.24×5.79-6.10 µm.

Ecology:

Common in troops in shady to exposed and moist areas of grasslands and waste lands near

villages.

Distribution:

Nischintapur (Birbhum); Sagardighi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 93: Psathyrella sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores and Hymenial Cells.

Psilopeziza sp. [Figure 94]

Ascocarp:

Apothecia crowded reaching a diameter of 3 mm, hymenium concave to subdiscoid, yellow,

closely adhering to the substratum and margin free and raised; hymenium slightly concave.


Asci narrowly cylindric 11.82-15.76 µm broad, 8-spored; Ascospores uniseriate, hyaline,

smooth, ellipsoid, 11.82-23.64 × 8.07-9.85 µm, containing generally two oil drops,

paraphyses stout, hyaline, tip swollen upto 3.55 µm.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, growing in troops on moist wooden sticks, it is uncommon on the region.

Distribution:

Kolitha (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 94: Psilopeziza sp. (a) Ascocarp; (b) Asci withAscospores.

Pycnoporus coccineus (Fr.) Bond. & Sing. [Figure 95]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp annual, sessile, broadly attached or effused reflexed, dimidiate, 5×12×1 cm,

upper surface azonate, soft velvety or chamois like, apricot orange, margin thick, context up

to 7.5 mm thick, zonate with alternate orange or whitish zones, hymenial surface orange red,

pores 6-8 mm, pore tube 1.5-2.5 µm long.


Hyphal system trimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, clamped, 2.5-3.5 µm wide,

not common; Skeletal hyphae hyaline, thick walled, frequent, covered with orange granules,

3.5-6.5 µm wide, abundant. Binding hyphae hyaline, thick walled to solid, much branched,

mostly with short branches, 3.5-4.5 µm wide, abundant; Basidia 4.5-5 µm in diameter.

Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, short cylindric, smooth, and slightly curved, 4-5.2 × 2-2.2

µm. Hyphal pegs present.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, abundant in exposed, dried wooden logs mostly in scattered form.

Distribution:

Tapovan (West Midnapur); Asna, Joypur, Bankadaha (Bankura); Nalhati, Mallarpur,

Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Nachan (Burdwan).

Figure 95: Pycnoporus coccineus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Generative Hyphae; (d) SkeletalHyphae; (e) Binding Hyphae.

a

b

c

de

Pycnoporus sanguineus (L. ex. Fr.) Murr. [Figure 96]

Basidiocarp:

Sporocarp annual, sessile or substipitate or effused reflexed, dimidiate, thin and coriaceous,

up to 9×5×0.4 cm, upper surface orange red, smooth, glabrous, often scrupose, zonate, context

zonate, tough-fibrous, light red, up to 3 mm thick, hymenial surface dark red, pores circular,

4-6 per mm, pore tubes orange red, up to 2 mm long.


Hyphal system trimitic, Generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, clamped, 2.5-4 µm wide.

Skeletal hyphae hyaline, thick walled, usually unbranched, with occasional brunching towards

the apex, frequently with deposits of orange granules, 3-6 µm wide. Binding hyphae hyaline,

thick walled to solid, much branched, 2.2-3.5 µm wide, abundant. Basidia 4-sterigmate, 5-6

µm in diameter, Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, short cylindric, smooth, slightly curved,

5-6×2-2.5 µm. Hyphal pegs present.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, abundant in exposed, dried wooden logs mostly in scattered form.

Distribution:

Jhargram, Chilkigarh (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Asna, Pierdoba, Joypur (Bankura);

Rampurhat, Nalhati, Gonpur, Tumbani, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

c

d

e

Figure 96: Pycnoporus sanguineus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Generative Hyphae; (d) SkeletalHyphae; (e) Binding Hyphae.

Ramaria sp. [Figure 97]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp branched and purple brown in youth, darkening with onset of spore production,

base colour pallid grey-violet (sometimes brunnescent) and it is same below substrate.

Fruitbody small to medium in size 1.5-2.5 × 1.5-2 cm; variably slender to stout, branches

equal to sometimes flattened and apices pointed to flattened.


Basidiospores brownish, wall minutely rough 7.99-9.85 × 6.50-7.88 µm, basal hyphae

clamped.

Ecology:

Common and abundant on the sandy soil and distributed like patches within Eucalyptus

plantation area where other fungal associates are meager in number.

Distribution:

Gahangani, Jhargram, Radhamadhabpur, Kendubani, Vairabsol (West Midnapur); Panchmura,

Chougan (Bankura); Lalpahari, Morola, Prantik (Birbhum); Malandighi, Ausgram (Burdwan).

Figure 97: Ramaria sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiosporeswith Hyphal Elements.

a

b

Rigidoporus zonalis (Berk.) Imaz. [Figure 98]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp sessile or effuse-reflexed, solitary or imbricate, with a broad or narrow base,

dimidiate or flabelliform, leathery when fresh, rigid on drying, 1-7×1-5×0.1-0.5 cm; upper

surface pinkish buff, concentrically zonate, with different shades of brown, finally tomentose

to glabrous, showing radiateing wrinkles on drying, margin acute, strong incurved on drying,

context white to pale buff, fibrous up to 3 mm thick, hymenial surface white to pinkish, with a

silky lusture, pores circular to somewhat angular, 8-9 per mm, pore tubes up to 3 mm long.


Hyphal system dimitic, generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled to slightly thick walled, simple

septate, branched, 2.8-4.2 µm wide. Skeletal hyphae hyaline, unbranched, slightly thick

walled, showing distant septa or highly thick walled, showing occluded lumina, with apex,

round, twisted or slightly swollen, 4.2-7.5 µm wide. Pseudoparenchymatous cells hyaline, thin

walled and transparent, occurring in the lower part of the context. Acanthophysis hyaline, thin

walled, 5.6-8.4 µm wide, found at the growing apex of dissepiments. Basidia hyaline, clavate

or subclavate, 10-14×5.6-7 µm, 4-sterigmate, sterigmata 1.5-2 µm long. Basidiospores

hyaline, thin walled, globose to subglobose, apiculate, 3-4.5 µm in diameter. Cystidia hyaline,

formed by heavy encrustations at the apical portion of subsolid to solid skeletal hyphae, 5-9.8

µm wide.

Ecology:

Lignicolous, growing in shady, moist conditions at the base of bamboo plant. Mostly annual

but sometimes reviving in the second season.

Distribution:

Kolitha (Birbhum).

Figure 98: Rigidoporous zonalis. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Encrusted Cystidia; (d) Acanthophyses;(f) Generative Hyphae; (e) Skeletal Hyphae.

a

b

c

f

d

e

Russula albonigra (Krombh.) Fr. [Figure 99]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 40-85 mm in diameter, convex to planoconvex with depressed centre, infundibuliform

at maturity; pileipellis viscid when wet, white with gray yellowish brown, gradually dark gray

to black after bruising or maturity; margin inrolled to incurved, nonstriate, gills broadly adnate

to subdecurrent, crowded, forked near the stipe, thin, white, blackening directly after bruising;

short gills numerous, stipe 30-53×18-25 mm, central, cylindric to subclavate, white, quickly

blackened after bruising, context white, quickly changing directly to black without any

intermittent reddening. Spore print white.


Basidiospores 7.2-9.4×5.8-7.4 µm, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid or rarely ellipsoid,

ornamentation amyloid, up to 0.3 µm high, composed of warts and ridges forming of broken

reticulum. Basidia 30-60×7-10 µm, clavate, 2-4 spored. Pleurocystidia 45-80×7-10 µm,

ventricose to clavate with capitate, mucronate, appendiculate or moniliform apex, wall up to

1.4 µm, mostly of cylindrical with rounded apex. Cheilocystidia 35-55×5-7 µm, ventricose to

clavate with tapered apex. Subhymenium thick, up to 40 µm, cellular. Hymenophoral trama

composed of sphaerocytes and hyphae. Pileipellis an ixocutis, up to 100 µm thick, composed

of parallel hyphae (3-4.5 µm broad); pileocystidia up to 8 µm broad, subfusoid to capitate.

Ecology:

Growing solitarily on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest. It has ectomycorrhizal

associations with Sal.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Jhargram, Kanchangiri, Salbani (West Midnapur); Joypur, Amdangra, Panchmura

(Bankura); Gonpur, Tumbani, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Kataberia, Malandighi,

Bhatkunda (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 99: Russula albonigra. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (Basidiospores).

Russula cyanoxantha (Schaeff.) Fr. [Figure 100]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 65-150 in diameter, convex to planoconvex with depressed centre; pileipellis viscid to

slimy when moist, feebly veined, sometimes areolate, gray purple to dark gray purple, deep

purple to gray violet, dark grayish green or greenish purple, margin often splitted at maturity;

gills subdecurrent or sometimes decurrent, close (6 per cm), entire, forked near the base,

white; short gills present; Stipe 40-90×18-30mm, central, cylindrical, white, veined, yellowish

brown after bruising, context solid, taste mild, spore print white.


Basidiospores 7-9×6-7 µm, subglobose to ellipsoid, ornamentation amyloid, up to 0.5µm

high, composed of conic or blunt warts, sometimes joined by lines, never forming reticulum.

Basidia 40-55×7-11µm, clavate, 4 spored. Pleurocystidia 30-55×5-7.5µm, fusiform to clavate

with mucronate, capitate to somewhat moniliform apices, content dense. Cheilocystidia 30-

45×4.5-7µm, fusoid to ventricose with acute appendiculate apices. Subhymenial layer up to

30 µm thick, cellular. Hymenophoral trama mostly composed of sphaerocytes. Pileipellis an

ixocutis composed of narrow hyphae, up to 3 µm broad and subclavate pileocystidia (up to 4

µm broad) with mucronate apex.

Ecology:

Growing in solitary on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest. It has ectomycorrhizal

associations with Sal.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Salbani, Godapiasal (West Midnapur); Taldangra ecopark, Asna, Chagulia,

(Bankura).

a

b

Figure 100: Russula cyanoxantha. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores .

Russula delica Fr. [Figure 101]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 60-120 in diameter, convex to planoconvex with depressed centre, pileipellis dry,

cracked to areolate at maturity, yellowish white, yellowish pink to brownish at maturity,

margin inrolled to incurved; gills adnate, distant (3 per cm), thick, yellowish white, brownish

at maturity, forked, interveinose, short gills present; stipe 20-45×1.5-2.4mm, central,

cylindric, white to yellowish white, context solid, unchanging. Taste slightly acrid. Spore print

white.


Basidiospores 8-10.5×7-8 µm, subglobose to ellipsoid, ornamentation partially inamyloid, up

to 1µm high, composed of conic or cylindric warts and ridges forming partially complete

reticulum. Basidia 50-60×9-11µm, clavate, 4-spored. Pleurocystidia 60-110×7.5-12µm,

fusiform with capitate to somewhat moniliform apex, contents dense. Cheilocystidia 55-

75×7.5-8.5µm, same as pleurocystidia. Subhymenium up to 30 µm thick, cellular. Pileipellis

composed of septate, branched hyphae, hyphae up to 6µm broad, pileocystidia narrow up to

4.5µm, cylindric with rounded to capitate apices.

Ecology:

Growing in solitary or in group on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest. It has

ectomycorrhizal associations with Sal.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Kanchangiri, Salbani, Hatigeria (West Midnapur); Chagulia, Basudebpur,

Hereparbat (Bankura); Gonpur, Tumbani, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Kataberia,

Premgunge, Bhatkunda, Parulia (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 101: Russula delica. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores.

Russula foetens (Pers.) Pers. [Figure 102]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 55-110 mm diameter, convex, applanate to broadly depressed at maturity; pileipellis

viscid to sticky when moist, brilliant to dark or deep orange yellow, soft yellowish brown;

margin tuberculately sulcate to striate; gills adnexed to subdecurrent, crowded, (9-11 per cm),

sometimes forked near stipe, yellowish white, lamelullae few in two rows; stipe 95-110 × 24-

27 mm, central, mostly cylindric, veined; context gradually hollow at maturity, yellowish

white, unchanging on bruishing, but slightly brownish at maturity; context never turning

yellow to golden yellow in KOH or after bruishing. Taste acrid, spore print pale yellow.


Basidiospores 7.5-9 × 6.8-8.1 µm , Subglobose; ornamentation up to 1.5 µm, partially

amyloid, composed mostly of conic to cute tipped isolated warts, usually without any

connectives. Basidia 32-45 × 7-10 µm, clavate, 4-spored; stergmata up to 6 µm long, fusoid

with mucronate, capitate, appendiculate apices; contents dense towards apex. Cheilocystidia

absent, Subhymenium layer up to 24 µm thick, cellular. Pileipellis, composed of parallel

hyphae and pileocystidia; hyphae 2-4 µm broad; Pileocystidia fusoid fusoid with mucronate

apices.

Ecology:

Growing solitary in isolated condition on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest having


Distribution:

RaskundaMore, Jhargram, Harimari jungle (West Midnapur); Taldangra ecopark, Asna,

Upossyal, Amdohra (Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar (Birbhum); Malandghi, Dangapara,

Panagarh, Monkota (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 102: Russula foetens. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with a Basidiospore.

Russula lepida Fr. [Figure 103]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5-10 cm. convex to flat slightly depressed at the centre, blood red to rust coloured

having scattered pale yellowish spots or somewhat tanned leather colour; cracks with age,

slightly squamlose and slightly viscid, cuticle moist, peels easily, margin cracked with age,

slightly incurved; Gillswhite to creamish white close or slightly crowded, branched towards

the margin, brittle.; stipe 4-5.6 × 1.0-1.5 cm., central, tapering towards the base, white, firm

but brittle, solid, exannulate, evolvate. Flesh white, spore print creamish white.


Basidiospores hyaline, globose, 8-10.2 µm in diameter, echinulate, amyloid, non apiculate.

Basidia holobasidium, thin walled, hyaline and clavate 28.2-36.3 µm long tetrasterigmate.

Cheilocystidia 66-78 µm long, cylindrical and thin walled. Gill trama heteromerous,

subregular to irregular in arrangement with sphaerocysts, hyphae 4.2-5.2 µm in diameter and

thin walled.

Ecology:

Growing in isolated condition on the moist shady floor of the Sal forest having


Distribution:

Dhadhika, Chilkigarh, Leccho forest, Joychandi jungle, Tapovan (West Midnapur); Asna,

Chougan, Upossyal, machantala (Bankura); Gonpur, Tumbani, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S.

(Birbhum); Deul, Dangapara, Kataberia, Malandghi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 103: Russula lepida. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores.

Russula nigricans Fr. [Figure 104]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 40-110 mm in diameter convex to planoconvex with broadly depressed center;

pileipellis dry, often cracked and gradually areolate at maturity, pale brown, brownish black

to black at maturity; margin incurved, nonstriate; gills broadly adnate, distant (2-3 per cm),

very thick, yellowish white, reddish brown to black after bruising, short gills present; stipe 40-

65 × 18-33 mm, central, cylindric to clavate, white, very dark red, brownish black to black

after bruising, context white, quickly dark red to finally black after bruising. Spore print

white.


Basidiospores 6.4-8.5 × 5.5-7.3 µm, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid ornamentation amyloid,

less than 0.5 µm high, composed of warts and fine lines forming incomplete reticulum.

Basidia 40-61 × 6.8-9 µm, subclavate to clavate, 4-spored. Pleurocystidia 50-110 × 5-7 µm,

cylindric, fusoid or subclavate with capitate, mucronate or round apices. Cheilocystidia 37-55

× 5-9 µm, same as pleurocystidia. Pileipellis an ixocutis, up to 200 µm thick, composed of

parallel branched septate hyphae (3-5 µm broad); pileocystidia absent.

Ecology:



Distribution:

Dhadhika, Jhargram, Godapiasal, Salbani (West Midnapur); Taldangra ecopark, Panchmura,

Upossyal (Bankura); Gonpur, Tumbani, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 104: Russula nigricans. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymanium with Basidium and Basidiospores .

Russula sp. [Figure 105]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 40-55 mm in diameter, applannate to uplifted with depressed centre; pileipellis viscid

when moist, grayish brown at centre, paler towards margin, margin regular, plane,

tuberculately sulcate; gills adnexed, closed (7-8 per cm), forked near stipe, yellowish white to

pale yellow; stipe 43-50×13-16 mm, central, white, grey yellowish brown after bruising or

maturity; context solid, unchanging after bruising and with KOH. Taste acrid. Spore print

white.


Basidiospores 7.88-9.06 × 6.69-8.27 µm; broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid; ornamentation

amyloid, up to 1.3 µm high, composed of conic warts and ridges arranged in incomplete

reticulum. Basidia 15.76-19.7 × 8.27 µm, sterigmata, clavate, 4-spored. Pleurocystidia 19.7-

23.24 × 7.88 µm, cylindric with fusoid or narrowly acute apices. pileipellis an ixotrichoderm,

terminal elements cylindric to subclavate, thick walled. Pileocystidia present. Stipitipellis

composed of mostly vesiculose cells, caulocystidia absent.

Ecology:



Distribution:

Raskunda More, Dhadhika, Jhargram, Chilkigarh, Leccho forest, Kanchangiri, Joychandi

forest (West Midnapur); Taldangra ecopark, Dhangasol, Chougan, Amdohra, Machantala

(Bankura); Gonpur, Ilambazar, Tumbani, Ballavpur W.S. (Birbhum); Malandighi, Pratappur

More, Parulia forest, Debsala (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 105: Russula sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiumwith Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores)..

Schizophyllum commune Fr. [Figure 106]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus upto 4 cm in diameter, semicircular or circular, greyish white, surface tomentose,

margin incurved, lobed in larger fruit bodies; gills distinctly formed, white or greyish white,

radiating from the point where the fruit body is attached, branched, edge split and revolute;

stipe when present is rudimentary and concolorous, often absent. Flesh grey, pliable when

moist and fresh, brittle when dry; exannulate, evolvate.


Basidia four spored. Basidiospores hyaline, oblong with obtuse ends, smooth, nonamyloid,

5.5-7.0 × 2.5-3.5 µm, spore print white. Hymenophoral trama not bilateral, inamyloid, thick

walled, hyphae with clamp connections.

Ecology:

Basidiocarp growing in groups on branches or trunks of trees, on old wood, attached laterally

to the substratum.

Distribution:

Keshiyari, Kultikri, Jhargram, Midnapur, Kharagpur (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Borjora,

Jorka, Kamarpara (Bankura); Nischintapur, Kolitha, Hiyatpur, Goalgram, Nalhati (Birbhum);

Hospital More, Panagarh, Gopalpur (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Puriapara, Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 106: Schizophyllum commune. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores (inset Basidiospores).

Scleroderma cepa Pers. [Figure 107]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp buried to epigeous, 1.5-5 cm broad, globose, at maturity often slightly flattened to

cushion-shaped, the base pinched or folded, attached to the substrate via a tuft of mycelium,

the latter sometimes aggregated into a pseudostipe; peridium when young, 1-1.5 mm thick,

tough, smooth, becoming finely cracked or areolate, especially the upper portion; spores

released via irregular splitting or "cratering" of the apex; color: white, soon tinged vinaceous

to pinkish-brown or ochraceous-brown, bruising darker brown where handled or injured;

gleba white turning purple-black, firm-textured, with interspersed white mycelium, in age,

dull brown; taste mild.


Basidiospores 8-10 × 8.5-10 µm, nearly round, spinose; spores dull brown.

Ecology:

Growing solitary in shady and dry floor of the Eucalyptus plantation among leaf litters.

Distribution:

Prantik (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 107: Scleroderma cepa. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores

Spathularia flavida Pers. [Figure 108]

Ascocarp:

Asxocarp fleshy, erect, stipitate, 20-80 mm tall, divided into fertile fanshaped head and

distinct stipe. Spore bearing tissue roughly spathulate, fan-shaped, irregularly furrowed,

decurrent on both sides of stipe, one-half to two-thirds the height of the sporocarp, and upto 3

cm across, yellow-tan to bright yellow. Stipe up to 8 cm long and 1 cm thick tapering towards

the base, white, smooth to slightly furfuraceous with white to yellow basal mycelium, flesh

insubstantial, whitish, odour absent.


Ascospores narrowly clavate to broadly filiform, smooth, 35-65 × 2-3 µm, hyaline, often

multiseptate with scattered oil droplets, arranged parallel within asci. Asci 100-125 × 11.5-14

µm, inamyloid, clavate, 8 spored. Paraphyses slender, compound, forked with spiralled tips.

Ecology:

Presumably saprobic, frequent with gregarious growth or in fairy rings on leaf litter or among

woody debris of Sal forest.

Distribution:

Near Gangjalghati, Upossyal (Bankura); Gonpur (Birbhum); Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 108: Spathularia flavida. (a) Ascocarp; (b) Asciwith Ascospores.

Termitomyces clypeatus R. Heim [Figure 109]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5.5-7 cm in diametr, at first conical, then expanded with a sharply pointed umbo,

generally orange gray to grayish orange, pileal surface silky, epicuties consisting of slender

repent hyphae. Gills free, creamish white, pinkish with maturity, short gills present. Stipe 7-9

cm long, central, white to dirty brown, fleshy, fibrous, hollow, with pseudorhiza, about 3-5 cm

long. Flesh fleshy, hyphae interwoven, inflated, up to 25 µm wide.


Hymenophoral trama regular, hyphae parallel, thin walled, inamyloid, without clamp

connection. Basidia four spored, clavate, 21-26.5×5.5-8.5 µm. Basidiospores hyaline, obovoid

to broadly ellipsoidal, smooth, thin walled, 5.5-8.5×4-5.5 µm. Spore print pink.

Cheilocystidia hyaline, pyriform, thin walled and Pleurocystidia pyriform.

Ecology:

Basidiocarp growing on the sandy soil or on the shaded sal forest ground in association with

the termites nest, sometimes also found on open spaces of villages and roadsides.

Distribution:

Dhadhika, Chilkigarh, Kultikri, Behind Vidyasagar University, Hatigeria, Kanchangiri (West

Midnapur); Near Gangajalhati, Adhkata, Machantala, Basudebpur, Upossyal (Bankura);

Gonpur, Ilambazar, Ballavpur W.S., Tumbani, Nischintapur (Birbhum); Pratappur More,

Bhatkunda, Premgunge, Dangapara, Nachan, Malandighi (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 109: Termitomyces clypeatus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores.

Termitomyces eurhizus (Berk.) R. Heim [Figure 110]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 3.0-9.5 cm in diameter, at first convex later expanded with the prominent umbo, scales

present on the surface, firm, margin regular, not incurved, white but olivaceous near the

umbonal region; gills crowded, distinctly formed, free to subadnate, pliable, white, entire;

stipe central usually long (upto 20 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm thick), white somewhat tough, solid

above ground, hollow bellow soil, penetrating the soil to some distance, pseudorrhiza long

and trapping, with persistant annulus, without volva. Flesh white; spore print pink.


Basidiospores hyaline, ellipsoid, thin walled, 3.94-7.09 × 3.94-5.91 µm; Basidia clavate,

tetrasterigmatic, 9.85-11.82 × 5.91 µm, pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia present, numerous;

pleurocystidia clavate, some time ventricose – prostrate above the general level of the

hymenium; cheilocystidia usually napiform. Hymenophoral trama truly and strictly regular;

hyphae non-amyloid, without clamp connections. Pileal context consists of thick walled

aseptate hyphae ≥ 39.4 × 7.88-11.82 µm, thick walled hyaline hyphae with thread like

mycelium running through the centre ≥275.8 × 21.67 µm and hyaline pseudoparenchymatous

ellipsoidal cells 27.58-23.64 × 23.64 -19.7 µm.

Ecology:

Basidiocarp usually growing solitary, sometimes in association with termite nests.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Kultikri, Manikpara, Nayagram, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Asna,

Panchmura (Bankura).

a

b

Figure 110: Termitomyces eurhizus. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium with Basidiospores.

Termitomyces microcarpus (Berk. & Broome) R. Heim [Figure 111]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 8.5 mm in diameter, plane with slight umbo, and whitish, pale vinaceous buff centered,

partly shiny, moist and smooth; margin rimose; gills whitish, 10 mm wide and with 0.8-0.9

mm spacing, brittle, Gillsregular, short gills in one tier, free to partly adnexed, and margin

even, gills concolorous; stipe whitish, 13-15 × 1 mm, central, cylindrical, bulbous at the base,

solid when young and fistular when mature, rhizomorph distinct, context white, surface partly

shiny and smooth, base strigose, exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores hyaline to colored, subglobose obliquely extending into an apiculus at the base,

7.88-8.27 × 5.91-6.69 µm smooth to nodulose, basidia 7.88-15.76 × 3.94-7.88 µm, clavate,

tetrasterigmatic, holobasidium, thin walled and hyaline, sterigmata 1.97 µm long.

Ecology:

Growing luxuriantly on termite nest consisting of red laterite to sandy loam and exposed

moist soil in troops. This fungus is considered edible by the ethnic people.

Distribution:

Raskundamore, Dhadhika, Jhargram, Chilkgarh, Salbani, Tapovan (West Midnapur);

Chagulia, Chougan, Taldangra, Panchmura, Asna, Basudebpur, Pierdoba (Bankura); Gonpur,

Ilambazar, Tumbani (Birbhum); Kataberia, Panagarh, Dangapara, Bhatkunda (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 111: Termitomyces microcarpus. (a)Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium with Basidiospores (insetBasidiospores).

Termitomyces heimii Natarajan [Figure 112]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 1.8-6 cm diameter, convex or campanulate at first, then expanding to plano-umbonate

with a coarse, obtuse perforatorium; surface pale brown to dark brown at centre, white to

cream-coloured elsewhere, covered at first by a firm partial veil, which disrupts to form

persistent velar squamules at maturity; margin radially striate, often splitting. Gills free, up to

5 mm wide, surface white to pinkish cream, crowded, with short gills. Stipe 2-7 × 0.7-2 cm,

central, cylindrical, surface white and smooth above annulus, with pale brownish velar

squamules below; solid, fibrous. Pseudorhiza up to 46 cm long, cylindrical, terminated by a

disk connected to the termite comb; leathery, hollow, surface cream. Partial veil membranous,

at first covering whole surface of the pileus and the stipe, then broken into tough squamules

and forming a persistent double annulus on the upper part of the stipe. Context white, fleshy,

soft; of inflated, hyaline, thin-walled hyphae; 3-7.5 µm diameter, inflated to 20 µm. Spore

print pinkish cream.


Basidiospores 5.5-7.5 × 3.5-4.5 µm, ovoid to ellipsoid, subhyaline and thin walled. Basidia

17-20 × 6-8 µm, subhyaline and thin-walled, clavate, with four sterigmata. Gills edge

heterogenous, with cheilocystidia. Cheilocystidia 20-43 × 9.5-20 µm, clavate to pyriform,

hyaline and thin-walled. Pleurocystidia 20-34 × 10-18 µm, similar to cheilocystidia, rare.

Ecology: Frequent on the shady and moist floor of the Sal forest.

Distribution: Raskundamore, Dhadhika, Jhargram, Chilkgarh, Salbani, Tapovan (West Midnapur);

Chagulia, Chougan, Hereparbat, Upossyal, Amdohra (Bankura); Gonpur, Tumbani, Ilambazar

(Birbhum); Kataberia, Deul, Malandighi, Debsala (Burdwan).

a

b

Figure 112: Termitomyces heimii. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidium (inset Basidiospores)..

Trametes cingulata Berk. [Figure 113]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp mostly solitary, sessile to dimidiate, rarely imbricate, sometimes substipitate,

coriaceous when fresh, soft corky on drying, 4-8×3.5-5×0.3-0.5 cm; margin sterile, acyte,

upper surface white to cream, later becoming sooty black, finely matted tomentose when

young, glabrous later, concentrically zoned, sometimes with prominent black zone lines,

context upto 3 mm thick, cream coloured, hymenial surface white, with a silky shine

particularly when fresh, pore circular to slightly angular, 3-5 per mm, pore tubes white, upto

3mm long.


Hyphal system trimitic. Generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, clamped, 2-3.5 µm wide,

some terminally inflated and filled up with dark brown resin like contents, the later occurring

in the black sooty part of the pileus surface. Skeletal hyphae thick walled to solid, more or less

straight, unbranched or rarely with short branches at distal ends, 2.5-4.5 µm wide. Binding

hyphae hyaline, thick walled to solid, with long or short branches, branches flexuous with

tapering ends, 1.5-2.5 µm wide. Basidia cylindric-clavate, 4 sterigmate, 9-15×4.5-5 µm.

Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, smooth, short cylindric, 3.5-5 × 2-3 µm.

Ecology:

Usually annual, lignicolous, growing on Coconut and Sal in moist condition.

Distribution:

Dhadhika (West Midnapur); Bankadaha (Bankura); Rampurhat town area, Nalhati (Birbhum);

Kandi (Murshidbad).

a

b

c

d

e f

Figure 113: Trametes cingulata. (a) Basidiocarp; (b) Basidiospores; (c) Basidium; (d) Binding Hyphae; (e) Skeletal Hyphae; (f) Generative Hyphae.

Trametes hirsuta (Wulfen) Lloyd. [Figure 114]

Basidiocarp:

Sporocarp sessile or effused reflexed, solitary or imbricate, dimidiate, applanate, sometimes

reniform, corky coriaceous when fresh, rigid on drying, 2.6×2.5-8×0.1-1 cm, upper surface

white or yellowish, strongly hirsute, often velvety, concentrically zonate, margin thin, even

context, white to woody brown, coriaceous upto 0.5 mm thick, hymanial surface white to

yellowish brown, smooth, pores regular, circular or angular, 2-3 per mm, pore tubes upto 0.5

per mm.


Hyphal system trimitic. Generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, clamped, 2-4 µm wide.

Skeletal hyphae hyaline,thick walled to solid, straight, rarely branched with tapering apex,

2.8-5.6 µm wide, Binding hyphae hyaline, thick walled to solid of 2 types-1) with long

tepering branches, 2-4.2 µm wide, 2)with short, much curiled branches, giving a coralloid

appearance, 1.5-3 µm wide. Basidia clavate, 4 sterigmate, 12.6-16×4-5.6 µm wide.

Basidiospores hyaline, thin walled, cylindrical, appiculate, 4.5-7.2 ×1.5-3 µm. Hyphal pegs

conical, composing a bundle of thin walled generative hyphae and projecting, 17.5-24.5 µm

beyond the hymenial layer.

Ecology:

Usually annual, occasionally reviving in the second season growing on Acasia Arabica,

Salmalia malabarica, shorea robusta.

Distribution:

Raskunda More, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary (Birbhum);

Parulia forest (Burdwan).

Figure 114: Trametes hirsuta. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Basidia; (d) Generative Hyphae; (e)Binding Hyphae; (f) Skeletal Hyphae.

a

b

c d

e f

Trametes scabrosa (Pers.) G. Cunn. [Figure 115]

Basidiocarp:

Basidiocarp sessile, effused-reflexed or resupinate, laterally extended, single, occasionally

imbricate, leathery to corky, 5-30×3-10×0.2-1cm; margin, thin, entire or undulate, creamy

white when fresh, light buff on drying, upper surface at first smooth, finely pubescent to

glabrous, becoming cuticular later, concentrically zonate or subzonate in older parts, white

when fresh, soon becoming creamy to light buff and thinly encrusted to maroon to dark red

areas in older parts, context white to biscuit coloured, 1-2 mm broad, hymenial surface white

when fresh, biscuit colored when dry, pores circular towards the margin, becoming irregular,

tending to irpiciform or even daedaloid in the older part, 2-3 per mm, pore tube 5mm long.


Hyphal system trimitic. Generative hyphae hyaline, thin walled, clamped, 1.5-3.3 µm wide,

few slightly brownish, thin walled or slightly thick walled, 2-3.2 µm wide showing irregular

projections and forming cuticular cells of 8-10 µm width, the later occurring in the maroon

crustose area of the pileus surface. Skeletal hyphae hyaline, straight or tortuous, thick walled

to solid, 1.5-2.5 µm wide, branched, branches long, flexuous, with tapering ends, some short

and coralloid, appearing in the pore field. Basidia long, clavate, 16-30×6-7 µm. Basidiospores

hyaline, cylindric, thin walled, 5-9×2-3.5 µm.

Ecology: Growing annually on decaying dead, moist branch, in shady places.

Distribution:

Parulia Forest (Burdwan); Puriapara (Murshidabad).

Figure 115: Trametes scabrosa. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores; (c) Generative Hyphae; (d) SkeletalHyphae; (e) Binding Hyphae.

a

b

d

e

c

Tricholoma crassum (Berk.) Sacc. [Figure 116]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5.0-11.5 cm in diameter, fleshy, usually convex to hemispheric, but may be expanded

to flat, without any umbo or depression but occassionally obtusely umbonate; surface white

when young, changed to creamish white with maturity; cuticle easily peeled, with a distinct

separable epicutis, moist, polished, margin regular, entire, incurved, smooth, fleshy; context

whitish, soft, fleshy, 10-40 mm thick at the centre ; gills sinuate, regular, easily separable,

short gills appearing from the margin alternating with the complete one; edge smooth, white

to creamy white in colour; 25-65 cm long, 0.3-1 cm wide; moderately crowded, entire,

attenuated towards the margin ; Stipe 10-23 × 1.8-12 cm; central, usually inflated at the base

and attenuated towards the pileus, but sometimes may be swollen in the middle and attenuated

above and below, fibrillose, white when fresh but becoming creamy white, solid, exannulate,

evolvate. Flesh soft, white, somewhat fibrous; spore print white.


Basidiospores round to ellipsoid, hyaline, thinwalled, smooth, non-amyloid, 5.2-7.8 × 4.4-5.9

µm. Basidia cylindric to clavate; tetrasterigmatic, sterigmata 1.3-1.8 × 1.6-2.3 µm; 19.2-29.6

× 6.9-10.1 µm.

Ecology: Terrestrial, growing solitary in mycorrhizal association with higher plants.

Distribution: Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Bishnupur, Nityagopal Math (Birbhum); Nayagram (West

Midnapur); Nachan (Burdwan); Puriapara, Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 116: Tricholoma crassum. (a) Basidiocarp;(b) Hymenium with Basidium and Basidiospores.

Tricholoma sp. [Figure 117]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 40 mm broad faded shining olivaceous black in colour; surface dry, mild shiny,

smooth; planar to broadly convex in shape; margin non striate smooth; darkening after cutting

and bruishing and with time; gills whitish cream in colour, 4 mm wide, with spacing of 0.7

mm, regular, short gills one tiered, gills decurrent, margin even, concolorous; stipe mouse

grey in colour, eccentric, 35 mm long and 4.5 -10 mm wide, tapered at apex with bulbous

base, middle of stipe constricted, surface dull, smooth, base strigose; exannulate, evolvate.


Basidiospores globose to subglobose, smooth.5.12-7.88 × 4.13-5.39 µm. Basidium clavate

7.88-9.06 broad, sterigmata 4.72 µm long.

Ecology: Very uncommon and sporadic on moist soil substratum among grass, mostly in solitary form.

Distribution:


a

b

Figure 117: Tricholoma sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Hymenium with Basidium (inset Basidium with aBasidiospore).

Volvaria diplasia (Berk. & Broome) Sacc. [Figure 118]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 8.0 cm in diameter, hemispherical, sub-fleshy, surface silky-cottony. Gills distant,

white, ventricose. Stipe 8.0 cm long, narrowed upward, 2.5 cm broad at the base, 0.8 cm at the

top, solid, volva bilobed, brown, descending, margin curved, smooth. Spore print pink.


Basidiospores smooth, elliptical, 11.82-15.36 × 7.88-10.63 µm

Ecology:

Abundant on the decaying heaps of straw during rainy season. Grows either solitary or

associated among themselves (fruitbodies).

Distribution:

Manikpara, Jhargram (West Midnapur); Bishnupur, Nityagopal Math (Birbhum); Sagardighi,

Puriapara (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 118: Volvaria diplasia. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores.

Volvaria volvacea (Bull.) P. Kumm. [Figure 119]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus pale grey, silver-grey with darker fibrils, black-brown to black or rusty-brown,

especially in the centre which is darker, 40-80 (100) mm broad, initially conic, bell-shaped,

at maturity convex to plane; surface at first velutinous, in age radialy fibrillous, dry,

sometimes radialy cracked; margin not striate. Gills initially whitish, yellowish, on maturity

salmon-pink, crowded, broad, free. Stipe whitish, 40-100 (140) × 10-15 mm, equal, enlarged

downwards, with more or less bulbous base; initially solid, in age hollow, exannulate, volva

distinct, dirty brownish, membranous, irregularly lobed. Flesh white, delicate, in pileus centre

3-5 mm thick, towards margin thin; fibrous in stipe, without smell or taste. Spore print pink

salmon.


Spores broadly-ellipsoid, grayish-pink, smooth, 6-9 x 4-5 µm.

Ecology:

Abundant on the decaying heaps of straw and other plant debris like saw dust , wood remnants

durong rainy season mostly in village or its adjacent areas. They grow solitary or sometimes

in aggregates. Yhis mushroom is edible in different parts of the region and has market value.

Distribution:

Manikpara, Midnapur, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Bankadaha, Kochunda, Kadashol

(Bankura); Bishnupur, Nischintapur, Morgram, Tezhati, Goalgram (Birbhum); nachan,

Gopalmath, Mankar (Burdwan); Sagardighi, Palsadra, Puriapara, Hatpara, Kandi, Kharjuna

(Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 119: Volvaria volvacea. (a) Basidiocarp;(b) Basidium with Basidiospores (insetBasidiospores).

Volvaria bombycina (Pers.) P. Kumm. [Figure 120]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5–20 cm broad, ovate then bell-shaped to broadly convex or nearly flat; whitish or

tinged yellowish over the center in age; the margin not lined; moist to semi dry; Gills

crowded, free, white at first then flesh-pink; stipe 70–150 × 10–20 mm, often curved in order

to set the pileus "straight" due to growth on wood, tapering upwards from the bulbous base;

exannulate, volva saccate, membranous, large and persistant, somewhat viscid, white at first

discolouring dingy brown. Flesh thin, white becoming faintly yellowish. Smell pleasant, like

that of bean sprouts. Spore print pink.


Spores elliptical; smooth, 5-10 × 4.5-7 µm. Cystidia 26-144 µm long, variously shaped.

Pileipellis without gelatinized hyphae. Clamp connections absent.

Ecology:

Saprobic on the heaps of decaying paddy straw and decaying Sesamum plants, with

gregarious growth during June to September. It is uncommon in the region.

Distribution:

Jhargram (West Midnapur); Morgram, Mallarpur (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 120: Volvaria bombycina. (a)Basidiocarp; (b) Basidium (insetBasidiospores).

Xerocomus sp. [Figure 121]

Basidiocarp:

Pileus 5.5 cm broad, surface subtomentose, cracked, applanate when mature, with plane

margin; slightly darkening due to time and after cutting and bruishing, dark brick coloured

with creamy yellow back ground; pore tube nearly adnate or somewhat depressed around the

stipe apex and shortly decurrent with a tooth, pores angular, orangish yellow with darker rims;

Stipe 9 × 2.5-4 cm, stipe clavate, swollen and bent at the base, concolorous with the pileus,

yellowish white at the extreme base. Spore print olive brown.


Basidiospore smooth to slightly ornamented 8.27-1.82 × 5.91-7.09 µm, fusoid-ellipsoid.

Ecology:

Growing among leaf litters in shady and moist areas of Sal forest ground and has mycorrhizal

association with Sal.

Distribution:

Gonpur (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 121: Xerocomus sp. (a) Basidiocarp; (b)Basidiospores.

Xylaria hypoxylon (L.) Grev. [Figure 122]

Ascocarp:

Sporocarp erect, tough, pliant, clavarioid in shape, usually branched near the top, occasionally

simple, up to 8 cm × 3-5 mm, often flattened in cross section above, rounded below; the base

dark brown to black, often tomentose, branch tips white from asexual spores (conidia) or

concolorous with the base and minutely pimpled with perithecial pores.


Ascospores 10-14 × 4-6 µm, black, smooth, kidney shaped. Asexual spores hyaline, smooth,

elliptical to elongated.

Ecology:

Scattered to gregarious to clustered on rotting wood.

Rotten wood is the best habitat for this species. It grows luxuriantly either scattered or in

clusters.

Distribution:

Tapovan, Jhargram, Nayagram (West Midnapur); Bishnupur, Maynapur three point crossing

(Bankura); Tezhati, Mallarpur (Birbhum); Panagarh (Burdwan); Kandi (Murshidabad).

a

b

Figure 122: Xylaria hypoxylon. (a) Ascocarp; (b)Ascospores.

Xylaria longipes Nitschke [Figure 123]

Ascocarp:

Sporocarp 2-8 cm tall; up to 2 cm broad, tough, more or less club shaped, tip rounded,

grayish to brownish when young, becoming black with maturity, surface becoming cracked

and scaly with maturity, stipe often proportionally long, but also frequently short or nearly

absent.


Ascospores 13-15 × 5-7 µm, smooth, fusiform, with spiraling germ slits that run the length of

the spore.

Ecology:

Saprobic on decaying hardwood logs and buried sticks in shady and moist condition.

Distribution:

Gonpur, Mallarpur (Birbhum).

a

b

Figure 123: Xylaria longipes (a) Ascocarp; (b) Asci withAscospores.

Xylaria sp. [Figure 124]

Ascocarp:

Sporocarp 8 to 9 mm long 1-2 mm broad, apex pointed, base broadly attached to the

substratum, off white when young then becoming grayish and finally blackish from base

towards apex, base indistinct.


Ascospore 7.88-11.92 × 3.94-8.27 µm, with twisted spore length germ slit, hyaline when

young, stromatal cells 3.94 - 4.33 µm wide, elongated, septate, thick walled, walls 1.12-1.37

µm thick.

Ecology:

Growing either Solitary or caespitose and luxuriously on moist unknown wood and in exposed

condition.

Distribution:

Nalhati, (Birbhum).

a

Figure 124: Xylaria sp. (a) Ascocarp; (b) Hyphal System(inset Ascospores).

b

Habitat and uses of macrofungi collected from this area.

Major species of macrofungi (Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes) are restricted within the

forest areas. Some of the popular edible mushrooms (viz., species of Russula, Amanita

vaginata, and Astraeus hygrometricus) are found in ectotrophic mycorrhizal association with

Shorea robusta Gaertn. The species of Russula appear from the very beginning of the rainy

season (June) and flourish till September. Russula lepida appears at the first shower, then R.

pectinata and R. delica on the subsequent rains. R. cyanoxantha occurs only when continuous

rain prevails and low temperature prevails for a few days. Amanita vaginata grows solitary,

sometimes in groups in mycorrhizal association with Shorea robusta (locally known as Sal

chhatu or Tor Mari Oth). Astraeus hygrometricus (locally known as Kurkure Chhatu or Bhuin

Chhatu), grows scattered generally in the month of August and September profusely in both

moist and dry terrestrial conditions. When young it is found just below the soil surface but

with maturation it comes out of the soil. It is highly delecious and strictly mycorrhizal fungus.

Auricularia auricula (locally known as Kan Chhatu) grows in groups upon moist dead tree

trunks, it resembles human ear in appearance. Coprinus comatus is a saprophyte growing on

decaying straw, favours moist, shady places, it is non-mycorrhizal and grows in tuft. Laccaria

laccata grows solitary or in groups in terrestrial conditions, favours shady places, and mainly

its pileal part is used as food. Lycoperdon pyriforme (locally known as Utka Chaatu or Sap

Chaatu in Jhargram) grows in moist and shady terrestrial conditions. Pleurotus squarrosulus

(locally known as Kath Jhinuk Chhatu) grows exposed and in tufts on moist dead and rotten

tree trunks, they are white when young but with maturation they become light brown.

Polyporus grammocephalus grows on the dead and decaying woods of Shorea robusta, Ficus

Sp. Russula lepida (commonly known as Murgi Chhatu) are found solitary in the shady and

moist humus soil and occur rarely in groups, found abundantly in their growing season in

Mycorrhizal association with Shorea robusta. Russula cyanoxantha (commonly known Jam

Patra) are found solitary in the shady and moist soil, rarely in groups. It forms mycorrhizal

association with Shorea robusta. Russula delica (commonly known as Jhor Chhatu/ Sada

Patra) are white in colour and are found abundantly in solitary or rarely in groups in the shady

and moist forest soil and it has mycorrhizal associations with Shorea robusta. Russula

albonigra (commonly known as Kend Patra) are abundantly found in solitary or rarely in

groups in the shady, moist area, mostly seen around the base of the Kend Tree (Diospyros

melanoxylon) and has mycorrhizal associations with Shorea robusta. Russula pectinata

(commonly known as Jhal Chhatu) it grows solitary or rarely in groups and are found in the

shady and moist forest humus soil. It has mycorrhizal associations with Shorea robusta.

Noticeable thing about it is that it has spicy taste. Schizophyllum commune grows exposed and

abundant on bamboos, dead and decaying tree trunks, branches. Termitomyces microcarpus

(locally known as Choto Karane, Bali Chaatu or Uei chhatu) grows luxuriantly in groups on

the termites nests in exposed condition. Termitomyces clypeatus Heim (locally known as Bali

Chaatu) grows solitary or rarely in groups, exposed in grassland or termite nests.

Termitomyces heimii (locally known as Sib/Sikh Chhatu) grows mainly in groups sometimes

solitary. They are found abundantly in a line mostly around the drains where moisture content

is very high. They are characterized by long stipe. Another species of Termitomyces, known

as Termitomyces eurhizus grows particularly around the time of “Durga puja” at the end of

rainy season. They are mainly found to grow from the walls of mud houses, commonly known

as “Parab Chhatu” or “Oshtomi Chhatu”. Tricholoma crassum (locally known as Dudhia

Chhatu) is a mycorrhizal fungi which grows exposed mainly on clayey soil enriched with

organic matters having a pH range of 5.5-6.5. Volvaria volvacea (locally known as Poal

Chaatu/ Khor Chhatu) grows in groups on wet and shady straw heaps, sometimes they are

found solitary around the rock crevices or shady corners of grassland. Mycorhizal species

occurring in Eucalyptus and Akashmoni plantation areas include Amanita sp., Pisolithus

tinctorius, Scleroderma sp, Inocybe sp, Ramaria sp. etc.

Macrofungi richness and diversity:

Macrofungal sporocarps were sampled on 101 quadrats. From the period of May 2008 to

October 2009 over 101738 observations of macrofungal sporocarps were made and 122

species of macrofungi were identified. Highest relative frequency percentage (Table 2) were

found in case of Ganoderma lucidum (75.25), Termitomyces clypeatus (69.31), Lycoperdon

pusilum (46.53), Termitomyces microcarpus (46.53). A no of macrofungi have shown 45.54

relative frequency % namely Amanita vaginata, Astraeus hygrometricus, Laccaria laccata,

Marasmius siccus, Russula albonigra, Russula delica, Russula lepida, Russula sp.,

Termitomyces heimii. Lowest relative frequency (0.99 %) were found in case of Agaricus sp.,

Amanita ocreata, Calocybe indica, Calostoma sp, Cantharellus sp., Clathrus sp., Conocybe

sp., Coprinus atramentarius, Coprinus comatus, Entoloma sp., Galera sp., Geastrum

Sl.NO.

NAME

STATUS (A) (B) (C)

(D)

(E)

(F)

(G)

(H)

1

Agaricus c

am

pestris

RARE

218

21

101

10.381

2.158

0.002

0.208

20.792

2

Agaricus sp.

RARE

20

6

101

3.333

0.198

0.000

0.059

5.941

3

Agaricus sp.

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

4

Am

anita b

annia

ngia

na

RARE

14

6

101

2.333

0.139

0.000

0.059

5.941

5

Am

anita o

cre

ata

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

6

Am

anita sp.

RARE

5

3

101

1.667

0.050

0.000

0.030

2.970

7

Am

anita v

agin

ata

DOMINANT

4084

46

101

88.783

40.436

0.040

0.455

45.545

8

Am

anita v

agin

ata

var. a

lba

RARE

42

5

101

8.400

0.416

0.000

0.050

4.950

9

Am

ylo

sporu

s c

am

pbelli

RARE

66

23

101

2.870

0.653

0.001

0.228

22.772

10

Ascobolu

s m

agnificus

DOMINANT

3412

29

101

117.655

33.782

0.034

0.287

28.713

11

Astraeus h

ygro

metricus

DOMINANT

6374

46

101

138.565

63.109

0.063

0.455

45.545

12

Auricula

ria a

uricula

RARE

793

32

101

24.781

7.851

0.008

0.317

31.683

13

Auricula

ria m

esente

rica

RARE

119

4

101

29.750

1.178

0.001

0.040

3.960

14

Bolb

itiu

s fra

gilis

RARE

25

7

101

3.571

0.248

0.000

0.069

6.931

15

Calo

cybe indica

RARE

4

1

101

4.000

0.040

0.000

0.010

0.990

16

Calo

sto

ma sp.

RARE

2

1

101

2.000

0.020

0.000

0.010

0.990

17

Canth

are

llus sp.

RARE

8

1

101

8.000

0.079

0.000

0.010

0.990

18

Cla

thru

s sp.

RARE

18

1

101

18.000

0.178

0.000

0.010

0.990

19

Cla

varia sp.

RARE

323

26

101

12.423

3.198

0.003

0.257

25.743

20

Cla

varia s

tram

inea

RARE

196

13

101

15.077

1.941

0.002

0.129

12.871

21

Cla

vulinopsis sp.

RARE

230

14

101

16.429

2.277

0.002

0.139

13.861

22

Collybia

dry

ophilla

RARE

217

18

101

12.056

2.149

0.002

0.178

17.822

23

Coltricia

cin

nam

om

ea

RARE

51

17

101

3.000

0.505

0.001

0.168

16.832

24

Conocybe sp.

RARE

5

1

101

5.000

0.050

0.000

0.010

0.990

25

Coprinus a

tram

enta

rius

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

26

Coprinus c

om

atu

s

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

27

Coprinus d

issem

inatu

s

DOMINANT

7743

25

101

309.720

76.663

0.076

0.248

24.752

28

Coprinus lagopus

RARE

466

18

101

25.889

4.614

0.005

0.178

17.822

29

Coprinus m

icaceous

RARE

167

25

101

6.680

1.653

0.002

0.248

24.752

30

Coprinus p

licatilis

RARE

22

13

101

1.692

0.218

0.000

0.129

12.871

Tab

le 2

. A

= T

ota

l no.

of

ind

ivid

uals

of

occurr

ence

E

= D

ensity p

er

quadra

t (A

/C)

B=

Tota

l n

o o

f qu

adra

ts o

f occurr

ence

F=

Re

lative d

ensity (

A/ T

ota

l n

o. of

specie

s)

C

= T

ota

l no.

of

qu

adra

t stu

die

d

G=

fre

quency p

erc

enta

ge (

B/C

x10

0)

D

= A

bu

nd

ance (

A/B

) H

= R

ela

tiiv

e f

requency (

B/C

)

Sl.NO.

NAME

STATUS (A) (B) (C)

(D)

(E)

(F)

(G)

(H)

31

Coriolo

psis o

ccid

enta

lis

RARE

152

12

101

12.667

1.505

0.001

0.119

11.881

32

Cortin

arius sp.

RARE

24

20

101

1.200

0.238

0.000

0.198

19.802

33

Coty

lidia

sp.

RARE

192

9

101

21.333

1.901

0.002

0.089

8.911

34

Cyath

us s

tria

tus

RARE

17

3

101

5.667

0.168

0.000

0.030

2.970

35

Cysto

agaricus trisuphura

tus

RARE

3

3

101

1.000

0.030

0.000

0.030

2.970

36

Dacry

opin

ax s

path

ula

ria

RARE

328

11

101

29.818

3.248

0.003

0.109

10.891

37

Daedalo

psis fla

vid

a

RARE

5

2

101

2.500

0.050

0.000

0.020

1.980

38

Dald

inia

concentric

RARE

394

23

101

17.130

3.901

0.004

0.228

22.772

39

Dicty

ophora

indusia

ta

RARE

10

8

101

1.250

0.099

0.000

0.079

7.921

40

Ento

lom

a sp.

RARE

2

1

101

2.000

0.020

0.000

0.010

0.990

41

Ento

lom

a sp.

RARE

53

9

101

5.889

0.525

0.001

0.089

8.911

42

Fla

vodon fla

vus

RARE

186

16

101

11.625

1.842

0.002

0.158

15.842

43

Gale

ra sp.

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

44

Ganoderm

a a

ppla

natu

m

RARE

45

19

101

2.368

0.446

0.000

0.188

18.812

45

Ganoderm

a lucid

um

RARE

388

76

101

5.105

3.842

0.004

0.752

75.248

46

Geastrum

rufe

scens

RARE

4

1

101

4.000

0.040

0.000

0.010

0.990

47

Geastrum

triple

x

RARE

3

1

101

3.000

0.030

0.000

0.010

0.990

48

Hexagonia

badia

RARE

11

4

101

2.750

0.109

0.000

0.040

3.960

49

Hexagonia

tenuis

RARE

7

4

101

1.750

0.069

0.000

0.040

3.960

50

Hygro

phoru

s sp.

RARE

3

1

101

3.000

0.030

0.000

0.010

0.990

51

Hym

enochaete

sp.

RARE

92

1

101

92.000

0.911

0.001

0.010

0.990

52

Inocybe sp.

RARE

223

25

101

8.920

2.208

0.002

0.248

24.752

53

Inocybe sp.

RARE

41

2

101

20.500

0.406

0.000

0.020

1.980

54

Laccaria laccata

DOMINANT

839

46

101

18.239

8.307

0.008

0.455

45.545

55

Lacta

rius rufu

s

RARE

408

43

101

9.488

4.040

0.004

0.426

42.574

56

Lam

pro

spora

carb

onaria

RARE

115

4

101

28.750

1.139

0.001

0.040

3.960

57

Lentinus sp.

RARE

457

15

101

30.467

4.525

0.004

0.149

14.851

58

Lenzites p

alisoti

RARE

16

2

101

8.000

0.158

0.000

0.020

1.980

59

Lepio

ta c

rista

ta

RARE

120

22

101

5.455

1.188

0.001

0.218

21.782

60

Lepio

ta p

rocera

RARE

40

29

101

1.379

0.396

0.000

0.287

28.713

61

Leucocoprinus fra

gilissim

us

RARE

2

2

101

1.000

0.020

0.000

0.020

1.980

Tab

le 2

. A

= T

ota

l no.

of

indiv

idua

ls o

f occurr

ence

E=

Density p

er

quadra

t (A

/C)

B

= T

ota

l no o

f qu

adra

ts o

f occurr

ence

F

= R

ela

tive d

ensity (

A/ T

ota

l n

o. of

specie

s)

C

= T

ota

l no

. of

qu

adra

t stu

die

d

G=

fre

quency p

erc

enta

ge (

B/C

x10

0)

D

= A

bund

ance (

A/B

) H

= R

ela

tiiv

e f

requency (

B/C

)

Sl.NO.

NAME

STATUS (A) (B) (C)

(D)

(E)

(F)

(G)

(H)

62

Leucoprinus c

reta

ceous

RARE

11

2

101

5.500

0.109

0.000

0.020

1.980

63

Lycoperd

on p

erlatu

m

RARE

45

30

101

1.500

0.446

0.000

0.297

29.703

64

Lycoperd

on p

usillu

m

RARE

103

47

101

2.191

1.020

0.001

0.465

46.535

65

Lycoperd

on p

yrifo

rme

RARE

424

9

101

47.111

4.198

0.004

0.089

8.911

66

Lycoperd

on sp.

RARE

141

1

101

141.000

1.396

0.001

0.010

0.990

67

Macro

lepio

ta m

asto

idea

RARE

13

1

101

13.000

0.129

0.000

0.010

0.990

68

Mara

sm

ius a

ndro

saceous

RARE

508

16

101

31.750

5.030

0.005

0.158

15.842

69

Mara

sm

ius e

pip

hyllus

RARE

729

36

101

20.250

7.218

0.007

0.356

35.644

70

Mara

sm

ius o

reades

RARE

318

27

101

11.778

3.149

0.003

0.267

26.733

71

Mara

sm

ius h

aem

ato

cephalu

s

RARE

161

6

101

26.833

1.594

0.002

0.059

5.941

72

Mara

sm

ius ram

ealis

RARE

44

6

101

7.333

0.436

0.000

0.059

5.941

73

Mara

sm

ius rotu

la

RARE

421

30

101

14.033

4.168

0.004

0.297

29.703

74

Mara

sm

ius s

iccus

DOMINANT

5028

46

101

109.304

49.782

0.049

0.455

45.545

75

Micro

poru

s fla

belliform

es

RARE

22

4

101

5.500

0.218

0.000

0.040

3.960

76

Micro

poru

s x

anth

opus

RARE

31

4

101

7.750

0.307

0.000

0.040

3.960

77

Mycena p

ura

RARE

153

19

101

8.053

1.515

0.002

0.188

18.812

78

Navisporo

us flo

ccosus

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

79

Om

phalina sp.

RARE

147

17

101

8.647

1.455

0.001

0.168

16.832

80

Paneolu

s sp.

RARE

3

1

101

3.000

0.030

0.000

0.010

0.990

81

Paxillu

s sp.

RARE

125

21

101

5.952

1.238

0.001

0.208

20.792

82

Phellin

us d

urissim

us

RARE

50

20

101

2.500

0.495

0.000

0.198

19.802

83

Pisolith

us tin

cto

rius

DOMINANT

1101

16

101

68.813

10.901

0.011

0.158

15.842

84

Ple

uro

tus o

streatu

s

RARE

4

2

101

2.000

0.040

0.000

0.020

1.980

85

Ple

uro

tus s

quarr

osulu

s

RARE

295

4

101

73.750

2.921

0.003

0.040

3.960

86

Podoscypha p

eta

loid

es

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

87

Poly

poru

s b

rum

alis

RARE

3

1

101

3.000

0.030

0.000

0.010

0.990

88

Poly

poru

s g

ram

mocephalu

s

RARE

38

5

101

7.600

0.376

0.000

0.050

4.950

89

Poria sp.

RARE

6

1

101

6.000

0.059

0.000

0.010

0.990

90

Porp

hyre

llus m

ala

ccensis

RARE

41

15

101

2.733

0.406

0.000

0.149

14.851

91

Psath

yre

lla sp.

RARE

20

2

101

10.000

0.198

0.000

0.020

1.980

Tab

le 2

. A

= T

ota

l no.

of

indiv

idua

ls o

f occurr

ence

E=

Density p

er

quadra

t (A

/C)

B

= T

ota

l no o

f qu

adra

ts o

f occurr

ence

F

= R

ela

tive d

ensity (

A/ T

ota

l n

o. ofs

pecie

s)

C

= T

ota

l no

. of

qu

adra

t stu

die

d

G=

fre

quency p

erc

enta

ge (

B/C

x10

0)

D

= A

bund

ance (

A/B

) H

= R

ela

tiiv

e f

requency (

B/C

)

Sl.NO.

NAME

STATUS (A) (B) (C)

(D)

(E)

(F)

(G)

(H)

92

Psilopeziza sp.

RARE

8

1

101

8.000

0.079

0.000

0.010

0.990

93

Pycnoporu

s c

occin

eus

RARE

212

10

101

21.200

2.099

0.002

0.099

9.901

94

Pycnoporu

s s

anguin

eus

RARE

297

12

101

24.750

2.941

0.003

0.119

11.881

95

Ram

aria sp.

DOMINANT

1134

16

101

70.875

11.228

0.011

0.158

15.842

96

Rig

idoporu

s z

onalis

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

97

Russula

alb

onig

ra

RARE

663

46

101

14.413

6.564

0.007

0.455

45.545

98

Russula

cyanoxanth

a

RARE

37

6

101

6.167

0.366

0.000

0.059

5.941

99

Russula

delica

DOMINANT

2164

46

101

47.043

21.426

0.021

0.455

45.545

100

Russula

foete

ns

RARE

34

17

101

2.000

0.337

0.000

0.168

16.832

101

Russula

lepid

a

DOMINANT

1611

46

101

35.022

15.950

0.016

0.455

45.545

102

Russula

nig

ricans

RARE

104

32

101

3.250

1.030

0.001

0.317

31.683

103

Russula

sp.

RARE

781

46

101

16.978

7.733

0.008

0.455

45.545

104

Schizophyllum

com

mune

DOMINANT

2672

39

101

68.513

26.455

0.026

0.386

38.614

105

Scle

roderm

a c

epa

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

106

Spath

ula

ria fla

vid

a

RARE

52

5

101

10.400

0.515

0.001

0.050

4.950

107

Term

itom

yces c

lypeatu

s

DOMINANT

1562

70

101

22.314

15.465

0.015

0.693

69.307

108

Term

itom

yces e

urr

hizus

RARE

47

9

101

5.222

0.465

0.000

0.089

8.911

109

Term

itom

yces m

icro

carp

us

DOMINANT 48007

47

101

1021.426

475.317

0.472

0.465

46.535

110

Term

itom

yces h

eim

ii

DOMINANT

2869

46

101

62.370

28.406

0.028

0.455

45.545

111

Tra

mete

s s

cabro

sa

RARE

19

2

101

9.500

0.188

0.000

0.020

1.980

112

Tra

mete

s c

ingula

ta

RARE

207

5

101

41.400

2.050

0.002

0.050

4.950

113

Tra

mete

s h

irsuta

RARE

19

4

101

4.750

0.188

0.000

0.040

3.960

114

Tricholo

ma c

rassum

RARE

8

7

101

1.143

0.079

0.000

0.069

6.931

115

Tricholo

ma sp.

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

116

Volv

aria b

om

bycin

a

RARE

4

3

101

1.333

0.040

0.000

0.030

2.970

117

Volv

aria d

ipla

sia

RARE

10

6

101

1.667

0.099

0.000

0.059

5.941

118

Volv

aria v

olv

acea

RARE

224

26

101

8.615

2.218

0.002

0.257

25.743

119

Xero

com

us sp.

RARE

1

1

101

1.000

0.010

0.000

0.010

0.990

120

Xyla

ria h

ypoxylo

n

RARE

102

10

101

10.200

1.010

0.001

0.099

9.901

121

Xyla

ria longip

es

RARE

12

2

101

6.000

0.119

0.000

0.020

1.980

122

Xyla

ria sp.

RARE

79

1

101

79.000

0.782

0.001

0.010

0.990

T

ota

l 1

01738

Tab

le 2

. A

= T

ota

l no.

of

indiv

idua

ls o

f occurr

ence

E=

Density p

er

quadra

t (A

/C)

B

= T

ota

l no o

f qu

adra

ts o

f occurr

ence

F

= R

ela

tive d

ensity (

A/ T

ota

l n

o. of

specie

s)

C

= T

ota

l no

. of

qu

adra

t stu

die

d

G=

fre

quency p

erc

enta

ge (

B/C

x10

0)

D

= A

bund

ance (

A/B

) H

= R

ela

tiiv

e f

requency (

B/C

)

rufescens, Geastrum triplex, Hygrophorus sp., Hymenochaete sp., Lycoperdon sp.,

Macrolepiota mastoidea, Navisporous floccosus, Paneolus sp, Podoscypha petaloides,

Polyporus brumalis, Poria sp., Psilopeziza sp., Rigidoporus zonalis, Scleroderma cepa,

Tricholoma sp., Xerocomus sp. and Xylaria sp.

Among 122 species of macrofungi only 14 were dominant at the laterite region of West

Bengal (Table 2) namely, Amanita vaginata, Ascobolus magnificus, Astraeus hygrometricus,

Coprinus disseminatus, Laccaria laccata, Marasmius siccus, Pisolithus tinctorius, Ramaria

sp., Russula delica, Russula lepida, Schizophyllum commune, Termitomyces clypeatus,

Termitomyces microcarpus, Termitomyces heimii.

The data of Table 2 reflects that only two macrofungi were found abundant namely,

Termitomyces microcarpus (1021.43) and Coprinus disseminatus (309.72), possibly because

they grow in huge number in form of a clump. Lowest abundance were seen in case of

Agaricus sp., Amanita ocreata, Coprinus atramentarius, Coprinus comatus, Cystoagaricus

trisuphuratus, Galera sp, Leucocoprinus fragilissimus, Navisporous floccosus, Podoscypha

petaloides, Rigidoporus zonalis, Scleroderma cepa, Tricholoma sp., Xerocomus sp., Xylaria

sp. Similarly higest relative density found in Termitomyces microcarpus (0.47) followed by

Coprinus disseminatus (0.076), Astraeus hygrometricus (0.0626), Marasmius siccus (0.049),

Amanita vaginata (0.040), Ascobolus magnificus (0.0335), Termitomyces heimii (0.028),

Schizophyllum commune (0.026). Thus the above analyses gave a general idea of different

quantitative characteristics such as abundance, density and frequency of macrofungi occurring

in the laterite region of West Bengal.

Spatial distribution of the species within the quadtares were visualised using the data obtained

from GPS machine and by plotting them in Google Earth software. Coordinates of the four

corners of the quadrat were initially plotted and then yellow lines marking the boundary were

drawn connecting the coordinates. Names of the species occurring within the quadrat were

substituted with specific numbers and their occurrences were plotted accordingly. Figures

125-134 represent some of the quadrates of the region with spatial distribution of the species.

1

1

1

2

3

3

4

5

5

5

6

7

7

8

99

10

10

10

11

11

11

11

12

13

14

16

15

16

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

1. Amanita vaginata, 2. Astraeus hygrometricus, 3. Collybia dryophila, 4.Ganoderma lucidum 5. Inocybe Sp., 6. Laccaria laccata, 7. Lactarius rufus, 8.Lamprospora carbonaria, 9. Lentinus Sp. 10. Lycoperdon perlatum, 11. Marasmiussiccus, 12. Omphalina Sp, 13. Phellinus durissimus, 14. Polyporus grammocephalus,15. Pycnoporus sanguineus, 16. Russula albonigra, 17. Russula delica, 18. Russulalepida, 19.Russula nigricans, 20. Russula sp., 21 Termitomyces clypeatus, 22.Termitomyces microcarpus, 23. Termitomyces hemii

Figure 125: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Tumbani sal forest area, Birbhum.Number indicates the spatial distribution of the species within thequadrat.

24 °.11.894 'N087°.41.557 'E

24 °.11.861 'N087°.41.669 'E

24 °.11.964 'N087°.41.706 'E

24 °.11.998 'N087°.41.594 'E

1 1

2

3

3

45

5

5

6

7

8

9

910

10

10

11

11

11

11

12

13

14

16

15

1615

17

1819

20

21

22

23

32

31

30

28

27

26

25

24

24

23

1. Amanita banningiana, 2. Amanita vaginata, 3. Amanita vaginata var alba, 4.Astraeus hygrometricus, 5. Clavaria sp. 6. Collybia dryophila, 7. Coltriciacinnamomea, 8. Cotylidia sp. 9. Ganoderma lucidum, 10. Inocybe sp., 11. Laccarialaccata, 12. Lactarius rufus, 13. Lamprospora carbonaria, 14. Lycoperdon pusillum,15. Marasmius epiphyllus, 16. Marasmius rotula, 17. Marasmius siccus, 18. Mycenapura, 19. Paxillus sp, 20. Porphyrellus malaccensis, 21. Russula albonigra, 22.Russula delica, 23. Russula foetens, 24. Russula lepida, 25. Russula nigricans, 26.Russula sp., 27. Spathularia flavida, 28. Termitomyces clypeatus, 29. Termitomycesmicrocarpus, 30. Termitomyces hemii, 31. Xerocomus sp, 32. Xylaria longipes.

Figure 126: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Gonpur Sal Forest area, Birbhum.Number indicates the spatial distribution of the species within thequadrat.

24 °04.215 'N087°39.925 'E

24 °04.205 'N087°40.042 'E

24 °04.313 'N087°40.053 'E

24 °04.322 'N087°39.935 'E

1

2

34

5

5

5 5

5

6

7

8

8

9

9

9

10

11

12

13

13

14

15

17

16

12

1. Amanita vaginata, 2. Astraeus hygrometricus, 3. Coriolopsis occidentalis, 4.Dacryopinax spathularia, 5. Inocybe sp., 6. Laccaria laccata, 7. Lactarius rufus, 8.Marasmius epiphyllus, 9. Marasmius siccus, 10. Omphalina sp., 11. Russulaalbonigra, 12. Russula delica, 13. Russula lepida, 14. Russula sp., 15. Termitomycesclypeatus, 16. Termitomyces microcarpus, 17. Termitomyces hemii.

Figure 127: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) ofa quadrat (200m × 200m) at Pratappur More Sal Forestarea, Burdwan. Number indicates the spatial distributionof the species within the quadrat.

23 °37.422 'N087°18.848 'E

23 °37.400 'N087°18.965 'E

23 °37.511 'N087°18.987 'E

23 °37.529 'N087°18.871 'E

1

2

2

2

2

34

5

6

7 8

9

9

1011

12

13

14

14

1516

1718

19

20

21

22

22

22

22

23

23

24

25

26

26

27

28

2930

1. Amanita vaginata, 2. Astraeus hygrometricus, 3. Clavaria sp. 4. Collybia dryophila,5. Coriolopsis occidentalis, 6. Entoloma sp., 7. Flavodon flavus., 8. Hexagonia badia,9. Inocybe sp., 10. Laccaria laccata, 11. Lactarius rufus, 12. Lentinus sp., 13. Lepiotaprocera, 14. Lycoperdon pusillum, 15. Marasmius epiphyllus, 16. Marasmiusoreades, 17. Marasmius rotula, 18. Marasmius siccus, 19. Mycena pura, 20.Phellinus durissimus, 21. Pycnoporus coccineus, 22. Russula delica, 23. Russulalepida, 24. Russula nigricans, 25. Russula sp., 26. Termitomyces clypeatus, 27.Termitomyces microcarpus, 28. Termitomyces hemii, 29. Trametes scabrosa, 30.Trametes hirsuta.

Figure 128: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Parulia Sal Forest area, Burdwan.Number indicates the spatial distribution of the species withinthe quadrat.

23 °36.099 'N087°19.911 'E

23 °36.044 'N087°20.012 'E

23 °36.137 'N087°20.072 'E

23 °36.192 'N087°19.971 'E

1

2

2

3

4

4

5

5 8

2

8

8

7

6

8

9

999

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

910 10

10

10

10

10

1.Amanita sp., 2. Ganoderma applanatum, 3. Ganoderma lucidum, 4. Hexagoniatenuis, 5. Lepiota procera, 6. Lycoperdon perlatum, 7. Lycoperdon pusillum, 8.Lycoperdon pyriforme, 9. Pisolithus tinctorius, 10. Ramaria sp.

Figure 129: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Lalpahari Eucalyptus Plantation area,Birbhum. Number indicates the spatial distribution of the specieswithin the quadrat.

24 °10.948 'N087°43.939 'E

24 °10.915 'N087°44.051 'E

24 °11.009 'N087°44.085 'E

24 °11.043 'N087°43.972 'E

1

2

3

3

3

3

4

5

6

6

6

6 6

6

6

6

6

6

6 66

6

6

6

6

1. Ganoderma applanatum, 2. Ganoderma lucidum, 3. Inocybe sp, 4. Lepiotaprocera, 5. Lycoperdon pusillum, 6. Pisolithus tinctorius, 7. Ramaria sp., 8.Scleroderma cepa.

Figure 130: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Prantik Eucalyptus Plantation area,Birbhum. Number indicates the spatial distribution of the specieswithin the quadrat.

23 °41.242 'N087°41.404 'E

23 °41.254 ' N087 ° 41.521'E

23 °41.362 'N087°41.510 'E

23 °41.349'N087°41.393 'E

1

2

1

3

5

4

76

1

7

8

9

1

13

12

11

14

15

15

15

15

15

16

17

1.Agaricus campestris, 2. Auricularia auricula, 3. Auricularia mesentrica, 4. Coprinusmicaceous, 5. Coriolopsis occidentalis, 6. Dacryopinax spathularia, 7. Daldiniaconcentrica, 8. Flavodon flavus, 9. Ganoderma lucidum, 10. Lepiota cristata, 11.Lycoperdon perlatum, 12. Marasmius androsaceus, 13. Pycnoporus coccineus, 14.Pycnoporus sanguineus, 15. Schizophyllum commune, 16. Trametes cingulata, 17.Xylaria sp.

Figure 131: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at outskirts of Nalhati area, Birbhum.Number indicates the spatial distribution of the species withinthe quadrat.

24 °17.566 'N087°50.483 'E

24 °17.533 'N087°50.594 'E

24 °17.636 'N087°50.631 'E

24 °17.669 'N087°50.519 'E

1

2

3

4

56 7

89

1011

1114

14

15

16

19

18

17

17

17172021

1.Agaricus campestris, 2. Ascobolus magnificus, 3. Auricularia auricula, 4. Bolbitiusfragilis, 5. Coprinus disseminatus, 6. Coprinus lagopus, 7. Coprinus micaceous, 8.Dictyophora indusiatus, 9. Ganoderma lucidum, 10. Geastrum triplex, 11.Lepiotacristata, 12. Lepiota procera, 13. Lycoperdon perlatum, 14. Lycoperdon pusillum,15. Marasmius oreades, 16. Marasmius rotula, 17. Schizophyllum commune, 18.Termitomyces clypeatus, 19. Tricholoma crassum, 20. Volvaria diplasia, 21.Volvaria volvacea.

Figure 132: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Nityagopal Math area, Birbhum.Number indicates the spatial distribution of the species withinthe quadrat.

24 °16.736 'N087°49.819 'E

24 °16.678 'N087°49.921 'E

24 °16.771 'N087°49.982 'E

24 °16.827 'N087°49.881 'E

1

2

3

4

5

6

78

9

10

11

12

12

12

12

1212

13

14

15

1. Agaricus campestris, 2. Auricularia auricula, 3. Coprinus micaceous, 4. Coprinusplicatlis, 5. Cortinarius sp. 6. Daldinia concentrica, 7. Ganoderma lucidum, 8.Lepiota procera, 9. Lycoperon perlatum, 10. Marasmius oreades, 11. Pycnoporuscoccineus, 12. Schizophyllum commune, 13. Volvaria bombycina, 14. Xylariahypoxylon, 15. Xylaria longipes.

Figure 133: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Mallarpur area, Birbhum. Numberindicates the spatial distribution of the species within thequadrat.

24 °04.948 'N087°43.729 'E

24 °04.916 'N087°43.842 'E

24 °05.019 'N087°43.879 'E

24 °05.052 'N087°43.765 'E

Figure 134: Satellite view (Ref. http://earth.google.com) of aquadrat (200m × 200m) at Nachan area, Burdwan. Numberindicates the spatial distribution of the species within thequadrat.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

910

11

12

14

1516

17

18

19

20

21

21

21

21

21

22

23

24

21

21

21

21

1. Agaricus campestris, 2. Amylosporus campbelli, 3. Ascobolus magnificus, 4.Auricularia auricula, 5. Coprinus disseminatus, 6. Coprinus lagopus, 7. Coprinusmicaceous, 8. Coprinus plicatilis, 9. Coriolopsis occidentalis, 10. Cortinarius sp, 11.Daldinia concentrica, 12. Dictyophora indusiatus, 13. Flavodon flavus, 14.Ganoderma lucidum, 15. Lepiota procera, 16. Lycoperdon peratum, 17. Lycoperdonpusillum, 18. Marasmius androsaceus, 19. Marasmius rotula, 20. Pycnoporuscoccineus, 21.Schizophyllum commune, 22. Termitomyces clypeatus, 23. Tricholomacrassum, 24. Volvaria volvacea.

23 °36.642 'N087°19.906 'E

23 °36.622 'N087°20.022 'E

23 °36.729 'N087°20.045'E

23 °36.748 'N087°19.929 'E

Detailed recommendations including remedial measures relevant to the environmental

problems studied under the project

Recommendations:

1. In situ conservation of mycological reserves:

We have located a number of macrofungal richest sites at laterite region of West Bengal

like:

1. Gonpur forest, Birbhum

2. Ilambazar forest, Birbhum

3. Asna forest area, Bankura

4. Joypur forest area, Bankura

5. Gangajalghati forest area, Bankura

6. Malandighi forest area, Burdwan

7. Parulia forest area, Burdwan

8. Lalpahari Eucalyptus plantation area, Birbhum

9. Jhargram forest area, West Midnapur

10. Joychandi forest area, West Midnapur

A proper conservation of these locations and conservation of habitats which are especially

valuable for fungi are needed. This would probably enhance the aggregation of different fauna

that depend on these fungi, indirectly facilitating the conservation of fauna.

2. Sustainable use of the wild edible mushrooms should be ensured from these mycological

reserves.

3. Monitoring of the macrofungal flora by the local societies/bodies: The society or local bodies

will monitor the impact of commercial collection and will press for regulation where such

collection is shown to threaten the viability of fungal populations and their associated

organisms. This group will also monitor and update the data list at regular interval.

4. For conservation of rare macrofungus ex situ conservation programmes could be developed,

especially for saprophytic species growing in culture.

5. Awareness of local inhabitants and educating them of the values of the macrofungal diversity

leading to involvement of the community stakeholders.

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