Uttarakhand
New Pitted-Spore Mushroom Species Discovered in Uttarakhand
- 30 Jan 2026
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Researchers have discovered a new pitted-spore mushroom species in the temperate oak forests of Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand.
Key Points
- Scientific Name: Hemileccinum indicum
- Habitat: Oak-dominated temperate forests of the Western Himalayas.
- It represents the first official record of this group of fungi in India.
- Collaborative Research: Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in collaboration with the University of Torino, Italy.
- Publication: The research detailing the new species has been published in the Nordic Journal of Botany.
- Ecological Importance: Fungi, including mushrooms, play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, soil health and ecosystem functioning in forest habitats, making such discoveries important for ecological studies.
- Significance: The identification of Hemileccinum indicum adds to India’s documented mycological diversity, particularly in the Himalayan ecological zone, which is a hotspot of unexplored fungal species.
| Read More: Temperate forests, Himalayas, Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Ecological Importance, Fungi |
