New Pitted-Spore Mushroom Species Discovered in Uttarakhand | 30 Jan 2026

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.