INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS - India Environment Portal

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Proc. 98th Indian Science Congress, Part II : Presidential Address
member of Agaricales. The purpose was (i) to determine the distribution /
occurrence of particular species of fungi in different elevational/ vegetational zones
(ii) to identify the species of fungi entering into mycorrhizal association with
particular species of trees, and (iii) to quantify fruiting phenlogy of different species
of fungi.
The ecological data was collected from forest lying in the outer, middle and
inner ranges (Tara Devi, Glan and Jakhu Forests) and also along a gradient with
altitude varying from 6000-10,000 ft. msl. (Narkanda forest). These forests vary in
topography, aspect and vegetational zones. The species of mushrooms also vary in
these forests. However, the forest zones with similar altitude and vegetational
elements integrade in mushroom flora also. In Tara Devi forest the species
recorded are Amanita emilii, A. fulva, A. umbonata; Lactarius camphorates, L.
indicus sp. nov. , L. lutescens sp. nov. , L. piperatus; Russula foetens, R.
laurocerasi, R. lilaceae and R. subflavescens sp. nov.
In Glen forest, species like Amanita gemmata, A. emilli, A. rubescens, A.
vaginata; Cantharellus cibarius, C. minor; Craterellus cornucopoides;
Lactarius hygrophoroides, L. indicus sp. nov. , L. piperatus, L. volemus;
Russula brevipes, R. crustosa, R. densifolia, R. foetens and R. subflavescens
sp. nov. , have been collected repeatedly. In Jakhoo forest, Amanita indica sp.
nov. m A. pantherina; Cantharellus luteocomus; Lactarius pudicus sp. nov. ;
Russula lilacea, R. murinoides sp. nov. , and R. rosea have been found growing
frequently. Among the hard woods, Quercus and Rhododendron spp. were the
most common associates while Pinus and Cedrus spp. , among the conifers for
mushrooms.
The appearance of mushrooms seems to be controlled by temperature and
relative humidity. In Tara Devi and Glen forests (at lower altitudes, 5000-6000 ft.)
the species which appeared during the early monsoon season appear during the late
monsoon in Narkanda, Khadrala forests (at higher altitudes, 7000-9000 ft.) To study
the distribution of mushrooms in different altitudinal vegetational zones along a
gradient, a forest in Narkanda in Shimla district was selected. It was divided into
4 zones, each zone covering an altitude of 1000 ft. from 6000 ft. to 10000 ft. the
soil characteristics of each zone were also taken into consideration, Soil pH, and
NPK contents of the soil were also estimated (Kumar et. al. 1990).
In the first vegetational zone the dominant phanerogams were Pinus roxburghii,
P. wallichiana, Cedrus deodara and Quercus leucotrichophora. The species