Diversity, sociobiology and conservation of Lepiotoid and Termitophilous mushrooms of north West India

Abstract

The present study significantly contributes to the taxonomic, nutritional, nutraceutical and chemical characterization of lepiotoid and termitophilous mushrooms from North West India. As many as 152 collections have been worked out for their morphological, anatomical and chemical reaction details. In all 41 taxa of lepiotoid mushrooms belonging genera, namely Clarkienda, Macrolepiota, Chlorophyllum, Chlorolepiota, Leucoagaricus, Leucocoprinus, Lepiota, Cystolepiota and 14 taxa of termitophilous mushrooms belonging to genus Termitomyces have been taxonomically described. Among these five species namely Leucoagaricus albidus sp. nov., Cystolepiota indica sp. nov., Chlorolepiota indica sp. nov., C. brunneotincta sp. nov. and Lepiota attenuispora sp. nov. and 3 varieties, namely Leucoagaricus barsii var. bulbobasilarus var. nov., Leucoagaricus tener var. brevispora var. nov., and Chlorophyllum sphaerosporum var. macrospora var. nov. are new to science while 17 taxa, namely Leucoagaricus melanotrichus var. melanotrichus, L. crystallifer, L. sublittoralis, L. rhodocephalus, Cystolepiota icterina, Lepiota castaneidisca, L. humei, L. boudieri, L. atrodisca, L. floralis, L. roseifolia, L. plumbicolor, L. truncatispora, Macrolepiota fuliginosa, M. excoriata, M. heimii and Termitomyces reticulatus are new records for India. Pure cultures of Macrolepiota dolichaula, M. rachodes, Lepiota humei, Leucocoprinus cepaestipes, Termitomyces radicatus, T. heimii and T. mammiformis has been raised and maintained for the purpose of conservation. ITS region of genomic DNA of Macrolepiota dolichaula, Lepiota humei, Chlorolepiota brunneotincta sp. nov., Termitomyces heimii and T. mammiformis was subjected to molecular sequencing so as to verify the correctness of the conclusions drawn through traditional taxonomic principles. The nutritional and nutraceutical profile of Termitomyces microcarpus, T. radicatus, T. badius, T. medius, T. heimii, T. striatus, T. mammiformis, T. reticulatus,Macrolepiota procera, M. rhacodes and M. dolichaula mu