Hitherto unreported Pezizales from India

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J Mycol Pl Pathol, Vol. 39, No.2, 2009
244
Hitherto Unreported Pezizales from India
Gh. Hassan Dar, M. A. Beig, Nadeem A. Ganai, Nisar A. Khan and F. A. Ahangar
Division of Plant Pathology, S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar 191 121
Jammu and Kashmir, India e-mail: ghasandar@gmail.com
Abstract
Five hitherto un-reported macrofungi viz, Sarcoscypha austriaca (Beck.:Sacc.) Boud, Sepultaria sumneriana (Cke.)
Mass., Paxina barlae (Boud.) Seaver. Peziza exogelatinosa Hansen & Sandal and Tarzetta catinus (Holmsk.) Korf
and Rogers were collected during a survey of mycorrhizae in fir-dominated forests of Kashmir, which are new
records from India.
Key words: India, macrofungi, Sarcoscypha austriaca, Sepultaria sumneriana, Paxina barlae, Peziza
exogelatinosa, Tarzetta catinus
Citation: Dar GH, Beig MA, Ganai NA, Khan NA and Ahanger FA. 2009. Hitherto unreported pezizales from
India. J Mycol Pl Pathol 39(2):244-246.
Kashmir forests in India harbour immense wealth of
diverse macrofungi. The rich diversity and variation is
attributed to the varied agro-climatic conditions,
undulating topographic features and rich accumulation
of humus existing in the State of Jammu and Kashmir,
India. These forests have been surveyed superficially for
macrofungi, including mushrooms (Walting and
Abraham 1992). Perusal of literature has revealed that
175 macrofungal species have so far been reported from
Jammu and Kashmir (Walting and Abraham 1992; Dar
et al 2007; Beig et al 2008a, b; Dar et al 2009 a, b, c).
This emphasized the need for further exploration of
Kashmir forests for macrofungi emanating in different
seasons (Walting and Gregory 1980; Samant and Dhar
1997). The present communication describes five new
reports of macrofungi from India.
Material and Methods
Forest areas of Jehlum Valley Division and Zabarvan
hills viz, Gulmarg, Baramulla and Cheshmashahi in
Jammu and Kashmir, India were surveyed for
mycorrhizae during Mar 2008 to Apr 2009. Standard
methods were followed for the collection, preservation
and macro- and microscopic studies of macrofungi
(Kumar et al 1990; Atri et al 2003). Identification was
made on the basis of critical macro- and microscopic
observations of the specimens and perusal of relevant
literature (Pacioni 1985) and Mycokey
(http://www.mycokey.com). Photographs were taken
using digital Nikon camera. The sporocarps and
sporophores of macrofungi were maintained in 4%
formaldehyde solution in the laboratory and preserved
in the herbarium of Division of Plant Pathology, S.K.
University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of
Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Results and Discussion
In this study, several macrofungi were collected. Five of
them belonging to Pezizales (Fig. 1) were new to India
(Bilgrammi et al 1982, 1991; Sorbhay et al 1996;
Jammuldin et al 2004) which are described below:
1. Sarcoscypha austriaca (O. Beck ex Sacc.) Boud.
(1907) syn. Lachnea austriaca (Beck) Sacc., Syll. fung.
(Abellini) 8: 169 (1889). The fungus commonly known
as scarlet elf cup or scarlet cup was found in spring
season growing either singly or clustered in groups on
buried or decaying branches of deciduous trees in damp
spots on forest floor of Dachigam and Gulmarg forests
of Kashmir, India. The carpophores were cup-shaped
and measured 2–5 cm in diam. The inner surface of cup
was deep red (fading to orange when dry) and smooth,
while the outer surface was whitish with a layer of tiny
hairs (a tomentum). The stipe was stout, whitish and
measured up to 4 cm in length with a tomentum. The
spores were elliptical, smooth, hyaline and had small
lipid droplet concentrated at either end and measured 6–
40 x 10–12 µm in size.
2. Sepultaria sumneriana (Cooke) Massee, British
Fungus Flora. Agarics and Boleti (London) 4: 391
(1895). The fungus was found in spring season in
conifer-dominated forests, specifically associated with
Cedrus deodara in Zabarvan and Baramulla forests of
Kashmir, India. The carpophores were 4-7 cm in diam.
Young carpophores were observed just below the soil
surface as a hollow spheres. Older ones were found
breaking through the soil surface and splitting into
several recurring lobes exposing the interior pale
yellowish portion, however the exterior portion was
brownish and densely covered with dark hairs.

J Mycol Pl Pathol, Vol. 39, No.2, 2009 245

J Mycol Pl Pathol, Vol. 39, No.2, 2009
246
The flesh was thick, brittle and white. The
spores were ellipsoid-fusiform containing two large oil
drops, white, smooth and measured 30–35 x 14 x 16 µm
in size.
3. Paxina barlae (Boud.) Seaver, North American Cup-
fungi, (Operculates) New York: 205 (1928). The fungus
was observed in spring in conifer-dominated forests
either singly or in clusters under the canopy of pines in
Zabarvan hills and Baramulla forests of Kashmir, India.
Carpophores were cup shaped and measured 3-5 cm in
diam. The hymenial surface was slate-grey or blackish
violet but externally blackish occasionally olivaceous
and finely furfuraceous. The stipe was short, stout and
sulcate with longitudinal ribs that turned concolourous
with the cups and ramified half way up. The flesh was
whitish and wax-like. The spores were white, elliptical,
smooth and measured 20–22 x 10 x 13 µm in size.
4. Peziza exogelatinosa K. Hansen & Sandal, in
Hansen, Sandal & Dissing, Nordic Jl Bot. 18(5): 612
(1998)
This fungus was found in spring in conifer-dominated
forest soil of Gulmarg. The young carpophores were
cup shaped, irregular, 1.7-3.8 cm in diam., initially
subglobose, barely open at the top and urn shaped. The
older carpophores were hemispherical with incurved
margins, clearly crenulate and furfuraceous. The
hymenium surface was smooth and pruinose. The inner
surface was buff-brown while as outer surface was
initially grayish white and later turned into light buff
brown. The spores were broadly ellipisod and oblong
with rounded ends and measured 10-19.8x 6.2-8.9 µm
in size.
5. Tarzetta catinus (Holmsk.) Korf & J.K. Rogers,
Phytologia 21(4): 206 (1971)
The fungus was found on rich humus on the decayed
wood of broad leaved trees both in summer and autumn
seasons in the foot hills of Jehlum Valley Division
(Gulmarg and Baramulla) of Kashmir, India. The
carpophores were 1-5 cm wide, cumulate, permanently
goblet-shaped and often with short, slightly wrinkled
and spongy stipe. The surface of carpophores was
internally cream coloured but externally yellowish-
ochre and finely granular with dentate and serrated
margin. The flesh was thin and fragile. The spores were
white, elliptical, smooth and measured 16-22 x 11-15
µm in size.
Acknowledgment
The authors are highly grateful to the Department of
Science and Technology, New Delhi, India for
providing financial grant.
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Received: May 25, 2009 Accepted: Aug 18, 2009