Abstract
The varied topography, soil and climate of West Bengal makes conducive conditions of macrofungal habitats nurturing magnificent diversity. During exploration of macro-fungal diversity in Terai Duars region of the state during 2017–18, basidiocarps of different kinds of the genus Lentinus (Polyporaceae) were collected, photographed along with macro-morphological and ecological notes. The specimens were identified through macro and micro-morphological characters following standard literature. Five species of the genus Lentinus (L. araucariae, L. fasciatus, L. polychrous, L. sajor-caju, and L. squarrosulus) were identified which are presented in this paper along with amplified description, necessary figures and photographs. Literature survey revealed that out of five identified species, L. araucariae and L. fasciatus represent new distributional record for India. The outcome of the present study would enrich data related to the macro-fungal diversity from the state of West Bengal.
Highlights
West Bengal being a state with varied climate and topography includes Himalayan temperate-subtemperate region, foothills having moist-deciduous forests, vast gangetic plains, lateritic plateau and coastal plains which create diversified habitats for mosaic of lifeforms, including macro-fungi (Pradhan et al 2012, 2013, 2016; Dutta et al 2013)
The genus Lentinus Fr. has subtropical distribution as lignicolous fungi and is represented globally by 40 species (Kirk et al 2008), out of which 20 species are encountered in India (Sharma & Atri 2015)
During the exploration of macro-fungal diversity of West Bengal, India, a good number of specimens were collected of which five species of Lentinus Fr. had been identified, two of which are new records for India (L. fasciatus and L. araucariae), and are represented in the present paper and it is in continuation of the series of publications on macro-fungal diversity of West Bengal (Bera et al 2018; Saha et al 2018)
Summary
West Bengal being a state with varied climate and topography includes Himalayan temperate-subtemperate region, foothills having moist-deciduous forests, vast gangetic plains, lateritic plateau and coastal plains which create diversified habitats for mosaic of lifeforms, including macro-fungi (Pradhan et al 2012, 2013, 2016; Dutta et al 2013).Among the polypore fungi, the genus Lentinus Fr. has subtropical distribution as lignicolous fungi and is represented globally by 40 species (Kirk et al 2008), out of which 20 species are encountered in India (Sharma & Atri 2015).From the evolutionary stand point Lentinus Fr. is an interesting taxon for its transitional nature between poroid and gilled fungi by gradual reduction of tubulate to lamellate hymenophore.
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