Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 January 2016 | 8(1): 8403–8409

 

 

 

Three species of Phallus (Basidiomycota: Agaricomycetes: Phallaceae) from Jammu & Kashmir, India

 

Harpreet Kour 1, Rigzin Yangdol 2, Sanjeev Kumar 3 & Yash Pal Sharma 4

 

1,2,3,4 Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu 180006, India

1 harpreet.mushrooms@gmail.com, 2 rigzinmushroom7145@gmail.com, 3 sanjeevkoul222@gmail.com,

4 yashdbm3@yahoo.co.in (corresponding author)

 

 

 

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.2173.8.1.8403-8409

 

 

Editor: R.K. Verma, Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur, India. Date of publication: 26 January 2016 (online & print)

 

Manuscript details: Ms # 2173 | Received 21 July 2015 | Final received 06 January 2016 | Finally accepted 11 January 2016

 

Citation: Kour, H., R. Yangdol, S. Kumar & Y.P. Sharma (2016). Three species of Phallus (Basidiomycota: Agaricomycetes: Phallaceae) from Jammu & Kashmir, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(1): 8403–8409; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.2173.8.1.8403-8409

 

Copyright: © Kour et al. 2016. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication.

 

Funding: University Grants Commission, New Delhi UGC-SAP Grant No. F.3-14/2011 (SAP-II)- dated 19/03/2015;

and RGNF: F1-17.1/2013-14/RGNF-2013-14-ST-JAM-37362 Feb. 2014.

 

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Acknowledgements: The authors wish to thank the Head, Department of Botany, University of Jammu and UGC-SAP for providing laboratory facilities and financial assistance. The second author (an RGNF fellow) also acknowledges the financial support received as a Senior Research Fellowship from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

 

 

 

Abstract: In this paper, three species of Phallus viz., P. macrosporus, P. rubicundus and P. hadriani are described, illustrated and discussed along with habitat photographs and line drawings of microscopic features. Out of these, P. macrosporus is new to India. P. rubicundus is new to Jammu & Kashmir whereas P. hadriani constitutes a new report of its occurrence from the Jammu Province. A key to the investigated species is also provided.

 

Keywords: Ladakh, new record, Phallaceae, Poonch, stinkhorn, taxonomy.

 

 

Phallus is a well-known gasteroid genus within the family Phallaceae with 18 species distributed worldwide (Kirk et al. 2008). Index Fungorum accounts for 175 records for this genus. Characteristically, these stinkhorns develop from round to oval egg that has an inner gelatinous layer, unbranched and upright fruiting bodies and a foul smelling gleba (Arora 1986). Predominantly occupying the tropical and subtropical habitat, some species occur in temperate areas as well (Lee 1957; Li et al. 2002; Barrett & Stuckey 2008; Hemmes & Desjardin 2009; Dash et al. 2010; Mohanan 2011). In India, a number of Phallus species have been widely reported from various locations (Bhagwat et al. 2005; Bakshi & Mandal 2006; Swapna et al. 2008; Dash et al. 2010; Mohanan 2011; Dutta et al. 2012; Sridhar & Karun 2013; Tiwari et al. 2013). This communication deals with three species of Phallus collected from two highly diversified terrains of Jammu & Kashmir State, which differ with respect to altitudinal and latitudinal zonations and edaphic factors.

 

 

Study Area

Jammu & Kashmir has very rich biological wealth and cultural heritage and because of its unique geography and diverse climatic conditions it is an abode to a large number of macro-fungi. The present study was carried out on the specimens collected from two different districts of Jammu & Kashmir: Poonch and Leh (Fig. 1).

The district Poonch, cradled in the peaks of the Pir Panjal Himalayan ranges, lies between 73058’–74035’E & 33025’–34001’N. It is bounded by the Kashmir Valley in the northeast, district Rajouri in the south and Pakistan occupied Kashmir in the west. The area experiences sub-tropical to temperate climate regime. Average temperature during the summer months is around 300C while in the winter months it is as low as 8–10 0C. The annual rainfall ranges from 1,635–1,796 mm, the bulk of which is received during the monsoon period (July to September). Silty loam and alluvial soil are the major soil types of Poonch.

On the other hand, Leh District, one of the coldest and most elevated places in the world, is situated in the Ladakh region in Indian Trans-Himalaya. It is located between 32015’–36000’ & 75015’–80015’E with an altitude ranging from 2,900–5,900 m. The area is characterized by extreme heat and cold, extreme bareness and dryness, low oxygen and atmospheric pressure. The temperature fluctuates between 350C during summer to a minimum of -350C during extreme winter. The annual precipitation is very little i.e., 80–300 mm and thus the absence of rainfall over the greater part of the year has resulted in xerophytic vegetation. The soil is predominantly sandy to sandy loam and pure clay with low nutrient content.

 

 

Methods

The specimens examined were collected from the study area during 2014–2015. Habitat details and field characters such as habit, odour, colour, and size of the pileus (cap), pseudostipe and volva, presence or absence of indusium or veil were observed from the fresh material. The microscopic details were studied from dried specimen, revived in 5% KOH, and stained in 1% Congo red. Microscopic line drawings were made with the aid of a camera lucida. Microscopic characters were photographed using a Sony N50 camera attached to an Olympus CH 20i binocular microscope and measurements were recorded for each character for description of average dimensions. The mean quotient (Q) of the spore length divided by spore width was calculated from a measurement of 20 mature basidiospores. The examined samples were deposited in the Herbarium of Botany Department, University of Jammu (HBJU).

 

 

 

 

 

Results and Discussion

1. Phallus macrosporus B. Liu, Z.Y. Li & Du (1980)

Material examined: HBJU 402, 03.viii.2014, Phey Village, Leh, Jammu & Kashmir, India, solitary, humicolous, in a cultivated field of barley (Toh), coll. R. Yangdol and Y.P. Sharma.

Expanded basidiomata: 14.0cm high, solitary. Receptacle: convex, surface deeply reticulate with perforated apex. Gleba: Olive brown, mucilaginous. Pseudostipe: cylindrical, 8.5 × 2.2 cm, spongy, hollow, white when fresh, light yellow when dried. Volva: saccate, 3.5 x 2.6 cm, membranous, reddish tinted to purple. Odour: pungent. Basidiospores: ellipsoidal, 6.4–8.0 × 4.0–4.8 μm, avL = 7.2, avW = 4.4, Q = 1.6–1.7, subhyaline to light greenish, smooth. Basidia: not observed. Pileus hyphae: septate, hyaline, thin walled, branched, clamp connections present, 1.6–3.2 μm wide. Pseudostipe: composed of hyaline hyphae, 1.6–4.8μm wide and sub-globose cells measuring 18.0–48.0× 14.0–44.0 μm. Volva: composed of septate, branched, hyaline, thick walled hyphae, 2.4–16.0 μm wide, clamp connections present (Image 1, Fig. 2).

Taxonomic remarks: The present specimen of P. macrosporus is similar to the description given by Calonge (2005), with reticulate receptacle, reddish to purple volva and large sized basidiospores. The overall morphology of the basidiomata resembles P. hadriani but the presence of large sized basidiospores clearly differentiates it from the latter. This is a new report for India.

Distribution: Earlier reported from China (Liu et al. 1980)

 

 

 

 

2. Phallus rubicundus (Bosc) Fr., Syst. mycol. (Lundae) 2(2): 284 (1823)

Synonymy: Satyrus rubicundus Bosc, Mag. Gesell. naturf. Freunde, Berlin 5: 86 (1811)
Phallus rubicundus (Bosc) Fr., Syst. mycol. (Lundae) 2(2): 284 (1823) var. rubicundus
Ithyphallus rubicundus (Bosc) E. Fisch., Syll. fung. (Abellini) 5: 11 (1888) var. rubicundus
Phallus rubicundus var. gracillimus Dring & R.W. Rayner, (1967)

Material examined: HBJU 403, 10.viii.2014, Khorinar, Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, India, solitary, humicolous, in a cultivated field, coll. H. Kour and Y.P. Sharma.

Eggs: ovate, white, smooth, 2.0–3.0 cm wide, mycelial strands attached to the base. Mature basidiocarp: 14.0–19.0 cm long. Pseudostipe: decurved, peach coloured, spongiose, tapering towards the apex, deeply reticulate. Receptacle: conical, with a flat tip with conspicuous pore at the apex. Gleba: olivaceous, covering the whole length of the receptacle. Volva saccate, 14.0–17.0 cm, creamish-white. Odour: pungent. Basidiospores: elliptical, 3.2–4.8 × 1.6–2.4 μm, avL = 4.0 avW = 2.0, Q = 2.0, hyaline, smooth, greenish tinted in KOH. Pileus hyphae: septate, hyaline, branched, 1.6–3.2 μm wide. Stipe cells: sub-globose, hyaline, 28.0–60.0 × 28.0–52.0 μm. Volva: composed of septate hyphae, 3.2–4.8 μm wide. Rhizomorph hyphae: hyaline, septate, 1.6–3.2 μm wide (Image 2, Fig. 3).

Taxonomic remarks: P. rubicundus, commonly known as Devil’s stinkhorn, can easily be confused with Mutinus elegans but a close examination reveals that P. rubicundus has a clearly distinguished, separate head that holds the spore containing olive green slime whereas the species of Mutinus bear their slime on the upper part of a stem that lacks a clearly distinguished head. Earlier, this species was found on the ground and on dead roots of grass but our examined species was found inhabiting the litter and dead logs. It is new to Jammu & Kashmir.

Distribution: Previously reported from West Africa and Brazil (Dring 1964; Trierveiler-Pereira et al. 2009) and Dutta et al. (2012) reported it from West Bengal, India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Phallus hadriani Vent. (1798)

Synonymy: Hymenophallus hadriani (Vent.) Nees, Syst. Pilze (Würzburg): 251 (1816)

Phallus hadriani Vent., Mém. Inst. nat. Sci. Arts 1: 517 (1798) f. hadriani

Phallus iosmos Berk., in Smith, Engl. Fl., Fungi (Edn 2) (London) 5(2): 227 (1836)

Phallus imperialis Schulzer, in Kalchbrenner, Icon. Sel. Hymenomyc. Hung.: 63, pl. 40, fig. 1 (1873)

Material examined: HBJU 401, 18.v.2015, Khorinar, Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, India, solitary, humicolous, in a cultivated field among the trees of Melia azardicta and Prunus domestica, coll. H. Kour and Y.P. Sharma

Eggs: sub-globose to pyriform, 4.0–6.0 × 4.0–5.0 cm, initially white in colour, later turned pink to purple colour with scales forming reticulate pattern on the surface, partly subterranean, attached to the substrate by a mycelial cord; when cut found the stinkhorn to be enclosed in a gelatinous substance. Mature basidiomata: 20.0–25.0 cm high. Receptacle: 2.5–4.0 cm wide, strongly reticulated with a perforation at its tip. Gleba: Olive green, with the disappearance of gleba receptacle appeared pure white. Pseudostipe: cylindrical, 7.0–10.0 cm long and 1.2–2.5 cm wide, hollow, spongy, white when fresh, became light yellow when dried. Volva: 2.0–3.0 cm wide, light purple. Basidiospores: 2.4–3.2 (4.8) × 0.8–1.6µm, avL = 3.2, avW = 1.2, Q= 2.7, elliptical, smooth, subhyaline, greenish tinge in KOH. Basidia: elongated, cylindrical, a bit broader at centre, 14.4–16.0 × 2.4–3.2 µm, Sterigmata 8 in number. Receptacle: composed of hyaline, septate and branched hyphae and measures about 2.4–3.2 µm. Pseudostipe: comprises subglobular cells, 1.6–4.8 µm. Volval hyphae: hyaline, septate, branched, 1.6–4.8 µm (Image 3, Fig. 4).

Taxonomic remarks: Macro- and microscopic features of the present specimen corroborates well with the description given by Calonge (2005). Phallus impudicus is a closely related species but differs only in the colour of the volva which is white in the former and purplish in our described species. This stinkhorn species is sometimes mistaken for an old morel owing to its pitted head, somewhat similar in shape with a lack of slimy spores mass (which may be lost in old age). Although, this species had earlier been enlisted by Abraham (1991) from Kashmir but we are describing it for the first time. Thus, it constitutes a new record for Jammu province.

Distribution: Earlier reported from Turkey and Poland (Zabawski 1976; Demirel & Uzun 2004).

 

 

 

 

References

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Arora, D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California, USA, 936pp.

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Barrett, M. & B. Stuckey (2008). Phallus merulinus newly reported for the top end. Fungimap Newsletters 36: 1–16.

Bhagwat, S.A., C.G. Kushalappa, P.H. Williams & N.D. Brown (2005). The role of informal protected areas in maintaining biodiversity in the Western Ghats of India. Ecology and Society 10: 1–40.

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Dring, D.M. (1964). Gasteromycetes of West Tropical Africa. Mycological Papers 98: 1–60.

Dutta, A.K., N. Chakraborty, P. Pradhan & K. Acharya (2012). Phallales of West Bengal, India. II. Phallaceae: Phallus and Mutinus. Researcher 4: 21–25.

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Key to investigated species of Phallus

1. Receptacle granulose or rugulose .................................................................................................................................... 2

1. Receptacle reticulate ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

2. Receptacle conical, pseudostipe reddish to orangish, basidiospores 3.2–4.8 × 1.6–2.4 µm, volva white ...........................

............................................................................................................................................... Phallus rubicundus (Bosc) Fr.

3. Basidiospores size less than or equals to 5µm ................................................................................................................. 4

3. Basidiospores size more than 5µm ................................................................................................................................... 5

4. With spores of 2.4–3.2 (4.8) × 0.8–1.6 µm, volva purple with scales .............................................. Phallus hadriani Vent.

5. With spores of 6.4–8.0 ×4.0–4.8 µm, volva pale reddish to purplish tinge ............ Phallus macrosporus B. Liu, B. Li & Du