Kanad Das

Kanad Das
Botanical Survey of India | BSI · Central National Herbarium

MSc, PhD

About

204
Publications
136,580
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Introduction
Kanad Das is a Senior Scientist (Scientist 'F') in the Botanical Survey of India, Howrah. His research interest is in morphotaxonomy and molecular phylogeny of different groups of wild mushrooms. Russulaceae, Boletaceae, Hericiaceae, Suillaceae, Hygrophoraceae, Cantharellaceae, Gomphaceae, Gomphidiaceae and Bondarzewiaceae are the major families he dealt with. Jointly with his students and coworkers he discovered over 150 novel mushroom species and 2 novel mushroom genera from India.
Additional affiliations
December 2018 - present
Botanical Survey of India
Position
  • Researcher
Description
  • Pursuing Taxonomy and Molecular Phylogeny of Wild Mushrooms.
February 2008 - December 2011
Botanical Survey of India,
Position
  • Scientist 'C'
January 2012 - November 2018
Botanical Survey of India
Position
  • Researcher
Description
  • Persueing research on systematics of Wild Himalayan Mushrooms focusing on Russulaceae, Boletaceae, Suillaceae, Cortinariaceae, Hericiaceae, Agaricaceae, etc.

Publications

Publications (204)
Article
Full-text available
The present study from the state of Uttarakhand (India) describes the new genus Singeroboletus in the subfamily Suillelloideae (="Pulveroboletus group") (Boletaceae, Boletales). This genus is supported by morphological and multigene molecular data. At present this novel genus is represented only by two Asian species, Singeroboletus hainanensis comb...
Article
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Featured with unconventional pattern, sequestrate mushrooms in Basidiomycota always elicit never-ending curiosity among mycologists and mushroom hunters across the continents. Our quest for the hidden treasure of Boletoid mushrooms in Indian Himalaya led to the discovery of the first sequestrate form of mushroom in the immensely diverse and one of...
Article
Lactarius hatsudake, a reddish latex oozing member of Lactarius section Deliciosi was collected from forests of East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. This species is well appreciated by the local tribal communities and sold in local markets during monsoon. Detailed macro-and micromorphological description, coupled with internal transcribed spacer region of...
Article
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The genus Cortinarius (Pers.) Gray is one of the dominating mushroom-forming ectomycorrhizal genera in the Indian Himalaya. Cortinarius subgenus Telamonia (Fr.) Trog is the most species-rich group within this genus. In this subgenus, two novel species, namely C. thindii A. Bose & K. Das sp. nov. and C. dhakuricus A. Bose & K. Das sp. nov. (under C....
Article
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With the simultaneous growth in interest from the mycological community to discover fungal species and classify them, there is also an important need to assemble all taxonomic information onto common platforms. Fungal classification is facing a rapidly evolving landscape and organizing genera into an appropriate taxonomic hierarchy is central to be...
Article
A macrofungal exploration to two different states of India (Uttarakhand and Sikkim) have revealed interesting agarics species belonging to the genus Phlegmacium (Cortinariaceae). Phlegmacium didnaense is proposed here as a new species whereas, P. ophiopus and P. largum are reported for the first time from India. All three taxa are morphologically d...
Article
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The genus Singerocybe is characterized by the presence of vesicles in the pileus and stipe cuticle. Singerocybe alboinfundibuliformis, collected from two Himalayan states (Sikkim and Uttarakhand), is described as a new generic and species record for the Indian mycobiota based on morphological features coupled with the phylogenetic evaluation based...
Article
A combination of morphological studies and multigene molecular phylogenetic analyses unveiled two significant novel species of boletes namely Anthracoporus indohimalayanus sp. nov. and Boletus dhakuricus sp. nov. from the states of Sikkim and Uttarakhand, respectively. The first novel species, i.e. A. indohimalayanus is also a new generic record of...
Article
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Although India belongs to one of the 17 megadiverse countries of the world, little is known about its ectomycorrhizal fungi in general, and Boletaceae in particular. In the present communication, with the combined approach of multigene molecular phylogeny and morphological study, the diversity within Sutorius eximius sensu lato has been revealed an...
Article
The genus Lactarius (family Russulaceae) is presently known by 56 species and 12 varieties from India. Based on a thorough survey of Himalayan forests and the reports by earlier workers, a detailed distribution, associated trees and the colour of the latex both before and after the exposure is presented for all the Indian taxa.
Article
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Agaricales, Russulales and Boletales are dominant orders among the wild mushrooms in Basidiomycota. Boletaceae, one of the major functional elements in terrestrial ecosystem and mostly represented by ectomycorrhizal symbionts of trees in Indian Himalaya and adjoining hills, are extraordinarily diverse and represented by numerous genera and species...
Article
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During routine macrofungal surveys to two different states of India: Uttarakhand and Meghalaya in 2022 to 2023, authors came across several taxa of Boletoid mushrooms (Boletaceae) which after thorough examination appeared to be novel or interesting. In the present communication, one new species (Harrya olivaceobrunnea) and three new records for Ind...
Article
Full-text available
The Global Consortium for the Classification of Fungi and fungus-like taxa is an international initiative of more than 550 mycologists to develop an electronic structure for the classification of these organisms. The members of the Consortium originate from 55 countries/regions worldwide, from a wide range of disciplines, and include senior, mid-ca...
Article
Full-text available
The Global Consortium for the Classification of Fungi and fungus-like taxa is an international initiative of more than 550 mycologists to develop an electronic structure for the classification of these organisms. The members of the Consortium originate from 55 countries/regions worldwide, from a wide range of disciplines, and include senior, mid-ca...
Article
Lactarius Pers. is one of the most frequently encountered ectomycorrhizal genera of the family Russulaceae. Because of its cosmopolitan nature, several taxa belonging to its three subgenera, Lactarius subg. Lactarius (Fr. ex J.Kickx f.) Kauffman, L. subg. Russularia (Fr.) Kauffman, and L. subg. Plinthogalus (Berk.) Hesler & A.H.Sm., have been docum...
Article
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During macrofungal surveys in various tropical Sal-dominated (Shorea robusta) forests of West Bengal, we collected specimens of Phylloporus. After careful literature consultation, coupled with morphological examinations and molecular phylogenetic analyses with two genes, the species was found to be conspecific with Phylloporus gajari, which was ori...
Article
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During routine macrofungal surveys in various temperate forests of Indian Himalayan belt, we made some collections of the interesting genus Veloporphyrellus. After through literature review, morphological examinations, and phylogenetic analysis of two ribosomal genes, those collections were found to be conspecific with Veloporphyrellus latisporus,...
Article
Abstract Bacteria promote mushroom growth by providing growth factors and vitamins, preventing pathogen growth, and enhancing spore distribution. Soil bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle showed association with the abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Uncultured microorganisms comprise a significant proportion of complex soil ecosystem. Nanopore...
Book
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Russulales, one of the major orders of macrofungi, encompasses some mushroom-forming genera which are saprobes, parasites, or mycorrhizae and are responsible for key functioning of any terrestrial ecosystem. This pictorial manual illustrates the diversity of mycobiota in this order including 73 species belonging to the genera Bondarzewia, Hericium,...
Article
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Repeated macrofungal explorations, followed by thorough examination of species through morphology and molecular phylogeny, have made it clear that European and American names of wild mushrooms were inadvertently misapplied quite often to Asian lookalikes by mycologists/ taxonomists in the past. Therefore, in order to reveal this mushroom treasure,...
Book
Full-text available
Mycorrhizal mushrooms are very important for the survival of forest trees. Species of the genus Russula are the dominant ectomycorrhizal wild mushrooms in the state of Uttarakhand, exhibiting a spectacular array of colours on the forest floor. They remain one of the most confusing groups of macrofungi, which are very difficult to identify. This pic...
Article
Trois nouvelles espèces du genre Russula Pers. provenant de forêts dominées par le Sal en Inde tropicale, décrites d'après la morphotaxonomie et l'analyse phylogénétique multigénique. Depuis 2013, des expéditions macrofongiques de routine ont été menées dans plusieurs zones forestières dominées par Shorea robusta C.F.Gaertn. dans l'est tropical de...
Article
Thaxterogaster shoreae, a new species of Thaxterogaster subg. Scauri sect. ABSTRACT: Routine macrofungal explorations of different Shorea robusta dominated forest areas of Jharkhand and West Bengal are being undertaken since 2020. A specimen classified as "Thaxterogaster" was collected recently from these states and here proposed as Thaxterogaster...
Article
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Macrofungal explorations of different temperate forests in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, India, were undertaken. Thorough examination of these collections revealed a new member of Lactarius sect. Uvidi. We present Lactarius indoviolaceus sp. nov. with illustrated macro-and micro-description, phylogenetic analysis, and comparison wi...
Article
Full-text available
Two novel species of Russula (Russulaceae, Russulales), namely Russula indosenecis A.Ghosh, D.Chakr., K.Das & Buyck sp. nov. and R. pseudosenecis A.Ghosh, D.Chakr., K.Das & Buyck sp. nov. belonging to sect. Ingratae subg. Heterophyllidiae are proposed herein based on their morphological features and nrITS-based phylogenetic inferences. Both species...
Article
Macrofungal explorations undertaken to several Sal (Shorea robusta) dominated tropical forests of West Bengal and Jharkhand (India) yielded various wild mushrooms. Studies on these collections revealed an interesting and novel taxon of Lactifluus subg. Lactariopsis which is proposed herein as Lactifluus tropicalis. The new species is presented with...
Article
Macrofungal forays in different parts of Himalaya made it possible to gather a couple of interesting species of agarics. Two of them belonging to Cortinarius subg. Telamonia are dealt with in this paper. Cortinarius dombangensis, a member of sect. Hinnulei is proposed here as a new species and C. longistipitatus, a member of sect. Uracei subsect. B...
Article
In this new series of Fungal Biodiversity Profiles, the authors provide descriptions for ten new taxa: Ilytheomyces uncinatus W. Rossi & M. Leonardi, sp. n ov. (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) and several B asidiomycota: in family Entolomataceae for E ntoloma aurantioalpinum Armada, Vila, Bellanger, N oordel., Krisai & Dima, sp. n ov. and E. nigroflave...
Article
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Two species, namely Russula adwanitekae A.Ghosh, K.Das & Buyck sp. nov. and Russula purpureozonata K.Das, A.Ghosh & Buyck sp. nov. are proposed herein as new mushroom taxa from the Indian Himalaya based on their morphological features and ITS-based phylogenetic inferences. Both species belong to the crown clade of Russula subgenus Russula but with...
Article
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Chroogomphus himalayanus sp. nov. is described from the subalpine Himalaya region of India. It is presented herein with morphological descriptions, illustrations and nrITS-based phylogenetic inferences as well as comparisons with similar species.
Article
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This paper is a contribution to the Indian mycobiota. During a routine macrofungal survey in the forested areas of Arunachal Pradesh, three members from Lactarius subg. Russularia i.e. L. ambiguus, L. hirtipes and L. kesiyae were collected. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations and nrITS-based phylogenetic estimation of these species a...
Article
In this new series of Fungal Biodiversity Profiles, the authors provide a description for a new species of Rachomyces Thaxt. (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) and several Basidiomycota: for the first time illustrated type studies for two older species of Cantharellus Adans. ex Fr. (Hydnaceae, Cantharellales), C. subcibariusCorner 1966 from Malaysia and...
Article
Russula baniyakundensis (subg. Russula subsect. Lepidinae), a new species originating from the temperate to subalpine regions of Uttarakhand Himalaya and related to the European R. lepida Fr. is described. The phylogenetic analyses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) suggest that in addition to Indian sequences of R. baniyakundensis, there...
Article
The present paper describes Lactarius abieticola (L. sect. Deliciosi) from Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh of Indian Himalayas. It is characterized as a medium sized orange basidiomata growing under Abies spp. with faint greenish coloration and whitish aspect on the pileus. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations and nrITS-based phylogeneti...
Article
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Russula subsection Amoeninae is morphologically defined by a dry velvety pileus surface, a complete absence of cystidia with heteromorphous contents in all tissues, and spores without amyloid suprahilar spot. Thirty-four species within subsection Amoeninae have been published worldwide. Although most Russula species in South Korea have been assigne...
Article
The identity of blackening Russula (R. subg. Compactae) from Indian Himalaya has since long remained a mystery and they are often called after their European look‐alikes. Here, a combined approach including morphology and ITS phylogenetic inference resolved the identification of some of these taxa and revealed the discovery of two novel species. Th...
Article
The present paper describes two novel species in Lactarius subg. Lactarius collected from Sikkim, a Himalayan state in India. Lactarius brunneoaurantiacus sp. nov., is characterised by brownish to greyish orange basidiomata, watery white unchanging latex, subglobose to ellipsoid basidiospores with somewhat zebroid pattern of ornamentations and ixot...
Article
Russula lakhanpalii sp. nov. and R. indocatillus sp. nov. which were collected from UttarakhandHimalaya of India are described here with morphological descriptions, nrITS-based molecularestimation and comparison with allied taxa. The former species belongs to subgen. Heterophyllidiasubsect. Cyanoxanthinae whereas, the latter comes under subgen. Het...
Article
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Amanita pseudorufobrunnescens is described as a new species in the subgenus Amanitina section Amidella of family Amanitaceae from north-western Himalaya, India. Distinct morphological characters, odour and molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrLSU) data revealed that the present species differs from...
Article
In this new series of Fungal Biodiversity Profiles, the authors describe three new Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota) based on morphology, viz. Corethromyces gibbosus W. Rossi & Santam., sp. nov., C. marshallii W. Rossi & Santam., sp. nov. and Diphymyces torresii W. Rossi & Santam., sp. nov. In Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota), morphological features and m...
Article
In this new series of Fungal Biodiversity Profiles, the authors describe three new Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota) based on morphology, viz. Corethromyces gibbosus W. Rossi & Santam., sp. nov., C. marshallii W. Rossi & Santam., sp. nov. and Diphymyces torresii W. Rossi & Santam., sp. nov. In Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota), morphological features and m...
Article
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Since 2007, the quality of Russula descriptions has improved and the use of molecular support for species delimitation and the number of published new species has increased. However, the description style is not consistent and has regional or author-specific patterns. Most recent publications still favour descriptions of spores compared to hymenium...
Article
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Bondarzewia indohimalayana , a species collected from mixed temperate forest of Uttarakhand Himalaya in northern India, is proposed here as new to science. This mushroom is characterized by zonate pilei with different shades of brown, pale yellow margin with reddish tinge, irregular pores, thick context that turns pink to dark red with guaiacol, cl...
Article
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Macrofungal exploration to the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, followed by a thorough examination of collected wild agaricoid mushrooms uncovered one novel species (proposed here as Lactifluus indovolemus sp. nov.) and two more interesting species (L. acicularis and L. crocatus), which were recorded for the first time from this country....
Article
In this new series of Fungal Biodiversity Profiles, the authors describe seven new Russulales: five new species of Lactarius subg. Russularia and two new Russulas: descriptions and ITS sequences are provided for L. aurantiobrunneus X.H. Wang, sp. nov., L. collybioides X.H. Wang, sp. nov., L. exilis X.H. Wang, sp. nov., L. flaviaquosus X.H. Wang, sp...
Article
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Lactarius viridinigrellus, a milkcap with green-black matted-fibrillose azonate pileus is proposed here as a novel species under L. subg. Lactarius sect. Atroviridi from subalpine forests of Eastern Himalaya in India. Detailed morphological description, supporting illustrations and nrITS-based phylogenetic estimation are presented. Comparison with...
Article
A new species, Marasmius desjardinii belonging to Marasmius sect. Globulares is described from India. Its most distinct characters include: a distinctive odour of red chilli powder and the presence of pleurocystidia and pseudocystidia. Its detailed description, including drawings of microscopic features and a phylogenetic tree, is given. The differ...
Article
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Hericium rajendrae is proposed as a new species based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. This species is mainly characterized by reddish white to pale red coloured basidiomata, concolorous spines with acute to sub-acute or rounded apex, pleasant odour, monomitic hyphal system, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid minutely warty...
Article
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This article is the ninth in the series of Fungal Diversity Notes, where 107 taxa distributed in three phyla, nine classes, 31 orders and 57 families are described and illustrated. Taxa described in the present study include 12 new genera, 74 new species, three new combinations, two reference specimens, a re-circumscription of the epitype, and 15 r...
Article
Lactarius pleuromacrocystidiatus is proposed here as a new species in Lactarius subgen. Plinthogalus. It was collected from western Himalaya and is characterised by a radially rugose, yellowish-brown to light brown pileus and the presence of white latex which turns pale orange on the gills and yellow on the context, and the presence of pleuromacroc...
Article
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Lactarius pleuromacrocystidiatus is proposed here as a new species in Lactarius subgen. Plinthogalus. It was collected from western Himalaya and is characterised by a radially rugose, yellowish-brown to light brown pileus and the presence of white latex which turns pale orange on the gills and yellow on the context, and the presence of pleuromacroc...
Article
Full-text available
Tropical dry deciduous Shorea dominated forests in Jharkhand (India) harbour diverse groups of ectomycorrhizal macrofungi, including boletes. Repeated macrofungal explorations in different parts of this state followed by thorough investigation of collected samples uncovered a novel genus in the family Boletaceae subfamily Boletoideae. This genus is...
Article
Full-text available
In this new series of Fungal Biodiversity Profiles, the authors describe nine species new to science, four Ascomycota, as well as one Cantharellus and four Russula (Basidiomycota). Among Ascomycota, the lichen forming Cryptothecia odishensis sp. nov. (Arthoniales) is reported from tropical forests in India, while first Indian reports are given for...
Article
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An interesting species of the genus Gliophorus (sect. Glutinosae), collected from Sikkim Himalaya in India, is described here as G. glutinosus sp. nov. after thorough morphological examination and phylogenetic analysis. The species is mainly characterised by its strongly glutinous basidiomata throughout, particularly on the twisted stipe, decurrent...
Article
During the course of investigation of macrofungi of Uttarakhand Himalaya, India, authors collected several macrofungi from this region. After thorough examination of some of these macrofungal collections identified them as Amanita farinosa, A. sepiacea (family Amanitaceae); Hypomyces lateritius (family Hypocreaceae); Lactarius horakii, L. laeticolo...
Article
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Two new species of the genus Amanita are described from India. Amanita argenteoalba, a member of subgenus Lepidella section Lepidella, is characterized by its small to medium sized basidiocarps, white to silvery white pileus with brownish orange tinge, universal veil on pileus as floccose-felted to subfelted patches, rooting bulb covered by recurve...
Article
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Boletellus shoreae, characterized by a combination of features i.e. small (15–40 mm diam.), brownish red to reddish brown pileus yellow pore surface turning green when hurt or bruised, brown with 5% KOH, stipe yellow in upper 1/4th of its length, brownish red in lower 3/4th of its length, becoming green at upper part and greyish red to red towards...
Article
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Amanitatullossiana, a new species of Amanita [subgenus Lepidella] section Lepidella from India is described. The species is characterised by its ash grey to brownish-grey pileus covered with dark grey to greyish-black universal veil remnants, the upper part of its rooting stipe base covered by several rows of recurved scales, broadly ellipsoid to e...
Article
Russula darjeelingensis is characterized by its small sized white pileus with a tall and narrow stipe, white spore print, basidiospores with amyloid suprahilar spot and a pileipellis containing encrusted pileocystidia and absence of primordial hyphae. The combination of all these characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribe...