Candolleomyces albosquamosus

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About Candolleomyces albosquamosus

It is the new species belonging to the genus Candolleomyces which is relatively small genus with just 35 species recognised worldwide.
It has white woolly scale-like structures on its pileus or cap.
It grows to a height of just about 58 mm.
The ‘cap,’ or pileus, of a mature Candolleomyces albosquamosus is 12 mm to 38.5 mm in diameter and bell-shaped.
The honey-yellow coloured pileus turns brownish-gray or brownish-beige with age.
The ‘stipe’(the stem or stalk) of the mushroom is white in colour and cylindrical.
Habitats of Candolleomyces albosquamosus include dead logs or bamboo culms in the natural forest.

What are mushrooms?

Mushrooms constitute secondary saprophytic fungi of the forest ecosystem.
Secondary saprophytic fungi play a very important role in the decomposition of plant litter.
The Western Ghats region in Kerala is rich in fungi, many of which could also be described as endemic to the region.

Q1) What are saprophytes?

These are a group of fungi that obtain their nutrition by decomposing dead organic matter. These fungi play a crucial role in ecosystems by breaking down and recycling organic material, such as dead plants, fallen leaves, and wood, into simpler substances.

Source: Researchers identify a new mushroom species from the Western Ghats