Researcher, 2011;3(5) http://www.sciencepub.net/researcher http://www.sciencepub.net/researcher researcher135@gmail.com 13 Volvariella of West Bengal, India I. Arun Kumar Dutta 1 , Prakash Pradhan 1 , Anirban Roy 2 , Krishnendu Acharya 1 * 1* Molecular and Applied Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, - 700019, India. 2 West Bengal Biodiversity Board, Paribesh Bhawan, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal, - 700098, India. Email: krish_paper@yahoo.com Abstract: Different species of Volvariella, under the family Pluteaceae was collected from different places of West Bengal and was found to be predominant in this state. A detailed macro and microscopic features of those species were presented in this paper. [Dutta AK, Pradhan P, Roy A, Acharya K. Volvariella of West Bengal, India I. Researcher. 2011;3(5):13-17]. (ISSN: 1553-9865). http://www.sciencepub.net . Key words: India, Macrofungi, Volvariella gloiocephala, Volvariella pusilla, Volvariella volvacea, West Bengal 1. Introduction India is a treasure house of fungal diversity. Compilation of Indian fungal occurrence suggests more than 27000 species of fungi which forms the largest biotic community after insects (Sarbhoy et al. 1996). But this number depicts only a fraction of total fungal wealth that has been subjected to scientific scrutiny (Swapna et al. 2008). Taxonomic studies of Indian macrofungi have recently been reported to be in decline (Hyde 2003) and this is a rising cause of concern among macrofungal conservationists and enthusiasts especially when so little is known and much is waiting to be explored. Inventories in state of West Bengal by author’s group during last decade have helped to reveal the richness of macrofungal diversity of the state (Acharya and Acharya 2001; Acharya and Bhutia 2003; Acharya et al. 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c, 2005, 2009a, 2009b, 2010a, 2010b; Rai et al. 2005) which is mainly attributed to the milieu of ecological domains with variable combination of altitudinal (coastal-subalpine), climatic and edaphic factors. The genus Volvariella is a sharply circumscribed group of agaric species which is characterized macroscopically by having pink colour spores, free lamellae, an exannulate stipe and volvate base. The genus is widely distributed; species have been reported from tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions of both the eastern and the western hemispheres. More than one hundred species, subspecies, and varieties, which today would be considered to belong in Volvariella, have been described from throughout the world (Shaffer 1957). There are report of 15 species of Volvariella from India. State of West Bengal has reports of five species of Volvariella like V. castanea (Massee) Roth., V. delicatula Massee., V. diplasia Berk & Br., V. thwaitesii (Hooker) Roth. and V. terastria (Berk. & Br.) Singer. In this communication we are reporting Volvariella gloiocephala (DC.) Boekhout & Enderle, Volvariella pusilla (Pers.) Singer and Volvariella volvacea (Bull.) Singer from the state of West Bengal, India. 2. Materials and methods The study materials were collected during the field trip of different regions of South 24 Pargana district of West Bengal, India. The morphological and ecological features were noted and colour photographs were taken in the field. Latitude/ Longitude and elevation of the place was noted with Garmin etrex GPS machine. The specimens were brought to the laboratory and microscopic features were determined by using Carl Zeiss AX10 Imager A1 phase contrast microscope. The specimens were identified according to Shaffer, 1957 and Seok, et al., 2002. Observation Taxonomy** Volvariella gloiocephala (DC.) Boekhout & Enderle, Beitr. Kenntn. Pilze Mitteleur. 2: 78 (1986) Synonyms** Agaricus gloiocephalus DC., in de Candolle & Lamarck, Fl. franç., Edn 3 (Paris) 5/6: 52 (1815) Agaricus speciosus Fr., Observ. mycol. (Havniae) 2: 1 (1818) Amanita speciosa Fr., Observ. mycol. (Havniae) 2: 1 (1818) Pluteus speciosus (Fr.) Fr., Anteckn. Sver. Ätl. Svamp.: 34 (1836) Volvaria gloiocephala (Fr.) Gillet, Hyménomycètes (Alençon): 388 (1876) Volvaria speciosa (Fr.) P. Kumm., Führ. Pilzk. (Zwickau): 99 (1871) Volvaria speciosa f. gloiocephala (DC.) Konrad & Maubl., Icon. Select. Fung. 6: 52 (1924) Volvaria speciosa (Fr.) P. Kumm., Führ. Pilzk. (Zwickau): 99 (1871) f. speciosa Volvaria speciosa var. gloiocephala (DC.) R. Heim,