J. Biol. Chem. Chron. 2016, 2(2), 36-41 ISSN (Print): 2454 – 7468 ISSN (Online): 2454 - 7476 www.eresearchco/jbcc/ J. Biol. Chem. Chron. 2016, 2(2), 36-41 36 INTRODUCTION: The macrofungi includes fungi with the macroscopic fructifications. Macrofungi are categorized into fleshy fungi (mushrooms), polypores, jelly fungi and puffballs etc. Fungi are eukaryotic het- erotrophs lacking photosynthetic capacity and gain nutrition by absorption. 1 They reproduce both by asexual and sexual reproduction. The macrofungi produce the visible fruiting bodies (ascomata in case of ascomycota and basidioma in case of basidiomycota) for their reproduction. The ascomata and basidioma play a significant role in the taxonomy of macrofungi. A large number of these fungi are edi- ble and medicinally important and are considered as one of the important non-wood forest products (NWFP) collected world over and used for subsist- ence purpose as well as sold on local markets and elsewhere. 2 The dead wood inhabiting fungi cause de- cay/degradation of wood by acting on cellulose and lignin which are the two main components of wood. When both cellulose and lignin are utilized by the fungus, leaving a whitish residue, it is called white rot and when just cellulose is utilized, leaving a brown residue consisting of remaining chemically modified (demethylated) lignin, it is called brown rot. 3 & 4 Since the brown rot fungi also grow on saprophytes on standing dead wood, a large industry has evolved worldwide to develop and produce chemicals to pre- vent wood decay. Brown rot fungus cultures are used in the laboratory testing of wood preservatives before they are brought to the market. Brown rot fungal en- zymes involved in hemicellulose degradation have been studied for bioindustrial applications. 5 Diversity and Distribution of Macrofungi in the Valley of Flowers National Park Hem Chander Department of Biosciences, Division Botany, Career Point University, Hamirpur (H.P.), INDIA. * Correspondance: E-mail: hemchander78@gmail.com (Received 24 Aug, 2016; Accepted 13 Oct, 2016; Published 24 Oct, 2016) ABSTRACT: This paper presents first records of one hundred and six species of macrofungi belonging to sixty gen- era from the Valley of Flowers National Park. Out of these 106 species, eight species belong to seven genera (viz. Daldinia Ces. & De Not., Geoglossum Pers., Helvella L., Hypoxylon Bull., Morchella Dill. ex Pers., Trichoglossum Boud and Xylaria Hill ex Schrank) of four families (viz. Geoglossaceae Corda, Helvellaceae Fr., Morchellaceae Rchb. and Xylariaceae Tul. & C. Tul.) of Ascomycota, and ninety eight species belong to fifty three genera (viz. Auricularia Bull., Antrodia Karst., Astraeus Morgan, Bjerkandera Karst., Bovista Pers., Calocera (Fr.) Fr., Chaetoderma Parmasto, Clavulinopsis Overeem, Coltricia Gray, Cristinia Parm., Daedalea Pers., Daedaleopsis Schröt., Favolus Fr., Flavodon Ryv., Fomes (Fr.) Fr., Fomitopsis Karst., Ganoderma Karst., Gloeophyllum Karst., Heterobasidion Bref., Hexagonia Fr., Inonotus Karst., Irpex Fr., Junghuhnia Corda, Laetiporus Murr., Lentinus Fr., Lenzites Fr., Lycoperdon Pers., Microporus Beauv., Nigroporus Murr., Oxyporus (Bourdot & Galzin) Donk, Peniophora Cooke, Phanerochaete Karst., Phellinus Quél., Phlebiopsis Jülich, Phylloporia Murr., Polyporus (Pers.) Gray, Poria Pers., Postia Fr., Pycnoporus Karst., Rigidoporus Murr., Schizophyllum Fr., Schizopora Velen., Scleroderma Pers., Scopuloides (Massee) Höhn. & Litsch., Serpula (Pers.) Gray, Skeletocutis Kotl. & Pouzar, Spongipellis Pat., Stereum Hill ex Pers., Trametes Fr., Tremella Pers., Trichaptum Murr., Tubulicrinus Donk and Xylobolus Karst.) of twenty five families (viz. Astraeaceae Zeller ex Jülich, Atheliaceae Jülich, Auriculariaceae Fr., Bondarzewiaceae Kotl. & Pouzer, Clavariaceae Chevall., Coniophoraceae Ulbr., Dacrymycetaceae Schröt, Fomitopsidaceae Jülich, Ganodermataceae (Donk) Donk, Gloeophyllaceae Jülich, Hapalopilaceae Jülich, Hymenochaetaceae Imazeki & Toki, Lycoperdaceae Chevall., Meripilaceae Jülich, Meruliaceae Karst., Peniophoraceae Lotsy, Phanerochaetaceae Jülich, Polyporaceae Fr. Ex Corda, Schizophyllaceae Qύel., Schizoporaceae Jülich, Sclerodermataceae Corda, Steccherinaceae Parmesto, Stereaceae Pilat, Tremellaceae Fr. and Tubulicrinaceae Jülich) of Basidiomycota. Keywords: Natural World Heritage Site; Western Himalaya; Valley of Flowers National Park and Macrofungi.