Three new species of the genus Agaricus were discovered in Punjab, India between 2008-2012: A. stellatus-cuticus, A. punjabensis, and A. patialensis. A. stellatus-cuticus is characterized by a stellate splitting cap surface and abundant cheilocystidia. A. punjabensis is campestroid with an annulate stipe lacking brown scales and a pileus cuticle that does not change in KOH. A. patialensis has small, golden brown carpophores with a distinctly bulbous stipe. These new discoveries were identified through detailed examination of macroscopic and microscopic characteristics.

1. SPECIES OF GENUS AGARICUS L.: FR. - NEW TO SCIENCE
Harwinder Kaur and Munruchi Kaur
Department of Botany Punjabi University, Patiala
harwinderkaur.1@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Genus Agaricus L.: Fr. is one of the major genus of family Agaricaceae. It is represented by 200 species the world over (Kirk et al., 2008) and is characterized by having
carpophores with convex, smooth or scaly pileus, lamellae free, pinkish when young, chocolate brown in age. Stipe central, fleshy, annulate, annulus single ring like or double
sheath like. Spore print grayish brown to dark brown. In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the taxonomy of the wild growing species of this genus with
detailed description of macroscopic and microscopic characters alongwith Camera Lucida drawings. From 2008-2012, 58 specimens belonging to 39 species were collected
from various localities and sublocalities of Punjab state. Of which 3 species viz. Agaricus stellatus-cuticus sp. nov., A. punjabensis sp. nov. and A. patialensis sp. nov. were
proposed as new to science.
 Collection of material
 Macroscopic characters
 Spore deposit
 Drying and preservation
 Microscopic observations
 Identification
 Documentation
HABITAT AREA SURVEYED
Agaricus stellatus-cuticus Atri,
M. Kaur and A. Kaur sp. nov.
Agaricus punjabensis Munruchi Kaur
& Harwinder Kaur sp. nov.
Agaricus patialensis Harwinder Kaur
& Munruchi Kaur sp. nov.
DISCUSSION
During mushroom collection from various localities of Punjab during the monsoon
season three very interesting species of Agaricus L.: Fr. were met with. Agaricus
stellatus-cuticus sp. nov., A. punjabensis sp. nov. and A. patialensis sp. nov.
A. stellatus-cuticus: characterized by a stellate splitting cap surface, short stipe,
abundant cheilocystidia. (Allied sp. A. endoxanthus)
A. punjabensis: campestroid, annulate, annulus without any brownish scales,
Pileus cuticle unchanging in KOH, Cheilocystidia abundant.
(Allied sp. A. subrufescens)
A. patialensis: Carpophores small sized, golden brown, distinctly bulbous stipe
(Section Arvenses).
 Stellate splitting pileus surface.
 Short stipe, abundant cheilocystidia.
 5.07-6.76 x 4.22-5.07 µm basidiospores.
 Allied Sp. A. endoxanthus: Stipe larger, Spores are
smaller.
 Collection examined: Punjab: Patiala (251 m),
Village Shambu, growing scattered on leaf litter
and humicolous soil along roadside, Munruchi
Kaur and Harwinder Kaur, PUN 5911, September
17, 2010 (Type).
Hotson, J. W. and Stuntz, D. E. 1938. The genus Agaricus in Western Washington. Mycologia
30: 204-234.
Singer, R. 1986. The Agaricales in Modern Taxonomy. (4th Ed.) Sven Koeiltz Scientific
Books, Germany. pp. 981.
Pegler, D. N. 1977. A Preliminary Agaric flora of East Africa. Kew Bull. Addi. Ser. 6: 1-615.
Arora, D. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified. A comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi. Ten
Speed Press. Berkeley, California. pp. 959.
Freeman, A. E. H. 1979. Agaricus in South Eastern United States. Mycotaxon 8 (1): 50-118.
Murrill, W. A. 1922. Dark spored agarics-III Agaricus. Mycologia 14: 200-221.
Section Sanguinolenti negative Schaeffer’s reaction
Slowly changing flesh from white to brown,
Gill edges sterile with well developed cheilocystidia.
Carpophores are campestroid,
Annulus is single without any brownish scales.
Spore size 6.76-8.45 x 4.22-5.07 µm.
Allied Sp. Agaricus subrufescens Peck
Collection examined: Punjab: Bathinda (211 m), Hoshiarpur
(295 m), growing scattered among congress grass humid soil
along roadside, Harwinder Kaur, PUN 5894, July 22,
2011(Type), PUN 5893, August 15, 2011.
Section Arvenses.
Small sized, distinctly
bulbous, stipe changing to
yellowish brown on handling.
Basidiospores 4.2-6.76 x
3.38-4.2 µm.
Cheilocystidia small sized,
subspherical, double walled,
granular, often aggregated in
chains.
This species gave positive
Schaeffer’s reaction.
Collection examined:
Punjab: Bathinda (211 m),
Patiala (251 m), Harwinder
Kaur, PUN 5900, July 31,
2009; Anil Gupta, PUN 1324,
September 29, 1988 (Type).
LITERATURE CONSULTED
MATERIAL & METHODS