Manuscript Abstract

A NOVEL SPECIES OF MALLOCYBE (INOCYBACEAE) FROM GILGIT-BALTISTAN, PAKISTAN
Hanza Ahmad Khan, Sobia Ilyas, Samina Sarwar, Abdul Razaq

H. A. Khan1, S. Ilyas1,2*, S. Sarwar3 and A. Razaq4

1Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, 54590 Pakistan

2 Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, 38655, United States of America

3Institute of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

4Department of Botany, Faculty of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Ravi Campus, Pattoki, 54000, Pakistan

Corresponding Author: silyas@olemiss.edu
Page Number(s): 902-909
Published Online First: March 02, 2026
Publication Date: May 05, 2026
ABSTRACT

The genus Mallocybe has been recently delineated within the family Inocybaceae. Its recognition is based on distinctive macro-anatomical features as well as molecular phylogenetic evidence. Despite this advancement, the genus remains globally understudied. In Pakistan in particular, Mallocybe is underexplored, and its species diversity has yet to be systematically assessed. In this study, a fungal specimen was collected from Fairy Meadows (35.38685°N, 74.58416°E) at an elevation of approximately 3,300 meters in Gilgit-Baltistan. Comprehensive morpho-anatomical examination was conducted, alongside molecular characterization targeting the internal trnscribed spacer (ITS) region of nrDNA. The ITS sequence was amplified, sequenced, and analyzed phylogenetically to determine its taxonomic affiliation. This integrative approach led to the identification of a novel species, Mallocybe gilgitica, characterized by a depressed pileus with orange-brown fibrillose surface and dextrinoid basidiospores. Phylogenetic inference revealed a close affinity with Mallocybecrassivelata and Mallocybe leucoblema. This study reports a new Mallocybe species from Pakistan, identified through integrated morphological and molecular analyses, and highlights its valuable contribution to the fungal diversity of Pakistan.

Keywords: Fungal systematics, morphological traits, sequencing, South Asia
Open Access: This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).


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