First report of Caloboletus guanyui (Boletaceae) in India: Taxonomic and phylogenetic insights from Mizoram

The family Boletaceae primarily consists of ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are essential for maintaining the health of forest ecosystems. These fungi form symbiotic relationships with trees, facilitating nutrient exchange and en?hancing plant growth. In the present study, specimens of Caloboletus guan?yui were collected from the Mizoram University campus during the rainy season of 2023. Identification was based on both morphological characteris?tics and molecular analysis of the ITS region of rDNA, with phylogenetic analysis further confirming the distinctiveness of Caloboletus guanyui from closely related species within the genus Caloboletus Vizzini. This medium?sized to large bolete is characterized by its dirty-white to pale-brown pileus and the basidiospores are elliptic-fusiform (spindle-shaped) to subfusiform 9.5–11.5 × 3.5–4.5 ?m. This study represents the first recorded occurrence of Caloboletus guanyui in the tropical moist deciduous forests of Mizoram, India, thereby expanding the known distribution of this species. These new findings enhance our understanding of bolete diversity in India, particularly within the unique forest ecosystems of Mizoram.