According to a report from the Sri Lankan Scientist Magazine, Dr. Aseni Navoda Ediriweera and her research team from Mae Fah Luang University in Thailand and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have made significant discoveries in the field of mycology. They have identified two new mushroom species and a new record of a mushroom species in Sri Lanka.

Under the guidance of Professor Samantha C. Karunarathna, the team successfully identified and classified the new species. The first new species has been named Candolleomyces ruhunensis, while the second one is called Termitomyces srilankensis. These findings mark the first time that a mushroom species has been named after a university, signifying the importance and recognition of their research efforts.

Additionally, the team also reported a new record of Crepidotus striatus in the wet zone of Sri Lanka, particularly in the Kanneliya forest. This species was previously only recorded in China, making this discovery a significant expansion of its known distribution.

Dr. Aseni Navoda Ediriweera expressed the significance of these discoveries, explaining that records of mushrooms in Sri Lanka date back to the 1700s. However, comprehensive research on mushrooms began only in the early 2000s. The identification of Candolleomyces ruhunensis marks the first record of this particular species, and the discovery of Termitomyces srilankensis adds to the growing knowledge of the fungal diversity in the region. The record of Crepidotus striatus in the Kanneliya forest is also noteworthy, as it represents the second known record of this species and was previously identified as a new species in China.

These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on Sri Lanka’s mushroom biodiversity. The research conducted by Dr. Aseni Navoda Ediriweera and her team highlights the importance of further exploration and study of fungi, shedding light on the rich and diverse fungal world that exists within the country.