• Dr Justin R Nayagam
• Saira George
• K I Mani Varghese

Sacred groves of tropics are treasure houses of biodiversity are part of tradition, with minimal human interaction in homesteads and hence it is known to be rich in biodiversity from historic time. Taxonomical and ecological studies on different groups of fungi from ten selected sacred groves sites of Central Kerala were studied. Twenty species of fungi were identified from these conserved patches of land. Of these eight were wood rotting fungi and twelve were litter fungi, all indicates their role in bio-geochemical cycle of these regions. Helminthosporium velutinum was a new species record to this region. Torula herbarum found on a new host Ervatamia coronaria. Present studies project that the presence of macro-fungal flora is an indication of limited interaction in the sacred groves and hence the quality of land resources will be considerably good.

Sacred groves, fungi, ecosystem, biodiversity, kavu

"FUNGAL FLORA OF TROPICAL SACRED GROVES: INDICATOR FOR BALANCED ERVERGREEN ECOSYSTEMS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 6, page no.784-789, June-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1806359.pdf

"FUNGAL FLORA OF TROPICAL SACRED GROVES: INDICATOR FOR BALANCED ERVERGREEN ECOSYSTEMS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 6, page no. pp784-789, June-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1806359.pdf