Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment · 29 January 2026

St. Xavier’s College researchers discover Hemileccinum indicum mushroom in Uttarakhand oak forests

Exam-focused facts from the 29 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • Researchers at St. Xavier’s College, Jharkhand, identified Hemileccinum indicum, a new mushroom species, in the oak forests of Uttarakhand at 2,600 m altitude.
  • This is the first record of the genus Hemileccinum in India.
  • DNA sequencing and electron microscopy revealed the species’ distinctive pitted spores.