2019Flora - First Day Cover

Fungi are a diverse group of organisms that belongs to the particular empire of the living world, other than plants and animals. The science that studies them is called mycology. They often live in symbiosis with plants, they can be parasites or decompose the remains of organic matter.

During the course of more than a century of mycological research in Serbia, for the first time, a large number of previously unknown fungi species have been discovered here. The first example of the newly discovered species which is found by a certain researcher serves to describe this species scientifically. It is placed in the scientific collection at a museum or other scientific institution and it is called a HOLOTYPE. A larger number of holotypes of the species discovered in Serbia is kept at the National fungarium, the collection of mushrooms at the Natural History Museum in Belgrade. Almost the entire organized knowledge on distribution, diversity and interrelations in the living world, as well as the system of scientific nomenclature, are based on the studying of representative specimen of living beings, holotypes of plants, fungi and animals in collections and at museums. These collections are the foundation for further researches of some basic phenomena in the living world: evolution, ecology, influence of climatic changes, biogeography, animals’ behaviour, agricultural phenomena, and sociological and cultural phenomena.

Psilocybe serbica M. M. Moser & E. Horak M. M. Moser & E. Horak

Vojteh Lindnter, a curator of the Natural History Museum and a famous Austrian mycologist Meinhard Moser discovered this rare species in 1963 on Tara mountain, and later it was found in other European countries. The fungus is toxic and hallucinogen.

Tuber petrophilum Milenković, P. Jovan, Grebenc, Ivančević & Marković Milenković, P. Jovan, Grebenc, Ivančević & Marković

A rare species of truflles which was discovered in 2004 by Miroljub Milenković who later publicized his discovery with his associates. It grows in rock cracks which makes it unique among truflles. Up to this day, it was only found in Serbia, on Tara mountain.

Coprinopsis picacea (Bull.) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo (Bull.) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo

An unusual fungus from the group of Coprinus. Although it was first discovered in France in 18th century, it is important in Serbia because it can be seen on the emblem of the Mycologist society of Serbia, an expert society of mycoligists.

Octospora pannosa T. Richter, M. Vega & D. Savić

A tiny fungus, it parasitizes on moss Brachytheciastrum velutinum. It was found by Dragiša Savić in 2018 on Fruška Gora mountain. At the same time the same species was found in Germany, and the data were joined and then the discovery of the new species was formally announced.

Expert collaboration: Dr. Boris Ivančević, Natural history Museum in Belgrade.

Artistic realization of the stamps: Miroslav Nikolić