Fungi
The number of fungi occurring in Bhutan, including lichen-forming species, is not known but is undoubtedly large, with many species yet to be discovered. Fungi form a key part of Bhutanese ecosystems, with mycorrhizal species providing forest trees with mineral nutrients necessary for growth, and with wood decay and litter decomposing species playing an important role in natural recycling. One fungus particularly important in Bhutan is Ophiocordyceps sinensis. This fungus is found in meadows at higher altitudes where it parasitizes and kills a particular species of moth as it pupates while buried in the ground. The fruitbodies grow out from the moth cadaver and emerge among the plants of the meadow, reaching a total height of a few centimetres. The fungus is important because of its enormous value in traditional Chinese medicine, and it is one of very few organisms other than animals to have been specifically listed in Bhutan's national biodiversity strategy and action plan.
Read more about this topic: Subdivisions Of Bhutan, Biodiversity