Fungi on Postal Stamps: Where are we?
Author: M. V. Deshpande
Greenvention Biotech Pvt. Ltd., Uruli-Kanchan-412202, Maharashtra, India
Email: mvdeshpande1952@gmail.com
Abstract
When brought together, philatelic mycology and mycotechnology offer a unique lens through which multiple facets of fungal life can be appreciated. Fungi constitute the second largest group of organisms on Earth after insects. Beyond their visual appeal—particularly in the case
of mushrooms—fungi exhibit remarkable physiological traits, including bioluminescence and the production of diverse bioactive metabolites, making them highly significant in mycotechnology. One of the earliest postage stamps featuring fungi depicted an ethanol-producing yeast and was issued by the Japanese government. Since then, various countries worldwide have released thousands of stamps with fungal themes. Despite India’s vast and rich fungal diversity, not a single postage stamp featuring fungi has been issued to date. This study highlights the scientific, cultural, and aesthetic significance of fungi that have strong potential for representation on future postal stamps.
Keywords: First day cover, fungi, morphology, mycophilately, photogenic appeal, postal stamps
Document Type: Review Article
Citation: Deshpande, M. V. (2026). Fungi on postal stamps: Where are we ?. Mycological Spectrum, 2(1), 63-75.
Received: 11 January 2026 | Accepted: 18 January 2026 | Published: 26 January 2026.
Handling Editor: Dr. S.K. Deshmukh | Reviewers: Dr. S.K. Singh & Dr. Shilpa A. Verekar
Copyright: ©2026 Deshpande, M.V. (2026). Fungi on postal stamps: Where are we? Mycological Spectrum, 2(1), 63-75.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution, or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor is credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. Use, distribution, or reproduction is only permitted if it complies with these terms.
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