NAMC – Newsletter of the Asian Mycological Committee

Introduction
Overview of Biodiversity in Laos
Lao PDR is considered to be globally important for biodiversity conservation due to its
relatively high forest cover and high diversity of flora and fauna. Approximately 41% of Lao PDR
is covered with forest which contains an estimated 8,000-11,000 species of flowering plants.
The country’s fauna includes 166 reported species of reptiles and amphibians, at least 700 bird
species, 90 known species of bats and at least 100 species of large mammals (STEA, 2003), and
fungi 60 species (Phengsintham & Hyde, 2003a).
Mycological studies from 1959 to 1974
1959-1974 it was the war condition period and temporary stop studying in Mycology,
and for teaching curriculum only mentioned about general information about fungi.
The fungi of Laos were little studied. Vidal (1959), a French botanist, published a
checklist of plant species of Laos which included 33 species of Lao fungi. Almost all names of
fungi are local names, but include some scientific names.
Mycological studies from 1975 to 2011
For this period can be divided into two phases:
(1) In 1975, combined two institutes such as Viengxay Pedagogical Institute, in Hua
Phanh province and Dongdok Pedagogical Institute into one institute called “Dongdok
Pedagogical Institute of Vientiane, Lao PDR”. The study in Mycology is focused on general
information about fungi. In that time, the Kingdom fungi still belong to plant.
(2) In 1996, the National University of Laos was established on the Prime Minister’s
Decree No. 50/PM, dated 09/06/1995 and began first academic year on 5 November 1996, by
merging 10 higher learning institution previously operated under different governmental
department and ministries to form a full-fledged university called “National University of Laos
(NUOL)”. The one of the main objectives is to educate Lao students to become qualified