KOTA KINABALU: A group of secondary school students here have unearthed a rare coral fungus that has not been seen in Sabah for 60 years.
The students found the fungus, known as phaeoclavulina cokeri, on a hill on Universiti Malaysia Sabah's campus during the Friends of BORNEENSIS programme.
The fungus, which has a coral-like structure, can be found in North America, China, India, and parts of Southeast Asia. It plays a crucial role in the enrichment of soil.
The students who found the fungus are Muhammad Aqil Fahmi Mahadimenakbar (SMK Tebobon), Muhammad Daniel Ashraff Abdullah (SMK Likas), and Cleasha Joiee Alfius (SM All Saints).
Meanwhile, a separate group of students also found another rare fungus, Marasmius elegans during the programme.
"This not only enriches our understanding of fungal diversity in Sabah but also emphasises the untapped potential that exists in our forests," said Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation director Associate Professor Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim in a statement.