Conocybe rufostipes T. Bau & H.B. Song, 2023

Morera, Guillermo, Kuhar, Francisco, Rodriguez, Luisina, Carrera, Ignacio, Davyt, Danilo & Rizzo, Sandra Lupo, 2024, A new species and new records of dung-associated bolbitiaceous fungi (Bolbitiaceae, Basidiomycota) from Uruguay, Phytotaxa 678 (2), pp. 109-124 : 117-119

Conocybe rufostipes T. Bau & H.B. Song , in Song & Bau, Journal of Fungi 9 (9, no. 924): 1–32 (2023) ( Fig. 5 )

Description:— Pileus 1–2.5 × 0.8–1.5 cm, bell-shaped to conical, yellowish brown (5A5; Light Orange), hygrophanous, with a smooth surface, eroded in mature stage, opaque, dry, smooth, not pruinose. Margin slightly recurved, distinctive dark brown (6E8; Brown) to concolorous with surface. Lamellae close to tight, adnate to adnexed, surface darker brown than pileus (6E7; Brown), edge smooth. Stipe 3–6 × 0.2 cm, cylindrical, concolorous with surface (yellowish to light brown), darkening with time after being broken, with slight longitudinal striations, fibrous and brittle. Ring absent. Context pale brown (6D8; Light Brown), not bluing Smell farinaceous. Spore print ferruginous brown.

Basidiospores (9.7) 9.9–12.8 (12.9) × 5.1–7.1 (8.6) µm, Q=1.5–2,Qm=1.8, smooth, oblong, pigmented, yellowish brown to ferruginous; wall 1 µm thick, with droplets and an inconspicuous central rounded germ pore. Basidia 14.2– 27.9 × 8.9–11.4 µm, with 2–4 sterigmata, clavate to subclavate, hyaline. Cheilocystidia 11.1–18.4 × 3.9–7.3 µm, leptocystidia, lecythiform; neck 1.1–3.7 × 0.9–2.2 µm and capitate apex, 1.6–3.9 µm. Stipe hyphae 6.3–12.12 µm, parallel, yellowish brown, thick-walled. Pleurocystidia not observed. Hymenphoral trama intertwined hyphae to 1 µm in diameter. Pileipellis a hymeniform cystodermis, with sphaeropeduculate to clavate elements: 12–36.3 × 5.2–19.9 µm, interspersed with a few cylindrical pileocystidia (up to 30 µm length). Pileus trama composed of inflated hyphae or spherocysts. Caulocystidia isolated or in small groups, hair-like elements, 33–80 × 1.8–1.9 µm, irregular elements, 30 × 5.4 µm, and ventricose globose caulocystidia, 16.9–19.3 × 8.2–8.8 µm, with conspicuous to absent capitate apex.

Distribution and habitat. Described from China, probably occurring in India (according to our phylogenetic analysis) and now registered in Uruguay, growing gregariously (up to 4 specimens), on cow dung.

Additional specimens examined:— URUGUAY. Maldonado, Cerro Largo, Paso del Centurión, forest ecosystem, from cow dung (32° 8’ 28.9458" S 53° 43’ 51.276" W, elev. 75 m a.s.l.), 1 April 2021, B. Corallo (MVHC 5757). Conocybe fuscimarginata Arnolds & Hauskn. (1969: 210) (WU-MYC0003105), Conocybe elegans Watling 263 (1983) (WU-MYC0006510) and Conocybe incarnata (Jul. Schäff) Hauskn. & Arnolds (2003: 246) (WU-MYC0021897).

Pholiotina coprophila (Kühner) Singer, Trudy Botanicheskogo Instituta im. V.L. Komarova 6: 434 (1950 a). ( Fig. 6 ) Basionym:— Galera coprophila Kühner, Botaniste 17(1–4): 169 (1926).

Description:— Pileus 1–1.25 × 0.5–1.3 cm, convex to flat in lateral view, grayish brown (6E4; Brown), hygrophanous, smooth or slightly rough surface, shiny, translucent-striate when wet. Margin incurved to decurved, entire, concolorous with the surface (6C2; Brownish Grey). Lamellae subdistant, attached or adnate, entire, ochraceous (6C6; Brownish Orange). Stipe 2–2.5 × 0.25 cm, isodiametric cylindrical base, yellowish (5C5; Brownish Orange) to pale whitish (5A2; Orange-white); surface with longitudinal striae and fibrous consistency. Ring absent. Context slim, light brown. Smell not distinctive. Spore print dark brown.

Basidiospores 10.3–14.3 (14.6) × 5.3–8.5 µm, Q=1.5–2, Qm 1.8, oblong, smooth, pigmented, yellowish brown to ferruginous with 1.6 µm thick wall and a visible germ pore with truncated apex. Basidia 12.6–26.1 × 8.5–12.6 µm, with 4 sterigmata, spheropedunculate to subclavate, hyaline. Cheilocystidia 20.9–51 × 7.1–16 µm, lageniform to long-necked lageniform, hyaline leptocystidia with a ventricose base and non-capitate apex and a 1.5 µm thick wall. Pleurocystidia absent. Hymenophoral trama made up of interwoven hyphae, up to 1.5 µm diam. Pileipellis a hymeniform cystodermis with pyriform to ampuliform elements measuring 17.2–37.9 × 9.2–22.5 µm, scarce cylindrical elements, 33.4–33.9 × 6–8 0.4 µm, and hairs, 85–120 × 3–5 µm. Pileus trama composed of yellowish intermingled hyphae, 2.5 µm in diameter. Stipe hyphae 6.3–12.12 µm in diameter, yellowish brown, parallel, thick-walled. Caulocystidia clusters of cylindrical to clavate-inflated and some lageniform elements, 22.7–64.9 × 6.5–25.8 µm.

Distribution and habitat: Spread in temperate steppes and meadows with extensively pastured regions worldwide (Singer 1950 a, Hausknecht 2009, Niveiro & Albertó 2012). This is the first specimen collected from Uruguay growing gregariously (up to 3 basidiomes) on cow dung.

Specimen examined:— URUGUAY. Maldonado, Cerro Largo, Paso del Centurión, forest ecosystem, on cow dung (32° 8’ 28.9458" S 53° 43’ 51.276" W´´, elev., 75 m a.s.l.), 1 April 2021, B. Corallo (MVHC 5758).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Macro and micro-morphological photos of Conocybe rufostipes MVHC 5757. A–B. Basidiomes, C–D. Basidia, E. Basidiospores. F. Caulocystidia, G–H. Cheilocystida, I–J. Pileipellis. Scale bars: (A) 1 cm; (B) 0.5 cm; (C–J) 10 µm. Photos by: G. Morera.

FIGURE 6. Macro and micro-morphological photos of Pholiotina coprophila MVHC 5758. A–B. Basidiomes, C–D. Basidia, E. Basidiospores, F. Pileipelis, G. Caulocystidia, H–J. Cheilocystida. Scale bars: (A and B) 0,5 cm; (C–J): 10 µm. Photos by: G. Morera.