This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Miller, O. K. Articles by Evenson, V. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Miller, O. K., Jr. Articles by Evenson, V. Agricola Articles by Miller, O. K. Articles by Evenson, V.

A new subspecies of Mycenastrum corium from Colorado

     P.O. Box 858, McCall, Idaho 83638

Rosa-Lee Brace
Vera Evenson

     Denver Botanic Gardens, 909 York Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-3799

	ABSTRACT

TOP ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS LITERATURE CITED

 

During field work in Colorado an unusual form of Mycenastrum corium with a deep rusty red to reddish orange gleba was found. The species exists worldwide and lacks a previous description of the gleba at maturity other than olive brown, brown to purple brown. A subspecies is proposed for this unusual population found in an area where normal populations with the typical glebal color are found.

Key words: Basidiomycetes, Lycoperdales, Mycenastraceae

	INTRODUCTION

TOP ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS LITERATURE CITED

 
Recent molecular studies by Krüger et al (2001) have supported the inclusion of Mycenastrum corium in the Lycoperdales where it has been placed traditionally (Miller and Miller 1988).

Dring (1973) mentions two species in the genus but Pilát (1958) in Europe lists only Mycenastrum corium (Guers. ex DC.) Desv. Grgurinovic (1997) provides a long list of synonyms but states that Mycenastrum contains a single cosmopolitan species. Bottomley (1948) in South Africa, Cunningham in Australia and New Zealand (1944), Hollós (1904) in Hungary as well as Smith and Smith (1973) in the United States also list a single species. In Europe it is found in southern Scandinavia (Hansen and Knudsen 1997) and widespread to the south but not in the United Kingdom (Pegler et al 1995).

In North America it is most common in the western United States. Smith (1951) describes the species from Michigan. He describes the development of the gleba as white when young, then yellowish olivaceous to olive-brown and finally even purplish brown. A collection made in Wyoming (Miller 1980) has a brown gleba, one in Owyhee County, Idaho, (OKM 8350) a brown gleba, and one near Martinsdale, Montana, also a brown gleba (FIG. 1). The authors collected Mycenastrum corium ssp. corium (DBG 19038) (FIG. 3) in a grass community at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, Jefferson County, Colorado, not far from the holotype location for M. corium ssp. ferrugineum. The gleba of M. corium ssp. corium is olive-brown (Met 5D6-7) over the margin to deep brown (Met 6E6-7) over the center of the gleba. The new subspecies described here was collected by the second author.

View larger version (95K): [in this window] [in a new window]   FIGS. 1, 2. Mycenastrum corium ssp. ferrugineum DBG 19432. 1. Capillitium in 3% KOH shows typical spines and morphology. 2. Capillitium in water shows the encrusted orange pigmentation of the new subspecies. Bars = 10 µm.

View larger version (104K): [in this window] [in a new window]   FIGS. 3, 4. Mycenastrum corium. 3. Mycenastrum corium ssp. corium DBG 19038 with typical olivaceous brown gleba collected near location of the new subspecies. Bar = 1 cm. 4. Mycenastrum corium ssp. ferrugineum DBG 19423, HOLOTYPE shows the orange gleba of the new taxon. Bar = 1 cm.

	MATERIALS AND METHODS

TOP ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS LITERATURE CITED

Mycenastrum corium ssp. ferrugineum O.K. Mill, R. Brace & V. Evenson ssp. nov. FIGS. 1, 2 and 4

Fructificatio 5.5–7.5 cm lata, quum inexpansa ovalis vel subdepressa, sub maturitate in radios 6–9 obtusos vel acutos findens, quum plene aperta usque ad 8–10 cm lata, ovalis vel subdepressa, 3.5–4.5 cm alta. Exoperidium tenax (1–2 mm crassum) glabrum exasperatum aurantiaco-bubalinum vel colore hebeti-albescenti. Gleba firma, glomus glebale laeve distincte rubiginosorubrum vel rufidulo-aurantiacum formans. Columnae parvae contortae e materia glebali compositae visibiles, protrudentes vel erecto-digitiformes. Basis sterilis nulla.

Capillitium e cellulis arcte circinatis crassitunicatis compositum, 6–10 µm diametro, processibus spiniformibus plerumque 2–5 µm diametro, aliquibus partibus terminali-bus ramulos apicales contortos formantibus. Partes capillitii pigmento valde aurantiaco incrustatae. Sporae globosae vel paene subglobosae, 9.0–12.6 x 9.0–12.6 µm (Q = 1.01: 1.0–1.1, n = 31) ornamenta includentes, verrucis obtuso-acutis erectis 1.2–2.0(–3.2) µm ad basem reticulo infirmo ornatae, hyalinae, parietibus in aqua flavis, in 3% KOH valde flavis praeditae.

Holotypus in prato aprico in communitate graminea lectus, Jefferson County, Colorado, 14 Mar 1998. Leg. R-L D. & R.D. Brace (DBG 19432 Holotype, CO).

Fruiting body 5.5–7.5 cm broad slightly depressed when unexpanded, at maturity splitting into 6–9 blunt to pointed rays expanding to 8–10 cm wide when fully open, oval to slightly depressed, 3.5–4.5 cm high. Exoperidium tough (1–2 mm thick) glabrous, becoming roughened pale orange-buff (Met 7A B2) to dull whitish, peeling in places to reveal a dull brown endoperidium (Met 7 D5). Gleba firm, forming a smooth distinctive rusty red to reddish orange (Met 9D 6–7, Met 8E 7–8, Met 8C 6–7 to Met 7E 6) glebal ball which does not break down readily and may become free from the peridium. When gently broken apart the gleba is powdery but does not stick to fingers. Small delicate columns of gleba are visible which protrude or stand erect finger-like. In cross section the gleba has irregular chambers caused by the finger-like projections or glebal columns. There is no sterile base, and the gleba fills the fruiting body.

Capillitium of densely coiled thick-walled cells 6–10 µm diam with spine-like projections, usually 2–5 µm diam, which are most abundant over the tapered ends. Some terminal elements have contorted end branches. Cross walls are not present, the capillitial elements are encrusted with strong orange to orangered pigments in water mount (FIG. 2). The pigments leach out when treated with 3% KOH (FIG. 1).

Spores globose or slightly subglobose, 9.0–12.6 x 9.0–12.6 µm (Q = 1.01: 1.0–1.1, n = 31) including the ornamentation composed of bluntly pointed erect warts 1.2–2.0(–3.2) µm with a weak reticulum at the base, hyaline with yellow walls in water, deeply yellow in 3% KOH.

Habit, habitat and distribution.— – Terrestrial, commonly gregarious and often clustered in open meadows flooded in the spring and bordered by cottonwoods, willows and elms in a grass community. Occurring singly, several or in an arc. Fruiting in February and March and known only from a meadow in the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt west of Kipling Street, Jefferson County, Colorado (39°46'49''N, 105°06 '87''W, elev. 5398 ft).

Material examined.— – UNTIED STATES: Colorado; Jefferson County, Coll. R.L. & R.D. Brace 2/28/98 DBG 19431; 3/14/1998 DBG 19432, holotype; 2/25/2001 DBG 21356.

Observations.— – The distinct rusty red to orange-red (Met 8E 7–8 to Met 9A-B 6–7) glebal pigmentation (FIG. 4) of this new subspecies differs from all collections and reports of Mycenastrum corium in which the gleba is olive-brown at first (FIG. 3) and umber to purple-brown in age (Met 5D 5–7 to 6E 6–7). The finger-like columns described above are typical of the variety corium but usually not described as such. The glebal columns found in M. corium ssp. ferrugineum are more delicate than those in M. corium ssp. corium. Mycenastrum corium is a worldwide species commonly collected in Colorado and the western United States but also collected from the eastern United States (Smith 1973).

	ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 
Denver Botanic Gardens acknowledges the financial support of the Pauline A. Morrison Endowment for Mycology and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District funds. We thank Patricia Eckel, Missouri Botanical Gardens, for the Latin diagnosis. We also thank the city of Wheat Ridge Colorado, Parks and Recreation Department, and the Park Naturalist, Margaret Paget. We also are grateful for the assistance of volunteer Robert D. Brace. Hope Miller read and corrected the manuscript.

	FOOTNOTES

 
Accepted for publication September 30, 2004.

¹ Corresponding author. E-mail: orsonk{at}frontiernet.net

	LITERATURE CITED

TOP ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS LITERATURE CITED

 
Bottomley AM. 1948 Gasteromycetes of South Africa. Bothalia Pt. III. 810 p.

Cunningham GH. 1944. The Gasteromycetes of Australia and New Zealand. Published by the author. 236 p.

Dring DM. 1973. Gasteromycetes Ch. 24:451–478. In: Ainsworth GC, Sparrow FK, Sussman AS, eds. The Fungi An Advanced Treatise Academic Press. 504 p.

Grgurinovic CA. 1997. Larger Fungi of South Australia. Botanic Garden of Adelaide. 725 p.

Hansen L, Knudsen H. 1997. Nordic Macromycetes. Vol. 3. Nordsvamp, Copenhagen. 444 p.

Hollós L. 1904. Die Gasteromyceten Ungarns. Oswald Weigel, Leipzig. 210 p.

Kornerup A, Wanscher JH. 1967. Methuen Handbook of Colour. Ltd. London, England: Methuen and Co. 243 p.

Krüger D, Binder M, Fischer M, Kreisel H. 2001. The Ly-coperdales. A molecular approach to the systematics of some gasteroid mushrooms. Mycologia 93:947–957.[CrossRef]

Miller OK Jr, Miller HH. 1988. Gasteromycetes. Morphology and Development Features with Keys to the Orders, Families, and Genera. Mad River Press. 157 p.

Pegler DN, Laessøe T, Spooner BM. 1995. British Puffballs Earthstars and Stinkhorns. Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. 255 p.

Pilàt A. 1958. Flora, SR Gasteromycetes. Praha. 862 p.

Smith AH. 1951. Puffballs and Their Allies in Michigan. Univ of Michigan Press. 131 p.

Smith HV, Smith AH. 1973. The Non-gilled Fleshy Fungi. William Brown Inc. 402 p.

This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Miller, O. K. Articles by Evenson, V. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Miller, O. K., Jr. Articles by Evenson, V. Agricola Articles by Miller, O. K. Articles by Evenson, V.