The North American Species of Pholiota

190. Pholiota harenosa sp. nov.

Illustrations: Text figs. 428-430.

Pileus 2-3 cm latus, convexus, viscidus, glaber, subcinnamomeus. Lamellae confertae angustae vel sublatae, cinnamomeae. Stipes 2-2.5 cm longus, 1.5-2.5 mm crassus, sursum citrinus, deorsum subcinnamomeus, sparse fibrillosus. Sporae 6-8.5 x 4-4.5 µ. Pleurocystidia 45-70 x 9-14 µ. Specimen typicum in Herb. Univ. of Mich. conservatum est; legit prope Milford, Mich. 16 Nov. 1958, Smith 60810.

Pileus 2-3 cm broad, broadly convex, "Sayal-brown" to "cinnamon-brown," viscid, glabrous. Context pliant, concolorous; odor and taste mild or slightly farinaceous.

Lamellae adnexed, close, narrow to moderately broad, "Sayal-brown" to "cinnamon-brown," edges even to minutely eroded.

Stipe 2-2.5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 mm thick at apex, equal or narrowed downward, pale citrine near apex, pale dull cinnamon at base, lower part covered with very faint remains of a veil.

Spores 6-8.5 x 4-4.5 µ smooth, apical pore minute; shape in face view elliptic to slightly ovate, in profile obscurely inequilateral to subelliptic; color in KOH rich cinnamon and groups of spores dark cinnamon, paler cinnamon or more ochraceous in Melzer's reagent; wall about 0.25-0.4 µ thick.

Basidia 20-25 (27) x 5.5-7 µ, 4-spored, narrowly clavate (base 3-4.5 µ broad), yellowish to hyaline in KOH and yellowish in Melzer's reagent. Pleurocystidia 45-70 x 9-14 µ, fusoid-ventricose, apex obtuse, some coated with mucilage (?) as first revived in KOH but soon smooth, wall thin (less than 0.3 µ), content yellowish to hyaline. Cheilocystidia (28) 32-56 x 6-12 (14) µ, broadly fusoid with obtuse apex to fusoid-ventricose, rarely subcapitate, thin-walled, smooth, hyaline to yellowish in KOH. Caulocystidia in fascicles, subfusoid, fusoid-ventricose to nearly clavate and 33-50 x 9-13 µ some 48-70 x 4-6 µ and cylindric-acuminate, walls thin, yellowish in KOH; often with subgelatinous hyphae 2-3 µ diam. mixed in or around the cluster (resembling hyphae of pileus cutis).

Gill trama a central area of floccose hyphae 4-8 µ diam. (or more after cells have inflated), walls smooth and hyaline to ochraceous or pale rusty in KOH; subhymenium a thin cellular zone not distinctly gelatinizing but outlines of cells including the base of the basidia (but not cystidia) soon indistinct. Pileus cutis a gelatinous pellicle of narrow (2-3 µ) ochraceous hyphae collapsing in age, often filled with ochraceous pigment; hypodermium a region of inflated rusty brown hyphal cells, walls incrusted on some, cells 8-18 µ broad; context hyphae paler than the hypodermial hyphae, nearly hyaline near subhymenium; wall thin and smooth. Clamp connections present. All hyphae inamyloid.  

Habit, Habitat, and Distribution: On sandy humus. Proud Lake Recreation Area. Oakland County, Michigan, Nov. 16, 1958. Smith 60810, type.

Observations: This species is at once distinguished from P. highlandensis (Flammula carbonaria Fries) in lacking the characteristic gelatinous type of subhymenium found in most species of subgenus Flammuloides. It also differs in habitat (on sandy soil under beech-maple instead of a burned area).

CA Mushrooms