Beiträge von Steve_mt

I have investigated this Scutellina, and I need some opinions and help. The hairs are in the range of 500-800 um, with some reaching 950 and exceptionally almost 1100um. The root of the hair is either single, or divided into two unequal roots, the main one being bulbous, and exceptionally I saw (if my eyes are good) roots divided into 3-5 parts (multifurcate)

The spores are ellipsoid-fusiform, Q c. 1.5, 16-18 x 1.1-1.2 um (spores measured out of the asci) with broad rounded ends

Now what about the ornamentation. Tricky! In my opinion, they are minute warts sometimes forming short ridges (crests) that do not form a distinct net and smaller / shallower from 0.5um.

Applying the key, I can have S. setosa if the spores are judged smooth (but I don't think so) ; S. macrospora if the ornamentation is judged finely punctate (but seems to have a Q of > 1.8). If agreed that all hairs are < 1200um (the longest I found was 1080) an on average > 500 um (then couplet 16) and we have S. vitreola, S. olivascens and S. olivascens var. minutispora, with the last two having spores bigger then in my specimen. To be honest I am not very convinced.

From the Scutellina figures of this key, I liked most S. crinita, where its spore size and ornamentation (micro warts and micro crests) matches very nice, and also the bi to multi furcation of the hairs.

S. crinita

Scutellinia crinita

S. vitreola

ScutelliniaVitreola.pdf

Lovely : love: - I investigate further today. Many thanks

Zitat von Oehrling

Hello Steve,

is it correct that there is no blueing in the flesh?

However, if there was at least temporarily blueing I tend to call them Hortiboletus bubalinus.

FG

Oehrling

I was too sleepy yesterday! So today I checked about Hortiboletus bubalinus and you are right in suggesting this species. From boletales.org; "Flesh whitish in the cap, distinctly pinkish below the cap cuticle, yellowish in the stipe, orange brown in the stipe base" - this is pinpoint true. It could be it. What I see different is the bulbous thick base and the cap do not crack readily as what I witnessed in this population. If different, it is very related species.

Thanks for yr suggestion

Zitat von Oehrling

Hello Steve,

is it correct that there is no blueing in the flesh?

However, if there was at least temporarily blueing I tend to call them Hortiboletus bubalinus.

FG

Oehrling

THANK You Oehrling

In the flesh of the stipe, there was no blueing at all, but in some basidiocarps there was a hint (just a vague hint) on the pore surface and the stipe surface (making it look greenish!), And this before being touched. When the pores were gently scraped, they just become darker and wet.

I went again on site yesterday! I found more specimens and I have some further notes

- 4% NaOH on flesh makes it become slightly pink-pale red

-The scent of fresh specimens is not very strong but had a bit of aromatic or ink-like scent mixed with mushroom-lke scen. When old and drying, the specimens attained a more aromatic scent

-All specimens produce some pinkness (at various degrees) under the cap (a layer of 1mm) and sometimes below the cuticle of the upper region of the stipe

- Never any redness was observed at the base of the stipe (I checked some 8 specimens now!). When camera flash was used, this may show brownish dots but to the eye they are not distinct.

The population was found growing on the bark of Quercus ilex, close to a stream of water. Ascocarps 3-10 mm across, black hair (c 1.5 mm) longest on the rim and also present on the lower surface, but shorter and less dense. Scutellaria scutellata is my first guess but maybe there are other species to be considered. Specimen collected and in the refrigerator. I can check spores and measure the hairs tmrw. Many thanks

I am reading the discussion... those I highlighted in green match well, those in red do not match with my specimen (in my opinion!) Those left unhighlighted not important or distict

Characteristic features of Boletus marekii can be summarised as follows: fruit

bodies relatively small, of a xerocomoid appearance; pileipellis red-coloured from

youth, e.g. orange-red, bright red, carmine to dark red, soon cracking and then

coarsely rimose-areolate over the entire pileus surface, consisting of

a palisadoderm with weakly incrusted hyphae; both tubes and pores yellow,

slightly bluing or pale blue-greening when injured, pores in maturity relatively

large (about 1 mm); spores smooth and truncate; stipe light yellow to whitish yellowish,

in the middle sometimes dirty reddish, dirty red-brownish or wine-reddish;

context in the pileus and upper half of the stipe pale yellowish, when cut

slightly bluing. This species can be easily recognised by its red-coloured pileipellis

and the truncate, smooth spores. Such a combination of characters is quite exceptional,

not occurring in any other species of the Boletaceae.

B. marekii belongs to Boletus L. subgen. Xerocomus (Quél.) Maubl. and macroscopically

is rather similar to some species of the B. chrysenteron group, particularly

Boletus armeniacus Quél., Boletus ripariellus (Redeuilh) Watling and Boletus

fennicus (Harmaja) Šutara, partly also Boletus porosporus (Imler) ex

Watling, Boletus rubellus Krombh. and a reddish form of Boletus declivitatum

(C. Martin) Watling.

Spores at x 1000 in water and half strength Cotton blue , some images with contrast enhanced.

I cannot really judge, some spores are sub truncate (few truncate) others are rounded-obtuse.

I throw in thediagram from the paper

[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228537710_Boletus_marekii_a_new_species_with_truncate_spores_from_the_Boletus_chrysenteron_group/figures?lo=1]

Fig. 6. Boletus marekii: a – spores; b – cheilocystidia; c – pleurocystidia; d – caulocystidia; e – two caulobasidioles with one caulobasidium bearing almost fully developed, distinctly truncate spores. Del. J. Šutara.

This is a fresh post for a Bolete found under Quercus ilex, fruiting early in October, in calcareous substrate present in the M altese Islands, maybe someone is familiar with them.

This collection forms flattened or shallowly convex caps sometimes upturning (involute) to a large extent initially starting as dark sepia or cinnamon brown with red hues, cracking at an early age as a net and deepening while maturing with the exposed flesh in these cracks becoming amazingly deep red. It has the X. chrysenteron effect! Margin beige to light brown

The stipe is chrome yellow with golden-sepia flushes, especially towards the base. Mature specimens (5 hrs after collection) develop a reddish collar under the stipe. W hen cut in half, there is no bluening both in the stipe or in the pileus, however a red layer is formed below the cuticle of the cap and at the borders of the uppermost part of the stipe. The context in collected specimens develops a sepia brown color at the lower half (but no color change in the fresh-cut specimens, (hence color is light yellow)

Hymenium or stipe do not change color when bruised

Hymenium pale yellow then darkens to olive-brown with age

Pores angular, rectangular, pentagon or sometimes hexagon, 0.5 to 1.0 (1.3) mm across the widest diameter.

Scent faint sweet, but unless something abnormal took place, it became strongly aromatic, like resin of pine trees when oldened by one day

Spores elongated ellipsoid (truncate ends not detected) with amorphous non distinct oil bodies. Measurement: 10.2 [11.6 ; 12.2] 13.7 × 4.3 [5.1 ; 5.5] 6.3 µm [ Mean = 11.9 × 5.3 µm ]; Qe = 1.9 [2.2 ; 2.3] 2.6 [mean 2.3] Inamyloid.

Xerocomellus marekii : love:

X. marekii « boletales.com

Pablo - I love your suggestion !!!! I see truncate spores (but not all ??!) and habitat (under oaks), colours, flesh when cut (including the bluening), small hemisherical head of this species are matching nicely. I think I have to sequence this collection at this point. About C. fennicus, I thought its distribution is more north, in acidic soils not under oaks. I try to watch again the spores carefully.

Reference is made to striated spores.... Is this best checked at x 1000 in cotton blue or cresyl blue ?

So basically I am reposting as two separate posts for boletes I found under Quercus ilex, fruiting early in October, in calcareous substrate present in the Msltese Islands, maybe someone is familiar with them.

This collection often formed thick stipes and spherical reddish to reddish-brown pileus not much broader from the stipe (probably it will extend to a convex shape when fully mature).

Reddish-brown, somewhat in three zones, the central more reddish to reddish brown, then a faded potion and turning bark brown at the border, then a whitish lining at the margin

Stipe light yellow, with golden hues, then reddish streaks or flushes at the lower half which becomes more intense after collection

When cut the upper half remains light yellow, but below it forms reddish streaks which intensify towards the base. The colouring is most intense just under the cuticle at the base. A faint blue color was observed after time or cutting a specimen collected after 12 hours

Hymenium or stipe do not change colour when bruised

Scent faint mildly fungal, not of anything distinct. Taste palatable, good-tasting, mushroom-like but not of anything distinct too.

Pores rounded, about 0.3mm diameter, circular to more often oval-ellipsoid, irregular and sometimes coalescing forming elongated (linear) shapes up to 1.2mm long

Spores fusiform-navicular with a tiny germ pore at one pole and a small eccentric apicullum at the other. Contents with 2-3 large oil drops sometimes with few smaller ones. Measurement: 9.7 [11 ; 11.6] 12.9 × 4.7 [5.3 ; 5.5] 6.1 µm [ Me = 11.3 × 5.4 µm ; Qe = 2.1]. Spore mass dull olive-brown, darkens slightly in KOH.

I.considered Hortiboletus rubellus and Hortiboletus (Xerocomus) cisalpinus or just again abnormal specimens of X. redeuilhii (also present there) but not so happy with any of these three.

Ok maybe I start over the post with coll 1 and coll 2 separately. I have dried some specimens soon after collection so they should be safe from moulds.

I have examined the spores and they are different to me - one has 2(3) defined guttalae, the other amorphous contents and so are the sizes (although I am learning that these vary). Regards the mould, I can check the pore edges but there was negligible alien hyphae when the pores were observed under the stereo. Fresh material show a pale spore surface (agreeing not ash whte though).

I tested the spores with concentrated sulphuric acid. The spores did not bleach after 5 mins. I check after an hour.

I am pretty confused here, but at this point I would exclude Psathyrella (unless the spore bleach with time). Panaeoulus are known to have metulloid cystidia, so this is an extra plus for assigning this species with Panaeolus, yet many species have spore> 10um. The best fit is Panaeolus papilionaceus var. Parvisporus but I read that its cystidia are not metulloid. Maybe this should be sequenced? !!

Some reliable examples (worth testing!)

FloraAgaricinaNeerlandica_Vol1 (1988)

FloraAgaricinaNeerlandica_Vol6 (2005)

A.other source

Dear friends.

I.have read in few different sources about the use of concentrated sulphuric acid on the spores so as to tell the difference between Panaeolus (spores remain dark) and Psathyrella (spores are bleached off).

Is this a reliable test?

Is the change rapid (few mins)?

I appreciate if u can share Yr experience with me about this subject.

Thanks 😊

Some macroscopical data on collection 2

So for this collection I sliced the stipe in section, spaced 2mm or so to see the colour formation. In two examples there was a dark red colour at the very base (mostly conc. at the perimeter) then gradually becoming 'carrot' dots about one third the length from the base. Further up, the red colour disappeared

After 2 days standing, the pore surface was grayish-white

The pores are very small, round 0.2-0.3 mm, often flattened or even linear up to 1.0 mm long

Some macroscopical data on collection 1

When I sliced in half all my 4 specimens, there was no reddening at any part of the stipe, but there was a layer below the cap's cuticle that became red, like a tent at the top!

I may have missed the scent during collection but after 2 days the basidiocarps produced a rather strong aromatic scent

The taste is palatable and good, like commercial mushrooms.

Pores angular and tubes 0.5-0.7mm wide

Some basic analysis. If we assume this is a Psathyrella, using Melzer 2019 key, there are not much option with cystidia that are metulloid (crystal-bearing) and the best hit was P. pygmae

Panaeolus have some species that its cytsidia are metulloid, and they have been placed on an own genus - Copelandia ! I know this because in my research I surfed on this paper: - The neurotropic genus Copelandia (Basidiomycota) in western Paraná State, Brazil but the species featured are from South America... but hej, I am seeing some similarities with my findings?! Obviously, it is not any of those tropical species I don't know if I can get further help from the members about this.

Quick reply after some further examination. 1 and 2 are different, the pores are different and also 1 has a pleasant aromatic scent, like resin of pine. !!! So I will report on these two Boletes independently shortly.

Dear friends,

I have examined this fungus, and it is turning out to be another interesting species.

• The spores are dark reddish-brown, ovate-ellipsoid (convex in lateral view) with a well-detectable (but not highly distinct) central germ-pore. Spores measuring Me = 7.8 × 5 µm ; Qe = 1.5 Range: [6.9 [7.6-7.9] 8.6 × 4.5 [4.9 -5.1] 5.6 µm] N = 37
• The pileipellis is a Hymeniderm-epithelial layer of subspherical hyaline smooth-walled hyphae
• Above there is a pigmented layer where hyphae have thick encrusted walls. I did not get a good picture of this layer but some cells are cystoid, there are elongated hyphae. Yet the incrustations are evident.
• The cystidia are narrow utriform to utriform with a thick covering of crystals on the obtuse-rounded apex. 38-44 um long. It stains very strong in CongoRed.
• Cheilocystidia are present as a dense row on the gill edge giving the gill a white-edged appearance.
• Unfortunately, I have not yet tested for pleurocystidia.
• I have detected a clamp junction in the veil? (supracuticle layer)

I decided to exclude Psathyrella because the stipe did not break with a snap - and saw the white edges on the lamella sides (not that strong to be honest). But I have not studied this collection in detail and I try today . The cheilos are very interesting !!! Yes P. cinctulus, sorry for the typo. I do my best to finish my ecological report and I come back with details.

Favouring yr point, yesterday 11pm while half asleep I was reading about the Panaeolus spp from Fungi d'Italia and thought the spores are too large and robust... so yeah genus must be reconsidered. To be continued my friend - THANK YOU!

I am so glad to encounter what I think is a Panaeolus sp. since these are quite rare to find her in Malta. I show you the micro tonight (spores, pileipellis, veil elements or pileocystidia (?) and cheilocystidia). Spore print charcoal black, spores with a pore and stipe does not break with a snap (so I went off from Psathyrella). The edges of the lamellae are white too, leaving Panaeolus as a good candidate. P. cingutulus was my first quick guess but let's be patient and build up slowly.

It is a nice mushroom. The spore print was so delicate and beautiful, formed even after 2 hrs of standing.

Problem is that it i so hard to find the spores and they are 2-3 um! Yet, being the type of not to surrender easily, I will giveit a try. My plan was to visit the site next month and try to find more specimens. I keep updating this finding - thanks

Dear Pablo, I also arrived at the conclusion that the partly or mostly red-stiped images with a concave hymenophore refer to Xerocomellus redeuilhii - I never seen as big as these and 75% red stipe, si I was confused! Good to learn more!

Collection 2 I was thinking on the lines of Hortiboletus rubellus but your hint on Hortiboletus engelii is very valid since this is a Quercus specialist! I am clueless on collection 1 but do you think 1 and 2 are the same species ???

I had no time for the micro, which I plan tonight after work or tomorrow.

Dr Jordi Vila had hinted to be Pseudobaeospora albidula (complex) and I see a lot of similarities. Just wanted to give you an update

Paper on this species:

(PDF) Pseudobaeospora albidula (Agaricales) found in the Czech Republic

P.s. I can supply micro measurmenets tmrw