Cortinarius selandicus Frøslev & T. S. Jeppesen, 2006

Frøslev, Tobias G., Jeppesen, Thomas S. & Laessøe, Thomas, 2006, Seven new calochroid and fulvoid species of Cortinarius, Mycological Research 110, pp. 1046-1058 : 1054-1055

Cortinarius selandicus Frøslev & T. S. Jeppesen , sp. nov.

MycoBank no.: MB 500732

( Figs 1F , 2F & 3C )

Etym.: selandicus (Latin), pertaining to the Danish island Sjaelland (Selandia)

Pileo 35–50 (80) mm lato, hemisphaerico, dein plano-convexo, glutinoso, primo ochraceo-cremeo, interdum in juventute pallidoviolaceo, dein olivaceo-brunneo, KOH ope nullo. Lamellis violaceis. Stipite 30– 50 X 6–11 mm, bulboso, bulbo marginato, pallido, violaceo in apice, dein brunneo, margine bulbi pallido vel pallide violaceo. Facie externa mycelioque albida, KOH ope roseo. Carne albida, in apice stipitis violaceo, in pileo et bulbo pallide luteo, sapore miti, odore sub-nullo. Sporis amygdaliformibus, grosse verrucosis, 9.5– 10 X 5.5–6.5 µm.

Typus: Denmark: Sjaelland: Allindelille Fredskov, under Fagus sylvatica, 8 Oct. 2004, T. G. FrØslev & T. S. Jeppesen, TF2004-104 ( C - holotypus).

Pileus 30–50(–70) mm, hemispherical then plano-convex, glabrous, glutinous, with some innate fibres as old, initially olivaceous cream (3A2–3), but soon more olivaceous brownish (4–5C6–8) except at margin, as young sometimes with a pinkish violet tinge (19A2) on the palest and least exposed parts, sometimes with larger pale cream (violaceous) to brownish (4AB4) veil remnants in the centre. Lamellae emarginate, variable from very light grey (normal) to pale violaceous (19A2), most often with a more or less distinct violaceous edge (18A2–16A4). Stipe 30– 50 X 6–11 mm, with a broad marginate bulb (– 30 mm), whitish, apex most often violet (18A4–5) down to one half of the length, often soon discolouring brownish (5–6D7) in central and basal parts, and thereby appearing bicoloured. Bulb margin whitish, sometimes with slight volva-like veil remnants, partially pale violaceous, with age staining brownish/yellowish. Context pale, pale violaceous in stipe cortex, when stipitipellis is coloured, quickly pale yellowish staining in bulb and pileus when cut. Taste and smell weakly earth-like. Spores broadly (ellipsoid-)amygdaliform with coarse ornament, (9–)9.5–10.5 X 5.5–6.5 µm, average 9.7 ± 0.4 X 6.0 ± 0.4 µm; Q ¼ 1.62 ± 0.08.

Chemical reactions: KOH negative to weak rose-brown (7B4) on pileipellis, but strongly pink (12–13A8) on the bulbipellis. The alkaline reaction of the flesh has not been noted, but is most probably negative to slightly rose.

Habitat: The species is only known from two localities in Denmark growing with Fagus sylvatica on calcareous to mineral rich soil along with many other species of calciphilous phlegmacioid Cortinarius (i.e. C. alcalinophilus , C. osmophorus , C. sodagnitus etc.).

Observations/Discussion: The general impression of Cortinarius selandicus is an initially pale and later olivaceous brown, calochroid species with a clear difference in alkaline reactions between pileus and bulb, and often with weak pink to violaceous tinges on the cap and bulb.The disparity in alkaline reactions is also seen in C.sancti-felicis , which,however,has a pileus with brown spot like veil remnants and larger spores, and C. insignibulbus , which differ by a more persistently pale pileus (sometimes having small spot-like velar scales) and a more distinctly violaceous stipe.A positive reaction on the bulbipellis is seen in several other species,which, however,also show a positive reaction on the pileus and furthermore have paler or more yellowish pileal colours. Most similar might be pale specimens of C.nymphicolor , which have longer spores,and a pink reaction with KOH on the pileus. The olivaceous appearance in combination with the,however,rare and insignificant violaceous colours sometimes observed on the pileus and bulb, may recall C. lilacinovelatus , which,however,has a negative alkaline reaction on the bulbipellis. The colour reaction on the bulbipellis is of the same level (very pink) as e.g. C. catharinae , but often has a slower onset, and is only consistent on the most soft, white and fresh parts of the bulbipellis. The diagnostic characters have only recently become known to us, and as these characters have rarely been recorded in a sufficient way to allow us to determine collections from literature and other sources, we have difficulties in assessing the true distribution and rarity of this species. The species is named after the Danish island, Sjaelland, which hosts the largest known population of the species. An ITS sequence from the holotype of C. selandicus is available at GenBank (accession DQ323978 ).

Additional specimens examined: Denmark: Østjylland: Moesgård Skov at Skovmøllen, under Fagus sylvatica on mineral rich soil, 15 Sep. 1998, T.S.J. & K. S. Jeppesen, TSJ1998-055 ; Sjaelland, Allindelille Fredskov , under F. sylvatica on calcareous soil, 7 Oct. 2004, T.G.F., TF2004-103 ; loc. cit., 30 Oct. 2005, T.G.F., TF2005-050 .

Figures

Fig 1 – Fruit bodies of the new species of Cortinarius. (A) C. albertii, TF2000-058 (holotype). (B) C. chailluzii, TSJ2000-085 (holotype). (C) C. cisticola, TSJ2002-081 (holotype). (D) C. langeorum, TF2000-012 (holotype). (E) C. sancti-felicis, TSJ2002-072 (holotype). (F) C. selandicus, TF2004-104 (holotype). (G) C. vesterholtii, TT1997-009 (holotype). Photographs A, D and G by T.G.F., B, C, E and F by T.S.J.

Fig 2 – Basidiospores. (A) Cortinarius albertii, TF2000-058 (holotype). (B) C. chailluzii, TSJ2000-085 (holotype). (C) C. cisticola, TSJ2002-081 (holotype). (D) C. langeorum, TF2000-012 (holotype). (E) C. sancti-felicis, TSJ2002-072 (holotype) (F) C. selandicus, TF2004-104 (holotype). (G) C. vesterholtii, TT1997-009 (holotype). (H) C. catharinae, TF2004-105. Scale bar = 10 Mm in each case.

Fig 3 – Spore scatter diagrams with each point representing average spore size of single collections. (A) Cortinarius albertii and C. catharinae (B) C. calochrous, C. catharinae, C. chailluzii, C. cisticola and C. sublilacinopes. (C) C. vesterholtii, C. insignibulbus, C. nymphicolor, C. parasuaveolens, C. sanctifelicis and C. selandicus.