Clavariadelphus himalayensis Methven, Mem. New York Bot. Garden 49: 152, 1989

Huang, Hong-Yan, Zhao, Jie, Zhang, Ping, Ge, Zai-Wei, Li, Xian & Tang, Li-Ping, 2020, The genus Clavariadelphus (Clavariadelphaceae, Gomphales) in China, MycoKeys 70, pp. 89-121 : 89

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.70.54149
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A3360663-90F3-5FCB-8AF8-A2A7D37BA9BA
treatment provided by	MycoKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Clavariadelphus himalayensis Methven, Mem. New York Bot. Garden 49: 152, 1989
status

Treatment

5. Clavariadelphus himalayensis Methven, Mem. New York Bot. Garden 49: 152, 1989 Figs 2g View Figure 2 , 3e View Figure 3 , 4e, f View Figure 4 , 5e View Figure 5 , 10a, b View Figure 10

Note.

The following description is mainly from Methven (1989), combined with our field notes, including macro-morphology, growth habit, distribution, host plants and examination.

Description.

Basidiomes up to 15 cm high, 1-1.5 cm diam. basally, slightly enlarged towards to 2 cm diam., simple, narrow clavate, ligulate to spathulate, laterally compressed in mature specimens; hymenium initially smooth, longitudinally rugose in age, greyish-red to pastel-red; apex obtuse, smooth, concolorous with the hymenium; surface not staining where cut or bruised; base terete, smooth, pruinose, pallid-white; mycelial hyphae interwoven, white to pallid; flesh soft and spongy, hollow apically in age, white to cream colour, not staining on exposure. Odour and taste not recorded.

Hymenium extending over the apex of basidiomata, composed of basidia and leptocystidia. Basidia 75-95 × 8-11 μm, clavate, hyaline, thin-walled, (2-) 4-spored, sterigmata 8-10 μm in length. Basidiospores [20/1/1] (7.8-) 8.2- 9.4 (-9.6) × (4.6-) 5.0-5.5 (-6.0) μm, Q = 1.50-1.82 (-1.90), Q m = 1.56 ± 0.08, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid or ovate, with a small apiculus, inamyloid, thin-walled, hyaline in KOH, smooth. Leptocystidia 50-70 × 2.5-3.5 μm, scattered amongst and scarcely projecting beyond the basidia, cylindrical to narrowly clavate, thin-walled, smooth, hyaline, non-pigmented, clamped, inflated apically at maturity, at times with apical or subapical branches. Mycelial hyphae 1-2 or 3-5 μm diam., interwoven or aggregated into rhizomorphic strands, branched, clamped; walls thin or irregularly slightly thickened, the hyphal walls echinulate under light microscopy, covered nipple-shaped protuberances with SEM.

Chemical reactions.

(dried basidiomes): KOH = positive, golden-yellow; FeCl3 = positive, green-yellow; NH4OH = positive, orange; ethanol, FeSO4, Melzer’s reagent and phenol = negative.

Known distribution and ecology.

SW China (in this study) and India ( Methven 1989). Solitary to gregarious habit on the ground in mixed woods at elevations above 3200 m.

Materials examined.

China. Yunnan Province: Shangri-La Prefecture, mixed coniferous ( Pinus spp.) and broad-leaved forests ( Caragana spp., dwarf Quercus monimotricha and Sanguisorba spp.), 27°28.55'N, 99°53.05'E, alt. 3280 m, 27 June 2006, Z.W. Ge 1113 (HKAS 50684). Lijiang Prefecture, mixed conifers, alt. 3300 m, 27 August 2009, Q. Cai 146 (HKAS 58811).

Comments.

Clavariadelphus himalayensis was originally described from India ( Methven 1989). It is the first report from China. Chinese collections match the original descriptions except for slightly smaller basidiospores (8.2-9.4 × 5.0-5.5 μm). The difference in basidiospore size might be from measurement error or the collections being from different geographical regions. Clavariadelphus himalayensis is distinct by its pastel-red to greyish-red, ligulate to spathulate basidiomes flesh that does not stain where bruised or cut, broadly ellipsoid basidiospores (9-11 × 5-6 μm from the holotype; Methven 1989), hyphae of the basal mycelium with nipple-shaped protuberances and a negative reaction with phenol. Other taxa from Asia, which might be confused with C. himalayensis include C. mirus (Pat.) Corner and C. yunnanensis . Although similar in size to those of C. himalayensis , the basidiomes of C. mirus are light brown to brown and produce broadly ovate, larger basidiospores (10-13 × 6-8 μm; Methven 1990). Clavariadelphus yunnanensis , known from northern India and SW China, is distinct by its larger basidiomes that are light brown, larger basidiospores (10-13.5 × 6.5-8 μm), hyphae of the basal mycelium covered by massive nipple-shaped protuberances and a light yellow staining reaction with phenol. Additionally, the flesh of C. himalayensis does not stain where bruised or cut, whereas the flesh of C. mirus and C. yunnanensis slowly stains brunnescent to russet on exposure.

The phylogenetic analyses show that C. himalayensis is allied with the sequence of " C. pistillaris " and Clavariadelphus (JQ991679 from Zhejiang Province, China) from GenBank with weak support (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ). More data are needed for understanding the phylogenetic relationship of the three species.