Entoloma punjabensis N. Fatima, Usman & Khalid, 2023

Usman, Nadia Fatima Muhammad & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2023, Entoloma punjabensis sp. nov. of Rusticoides group from Chichawatni Forest, Pakistan, Phytotaxa 612 (2), pp. 217-228 : 222-226

Entoloma punjabensis N. Fatima, Usman & Khalid sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

MycoBank: MB845490

Etymology:—specific epithet “ punjabensis ” (Latin) refers to the type locality of the taxon.

Diagnosis:— Entoloma punjabensis differs from its closely related species E. griseofibrillosum by having pileus subumbilicate at maturity with reddish to brown central depression, larger globose to subglobose basidiospores 8.5– 13.4 × 7.2–11.5 µm and hyaline hyphae of pileipellis.

Holotype:— PAKISTAN. Punjab: Sahiwal, Chichawatni Forest 30° 32’ 16”N, 72° 40’ 4”E, elev. 163 m, on soil rich in organic matter, 9 July 2019, Nadia Fatima , N-101( LAH37544 ), GenBank OP 315658 ( ITS); OP315660 ( LSU).

Description:— Basidiomata small, scattered. Pileus 9–15 mm in diam., convex to plano-convex, subumbilicate at maturity, non-hygrophanous, dry, smooth surface, crenate and deflexed margin, slightly striate up to center, light gray at young age (10YR 8/1), dark brown (5YR 3/6) at maturity, central depression brownish gray (5YR 6/1) changing reddish brown (5YR 4/8) from center towards margin with age. Lamellae decurrent, pale reddish (2.5YR 7/3), slightly crisped and wavy, thick, broad and subdistant, with 1–2 tiers of lamellulae. Stipe 7–10 × 1–3 mm, short, central, solid, grayish brown (5YR 5/2) straight but slightly compressed and bent at base, almost smooth, base whitish and slightly pruinose at young stage. Taste and smell not observed.

Basidiospores [100/2/2] (8.08–) 8.45–13.24 (–13.51) × (6.44–) 7.2–11.45 (–12.05) µm, (av. L × av. W = 10.8 × 9.32 µm) Q = 1.1–1.3, Qav. = 1.2 globose to sub globose, rarely with very weak angles, thick-walled, guttulate, hyaline in 5% KOH, smooth with prominent apiculus. Basidia clavate to sub-cylindrical 31.84–43.47 × 9.29–18.64 µm, mostly tetra-sporic, sometimes bi- or tri-sporic, smooth, thin-walled, hyaline. Cheilocystidia rare, 27.66–38.16 × 9.54–14.05 µm, clavate to cylindrical. Pleurocystidia absent. Pileipellis a cutis composed of thin-walled, smooth, hyaline hyphae, 6.66–16.63 µm wide, av. W =9.2 µm, constricted at the septa, terminal cells 8.2–10.02 µm wide and modified to clavate ends. Stipitipellis hyphae 3.81–13.49 µm wide, av. W = 7.72 µm, regular, thin-walled, hyaline, septate. Clamp connections are absent in all tissues.

Habit and habitat:—Solitary and scattered on soil rich in organic matter.

Additional specimen examined:— PAKISTAN. Punjab: Sahiwal, Chichawatni Forest 30°32’15.82”N, 72°39’24.30”E, elev. 163 m, on soil mixed with plant debris, 2 August 2020, Nadia Fatima N-001, LAH! LAH37545 . GenBank OP 315659 ( ITS); OP315661 (28S).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–D. Fresh basidiomata of Entoloma punjabensis sp.nov. (holotype LAH37544).

FIGURE 2. A–E. Microscopical characters of Entoloma punjabensis sp. nov. (holotype LAH37544). A. Basidiospores, B. Basidia, C. Cheilocystidia, D. Pileppellis, E. Stipitipellis. Scale Bars: A–C & E=10 µm, D=5 µm. Photos and drawings by Muhammad Usman.