Panaeolus punjabensis M. Asif, Q. Firdous, A. Izhar, Niazi & Khalid, 2023

Asif, Muhammad, Firdous, Qudsia, Izhar, Aiman, Niazi, Abdul Rehman, Sarwar, Samina & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2023, Molecular and morphological studies reveal a new species of Panaeolus (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) from Punjab, Pakistan, European Journal of Taxonomy 888, pp. 77-96 : 85-90

Panaeolus punjabensis M. Asif, Q. Firdous, A. Izhar, Niazi & Khalid sp. nov.

MycoBank MB 840898

Figs 3–4

Diagnosis

The new species turns bluish on handling so it is hallucinogenic and can be distinguished by its broadly fusiform basidiospores, claviform cheilocystidia with rounded tips, and clavate caulocystidia.

Etymology

Specific epithet ‘ punjabensis ’ refers to the type locality, Punjab Province, Pakistan.

Type material

Holotype PAKISTAN • Punjab Province, Haroonabad City, District Bahawalnagar ; 29°60′81″N, 73°14′67″E; alt. 163 m a.s.l.; on nutrient-rich loamy soil; 4 Aug. 2019; Muhammad Asif, BWN -45; GenBank nos MZ265143 (nrITS); ON116490 (28S); LAH[36793] .

Additional material examined

PAKISTAN • Punjab Province, Lahore , 32 ° 52′04″N, 74°35′87″E; alt. 217 m a.s.l.; on loamy soil; 10 Jul. 2015; Qudsia Firdous, BRB S -01; GenBank nos KY636363 (nrITS); ON116491 (LSU); LAH[36792] • same collection data as for preceding; 28 Jul. 2016; Qudsia Firdous, BRB S -22; GenBank nos MZ823627 (nrITS); ON116492 ( LSU); LAH[36794] • Punjab Province, Kasur District, 31°12′79″N, 74°44′08″E; alt. 218 m a.s.l.; on fallen plant debris; 6 Sep. 2020; Aiman Izhar, KS -0018; GenBank no. OP681142 (nrITS); LAH[37417] .

Description

Basidiomata 4.4–5.8 cm tall. Pileus 1–1.5 cm diam, conic to parabolic when young, becoming convex with maturity, dry; surface light brown at the center (7.5YR8/4), light grayish green (7.5GY8/1) toward margins, smooth when young becoming rugulose at maturity; margin straight in young stage, striate at maturity ( Fig. 3A, D ). Lamellae free, olive black (5GY2/1), even margins, distantly placed, two tiers of regularly arranged lamellulae ( Fig. 3B–C ). Stipe 3.8–5.3 × 0.3–0.6 cm, surface light grayish-green (10GY8/1), central, equal, surface smooth and glabrous, dry, slightly bulbous base, bruising blue on handling ( Fig. 3E ). Annulus and volva absent. Odor is indistinct.

Basidiospores [75/3/3] (13.2–)13.4–16.4(–16.7) × (7.5–)8.2–9.6(–11.4) µm, on average 15 × 9.5 µm, Q = 1.4–1.6, Q av = 1.5, broadly fusiform, smooth, apiculus absent, thick-walled, hyaline in KOH, no colour change in Melzer‘s reagent, non-guttulate, germ pore obvious ( Fig. 4B ). Basidia (24.8–)24.9–27.9 (–28.1) × (14.3–)14.4–15.6(–15.9) µm, on average 26.2 × 15.1 µm, broadly clavate, mostly bi-spored, rarely tri- or tetra-spored, thick-walled, hyaline in KOH, non-guttulate ( Fig. 4A ). Cheilocystidia (30.5–) 32.1–41.4(–44.3) × (6–)6.1–9.1(–9.5) µm, on average 37.4 × 7.8 µm, claviform with flexuous neck and rounded apices, thin-walled, hyaline in KOH, non-guttulate ( Fig. 4C ). Pileocystidia (18–)19.2–32 (–34.4) × (10.4–)11.9–13.9(–17.4) µm, on average 25.5 × 13.4 µm, clavate to vesiculose, thin-walled, hyaline ( Fig. 4E ). Caulocystidia (25.3–)26.7–36.9(–37.5) × (6–)8.1–9.7(–10.5) µm, on average 31.4 × 8.7 µm), clavate, thick-walled ( Fig. 4D ). Clamp connections are absent in all tissues.

Habitat

Solitary or in small groups on loamy soil containing herbivore (cattle) dung.

Known distribution

Known only from three localities, Bahawalnagar, Kasur, and Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

Figures

Fig. 3. Morphology of Panaeolus punjabensis M. Asif, Q. Firdous, A. Izhar, Niazi & Khalid sp. nov. (LAH36793, A–B holotype). Scale bars: A–D = 1 cm, E = 10 cm. Photos by Muhammad Asif.

Fig. 4. Microscopic characters of Panaeolus punjabensis M. Asif, Q. Firdous, A. Izhar, Niazi & Khalid sp. nov. (LAH36793, holotype). A. Basidia. B. Basidiospores. C. Cheilocystidia. D. Caulocystidia. E. Pileocystidia. Scale bars: A–D = 10 µm, E = 20 µm. Drawings by Aiman Izhar.