Veluticeps fasciculata Jiao Yang, Nakasone & S.H. He, 2016

Yang, Jiao, Nakasone, Karen K. & He, Shuang-Hui, 2016, Veluticeps fasciculata sp. nov. (Gloeophyllaceae, Basidiomycota), a close relative to V. berkeleyi, Phytotaxa 243 (2), pp. 163-169 : 166-167

Veluticeps fasciculata Jiao Yang, Nakasone & S.H. He , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2b–c , 3 )

MycoBank: MB 807532

Diagnosis.—The species is distinct by effused basidiocarps, nodose-septate generative hyphae, fasciculate cystidia, and relatively small basidiospores. It is closely related to V. berkeleyi but differing in smaller basidia and basidiospores, distribution and host preferences.

Type.— CHINA. Jiangxi Prov., Xunwu County, Chejiangyuan, on stump of Cunninghamia sp. , 17 December 2014, Dai 15092 (holotype, BJFC!, ITS: KP670405).

Etymology.— fasciculata (Lat.) refers to the fasciculate cystidia.

Fruitbody.—Basidiocarps perennial, effused or with very slightly elevated margin, adnate, separable, coriaceous to soft corky, brittle when dry, first as small patches, later confluent, up to 10 × 4 cm and up to 6 mm thick. Hymenophore smooth, warted or tuberculose, covered with protruding hyphal pegs, not cracked or with few deep crevices, light brown (6D4), greyish brown (6D3) or brown (6E8), margin thinning out, fimbriate, up to 4 mm wide, lighter than hymenophore surface, sometimes concolorous, indistinct.

Hyphal structure. —Hyphal system monomitic; generative hyphae with clamp connections; tissue darkening but otherwise unchanged in potassium hydroxide.

Anatomical structure. —Cutis absent. Abhymenial tomentum, subiculum, subhymenium and hymenium present. Subiculum composed of more or less parallel and horizontally arranged generative and sclerified generative hyphae. Generative hyphae hyaline, thin- to slightly thick-walled, nodose-septate, moderately branched, 2–4 μm in diam. Sclerified generative hyphae brown, distinctly thick-walled, nodose-septate, not branched, 2–4.5 μm in diam.

Stratified hymenium. —Subhymenium thickening or distinctly thickened, composed of vertically arranged and somewhat agglutinated hyphae, collapsed hymenial elements, and fascicles of old cystidia. Hymenium composed of cystidial fascicles, basidia and basidioles. Cystidial fascicles scattered, composed of several to many, loosely clustered cystidia, vertically protruding hymenium into hyphal pegs on hymenophore. Cystidia hyaline to yellowish brown, narrowly cylindrical to slightly moniliform, usually with some slight constrictions in the upper part, with a clamp connection at base, walls thin- to slightly or distinctly thick-walled, up to 120 μm long, 3.8–5 μm in diam., protruding up to 100 μm above the hymenium. Hyphidia absent. Basidia narrowly clavate, stalked, walls thickening toward the base, hyaline, with four sterigmata and a basal clamp connection, 30–65 × 4.5–7 μm; basidioles numerous, similar to basidia but shorter.

Spores. —Basidiospores fusiform to cylindrical, mostly tapering at apiculus, hyaline, thin-walled, smooth, IKI-, CB-, 7.2–11.5 × 3–4 μm, L = 9.4 μm, W = 3.3 μm, Q = 2.6–3.1 (n = 60/2).

Type of rot. —Causing brown cubical rots on Cunninghamia and Cryptomeria stumps.

Additional specimens examined (ITS GenBank number listed last).— Veluticeps berkeleyi : USA. Arizona, Pima County, Coronado National Forest, Santa Catalina Mts., Lemmon Mt., on fallen trunk of Pinus ponderosa , 16 August 1967, R.L. Gilbertson 7116 (KP670408); Cochise County, Coronado National Forest, Chiricahua Mts., Turkey Creek, on fallen trunk of Pinus ponderosa , 22 October 1970, R.L. Gilbertson 10028. Veluticeps fasciculata : China. Hunan Prov., Liuyang County, Daweishan Nat. Res., on stump of Crytomeria, 10 July 2015, S.H. He 2321 (KT750961); Zhejiang Prov., Lin’an County, Tianmushan Nat. Res., on stump of Cryptomeria , 14 October 2004, Y.C. Dai 6236 & 6237 (KP670406), on stump of Cunninghamia , 14 October 2004, Y.C. Dai 6280 (KP670407); Guizhou Prov., Jiangkou County, Fanjingshan Nat. Res., on stump of Cunninghamia , 22 November 2014, Y.C. Dai 14900 (KP670404). Veluticeps fimbriata : China. Sichuan Prov., Luding County, Hailuogou Forest Park, on gymnosperm wood, 20 September 2012, S.H. He 20120920-8 (KP670402) & 20120920-9 (KP670403).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Basidiocarps of Veluticeps species (scale bars = 1 cm). a. Veluticeps berkeleyi (R.L. Gilbertson 10028). b. V. fasciculata (Y.C. Dai 14900). c. V. fasciculata (Y.C. Dai 6280). d. V. fimbriata (S.H. He 20120920-9).

FIGURE 3. Microscopic structures of Veluticeps fasciculata (drawn by Jiao Yang from the holotype). a. Basidiospores. b. Basidia and basidioles. c. Cystidia. d. Subicular hyphae.