The Gasteromycetes of Queensland II-Secotiaceae

Transcription

1 DEPAHTMENT OF BOTANY Volume III 1956 Number 13 The Gasteromycetes of Queensland II-Secotiaceae BY JOAN \\J' CRIBB, MSc Department of Botany University of Queensland THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PRESS BRISBANE 30th NOVEMBER, 1956

2 rrhe Gasteromycetes of Queensland- JOAN W CRIBB Secotiaceae One new genus, four new species and one new variety of Secotiaceae from Queensland are described, viz, Gyrnnogastn' gen nov, Gvmnogasler oolctoides sp n, Seeotium lamingtonellse sp n, S larnellatum sp n, S ret-ieulalurn sp n, and S sess'ile Mass & Eodw var texturn var n, S oehraceum Rodw is recorded for the first time from the Australian, mainlanc;l INTRODUCTION The family Secotiaceae as treated by Cunningham (1024, 19M) contained the solitary genus Secotium Eleven species, ten of them endemic, have previously been recorded from Australia, but none from Queensland The six species here recorded from Queensland are all Australian endemics, and bear little resemblance to species described from Europe (Bataille 1932), America (Zeller and Dodge 1934, under Elasmomyces), Malaya (Corner and Hawker 1953, under Elasmomyces) and New Zealand (Cunningham 1944, Heim 1951) Secotium lamingtonense sp n Fig 5 Peridium subglobosllm, 6-16 mm diarn, apiee leviter umbilieato, baso aliquantum effodeto, album tum flavidum-album, leve, fl erassum, hyphis textis; stipito albo, solido, aequo, projeetanto, usque ad 4 mm longo, 2 mm crasso; columella alba, plerurnque adhaerenta; gleba fiavida-alba, eellulis Iabyrinthiformibus, usque ad 2 mm diam, vacllis; tramis fl crassis, hyphis textis partim gelatinosis; sporis globosis, 7-10 fl diam (spinosis exlusis), hyalinis, spinosis angustis usque ad 4 fl altis Hab: In Lamington Plateau, 23v1955 (A B Cribb)-TYPE The species is distinguished from others of the genus by the unusual type of spore marking The hyaline globose spore is covered with irregularly arranged, tall, laterally flattened spines On examination of the spore, some of these spines may be seen in face view, some in end view, while others, viewed from the top, appear as ridges on the spore Focussing upwards on one of these "ridges" shows that it is actually a flattened spine with an acute apex The peridium in the fresh specimens was smooth and white The white colour, however, turns, on bruising, to cream, the colour observed in dried specimens The peridium also becomes much wrinkled on drying, and shrinks to thick Secotium lamehatum sp n Fig 1-2 Peridium depressum, usque ad 6 x 3 em diam, usque ad 23 cm altum, apiee plano vel aliquantum depresso, lateris aliquantum sulcatis, baso sulcato aliquantum effodeto, leve, viscidurn, purpureum iromaturitate, russuro-brllnneum maturitate, infra absentllm, usque ad 15 mm erassum, hyphis textis; stipito albido, solido, 1 em diam, baso aliquantum erassioro, radico longo erasso; columella alba, aequa, adhaerenta; gleba lamellata vel sublamellata, albida et ferruginea, eellulis subimpletis usque ad 1 mm diam; tramis 1l0-400 fl erassis hyphis textis gelatinosis; sporis globosis, ferrugineis, jj diam, verrucis erassis usque ad 55 fl altis Hab: Projectans in silvam in Mt Cordeaux, 24ix195,') (A B Cribb)-TYPE Other collection: Lamington Plateau, 27v1955 (S Singh) In most of the known species of Secoti-um, the gleba is distinctly cellular, the cells or cavities being usually elliptical, polygonal, or laterally compressed Several previouslydescribed species, however, differ in having a distinctly lamellate gleba, and it is to this group that S lamellatum belongs The hamal plates are arranged vertically as in Agaric'us, but are firmly attached at top <!nd bottom to the peridium; the peridium on the under surface is thin and deeply sulcate corresponding to the lamellae; it is wanting over a small area of the gleba close to the stipe--a condition observed in other species having an excavated base Difierent specimens in the two collections show various degrees of anastomosis of the lamellae -those of the type collection show distinctly more than those from Lamingtoll Plateau, where the lamellae are almost entirely free from one another (fig 1)

3 108 JOAN W CRIBB In possessing a distinctly lamellate r,-leba, the Queensland species shows some resemblance to three previously described species of Secotium, viz, S agaricoides (Czern) Hollos, occurrinfi in Asia, Europe, North Africa, North America, Western Australia and South Australia, S novae-zelandiae Cunn, occurring in New Zealand (Cunningham 1944), and S obtusum Lloyd, occurring in South Africa (Bottomley 1948) However, in S agaricoides the spores are subglobose and smooth, in S novae-zelandiae ovate or elliptical and smooth, in S obtusum globose or subglobose and obscurely and sparsely verrucose, while those of S lamellatum are globose and covered with coarse warts In both S obtusum and S lamellatum the gleba shows alternating bands of brown spore mass and pale tramal plates; the spores of S obtusurn (5-6,, diam) however are much smaller than those of S lamellatum (15-225,u diam) The two collections of S lamellatum comprise three specimens at different stages of development, although all are apparently of full size In the type collection the spores are quite mature and are seen to be ferruginous with coarse warts (fig 2c) In the other collection, the spores are somewhat less mature, and appear to have a spiny epispore covered by a smooth gelatinous exospore (fig 2a); apparently this exospore, Oil maturity of the spore, splits between the spines of the epispore, forming the coarse warts The epispore spines can be seen within the warts on careful examination of the completely mature spores, each wart enclosing usually 1-3 spines The warts may be flat-topped or rounded A few very immature spores show a thick smooth gelatinous exospore (42,, thick) surrounding an almost smooth epispore Secotium reticulatum sp n Fig 3, 4 Peridium depressum, 15 cm diam, 8 mm altum, apiee plano, baso truneato et effodeto, leve, albidum, ,u crassum, hyphis extus e 120 ft pseudoparenehymatis, intus e 105,, textis; stipito albido, solido, c 2 em longo, 3 mll crasso, 15 mm erasso in baso; columella semi-libera, apico leviter expanso; gleba sublamellata, pallida brunnea, eellulis vacuis; tramis ,, crassis, hyphis textis; spods globosis, 17-21,, diam (reticulis inclusis), ferrugineus, exigue reticulatis, reticulis usque ad altis Flab: In silvam in Mt Edwards, 7xii1954 (A B Cribb)-TYPE This species resembles the preceding one in possessing a sublamellate gleba The type collection consists of one specimen only; it is possible that a range of specimens will show the gleba in general tending towards either the lamellate or the elongate cellular condition S reticulatum may he distinguished from other species of the genus--iamellate or cellular-by the reticulate markings of the spore walls; in the other species the spore wall may be smooth, spinose, verrucose or warted The reticulations, although sparse, are distinct, and appear to arise in the same way as do the spore markings of S lamellatum In immature hyaline spores, they are to be seen distinctly within the gelatinous exospore, which in mature ferruginous spores (seen in the same specimen) becomes rugulose-reticulate to correspond with these reticulations In some cases the spores appear to be almost striate with anastomosing striae, rather than reticulate S reticulatum is the only Australian species of Secotium to have a two-layered peridium Two species restricted to New Zealand, viz, S virescens Mass and S areolatum Cunn, also possess this feature, but both differ from S reticulatum mainly in having a cellular gleba and smooth elliptical spores Secotium sessile Mass & Rodw val' textum val' n Fig 6 Hyphis peridii et tramarum textis; cellulis glebae 1-2 mm longis I~amington National Park, 26v1955, A B Cribb-TYPE; Brisbane (June); Mt Mitchell (Apr); Mt Glorious (Feb, June); South Johnstone (June) These collections represent the most frequently found species of Secotium occurring in Queensland S sessile, known previously only from Tasmania, is "identified readily by the smooth peridium, labyrinthiform gleba and globose, verruculose spores" (Cunningham 1944) The Queensland specimens agree with this description: the spores appear to be identical,

4 THE GASTEROMYCETES OF QUEENSLAND-II lo!} being globose, 9-12 ft diameter, hyaline, verruculose and shortly pedicelled; the peridium is of similar size, shape and colouring; cystidia, which have been found only in this one species of the genus, have been observed in the Queensland collections The Queensland specimens, however, differ from the species in the nature of the peridium and tramal plates, which are pseudoparenchymatous in S sessile, but of woven hyphae in the variety Cunningham gives the length of the glebal cells as "to 10 mm", whereas in the Queensland material they do not exceed 2 mm The species is described as having the columella free throughout Queensland collectiolls show the columella adherent to the gleba for at least half of its length, but with a strong tendency to tear away easily in dried specimens Possibly this tearing had occurred in specimens examined by Cunningham; otherwise this character provides a third distinction for the variety The differences shown between the Queensland material and the species seem insufficient to warrant the erection of a new species, but are important enough to justify the placing of Queensland collections in var text%m var n of Secotium sessile Lamington National Park (Mar) Secotium ochraceum Rodw (1920) This species was known previously only from the type collection from Hobart, Tasmania In Rodway's original description of the species, the peridium was described as ochraceous, and the fructification hypogaean The Queensland collection was epigaean and there was a distinct lavender colour in the peridium and stipe However, Cunningham (19J:i3) states ;-- "Secotium ochracemn may be coloured lavender when fresh, especially if epigaean This hal?pcns with our S porphyreum; for when growing submerged (and it often matures in this position) in debris on the forest floor it remains white, drying dingy tan; if exposed it develops a rich violet colour, but ultimately fades to ferruginous I have part of the type of S ochrace~nn, collected and forwarded many years ago by the late L Roclway It was growing beneath humus, not truly hypogaean, and is now pallid tan; but if exposed it may have developed the colour noted in your epigaean specimens" The Queensland collection resembles the type of S ochraceum in all major respects It differs in the tramal plates which are of woven hyphae to 80 ft thick, in the Queensland collection, pseudoparenchymatous, ft thick, in the type Cunningham (1953) states that this condition is often the case in somewhat immature specimens (as the Queensland ones are), particularly if the peridium is of woven hyphae, as in this species Gymnogaster gen nov Stipitatus; peridio nullo; stipito centrico, glebam tanquam columella simplica pcrcurrenta pervagato; gleba ex tramis perpetuis anastomosis, columella adhaerenta; basidiis 4-sporis, stcrigmatis; sporis ellipsoideis vel ovatis, brunneis, levis The genus differs from Secotium in the absence of a peridium In most species of Secotium the peridium is complete, being closely appressed to the stipe at all stages, and often attached to it; in some species, eg, S lamellatum, the base of the fruiting body in mature specimens is excavated, and the tramal plates and gleba may be partly exposed; in other species, eg, S ochraceum, the peridium may be "thin and sometimes fugaeious" (Cunningham 1944) However, in Gymnogaster the fructification shows no indication of any trace of peridium In the t'pe species desclibed hereunder, the exterior is a bright lemon yellow and the gleba on sectioning is seen to be a light brown; both exterior and interior (and the stipe, which is also bright yellow) turn blue on handling, later changing to dark browll If the gleba had been enclosed in a peridium at an earlier stage of its development, and such a peridium had flaked off, it would be expected that the exterior of the gleba would be dark brown following the damage to the outermost hyphae

5 110 JOAN W CRIBB The apex of the percurrent columella in the type species is a deep russet red, in contrast with the yellow stipe and glebal exterior It is possible that this small red area represents a very much reduced peridium; the area did not however extend to cover any of the gleba, and no definite peridial layer could be detected at the apex of the columella The genus is retained within the Secotiaceae on grounds of general similarity with Secoti'um---the stipitate fruiting-body, fleshy gleba of persistent anastomosing tramal plates, percurrent unbranched columella and 4-spored sterigmate basidia are all characters of the family It is necessary to enlarge the description of tile Secotiaceae to include genera in which the peridium is wanting TYPE SPECIES: Gymnogaster boletoides sp n Gymnogaster boletoides sp n Fig 7-8 Globosus cleprcsslls, 25 em latus, 22 em 'lltuo (stipito exc!uso), apice depresso, apice stipiti rotunclato, projectanto, baso lcviter effotldo, flavlls, apico stipiti russo; peridio nullo; stipito Ravo, intus albo, projectanto, 4-{; mm longo, 'i 11lm crasso, fastigato, solido, levo; columella alba, aequa, 7 mm crassa, prorsus adhaercnta; gleba celluhta, pallicla brunnea, cellulis labyrinthifonniblls, usque ad 1 mm; tramis fl cra~isis, hyphis laxiter textis; sporis dlipticis vel ovatis, brunneis, levis, x fl Hab: In silvam Mt Glorious, Queensland, 19ii19,55 (J W Cribb) -TYPE G boletoides shows striking similarity to some members of the Boletaceae The bright lemon colour of the exterior is similar to that shown by a number of species of Boleft!s and related genera On being handled, the colour of the exterior changes immediately to a bright blue which later slowly turns to a dark brown; similar colour changes occur in the interior of the gleba, the cut surface changing from light brown to blue then dark brown These changes appear to be identical with those observed in many Boletes and may indicate some line of connection between the Boletaceae and Secotiaceac Although colour changes take place commonly in many species of the Hymenogastrales on bruising, this particular type of change is quite different from those previously observed It is possible that the character is a generic one for Gymnogaster, but until further species of the genus can be found and studied it is impossible to decide this point ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to thank Professor D A Herbert, of the University of Queensland, for his advice and assistance throughout the study, Dr G H Cunningham, of the Plant Diseases Division, DSLR, Auckland, for his kindness in examining and commenting on material submitted to him, and her husband, Mr A B Cribb, of the University of Queensland, who has assisted greatly with advice in the preparation of the paper, and particularly in preparing the plate REFERENCES BATAILLE, M F (1932) Flore analytique et descriptive des Hymenogastracees d'europe Bull Soc Myc Fr, 39 (3): 1-40 (Separate) BOTTOMLEY, A M (1948) Gasteromycetes of South Africa Bothalia, 4, (3): CORNER, E J H AND HAWKER, L E (1953) Hypogeous fungi from Malaya Trans Brit Mycol Soc, 36: CUNNINGHAM, GE (1924) A critical revision of the Australian and New Zealand species of the genus Secotium Proc Linn Soc NS W, 49: (1\144) The Gasteromycetes or Australia add Xew Zealand 236 Pl' (John McIndoe: Dunedin) (1953) Private Coffilnunicatioll HElM, 1~ ()fl51) Rev Mycol NS ]6 RODWAY, L (1920) Notes and ad(lition:; to the fungus flora of Tasmania Pap Proc Roy Soc Tas, (1919): ZELU R, S M AND DODGE, C W (1 93li) Elasmomyces, Arcangelietla ;l,nd Macowanites Ann Mo Bot Card, 3 (4): ilh9-ti38

6 THE GASTEROMYCETES OF QUEENSLAND--II 111 2a 0 ' f 0 CJ ' "" _ 8 «") '' a 3 /, 5 :: Explanation of Plate Fig 2---Secotium Fig 1--Secotium lamellalwnt, fruiting body cut vertically, xl3 lmnellatum, 8pores in surface view and med opt sect, x650; a, immature; b, almost tnature; c, mature Fig 3--Secoti1'm retict,l(ttum, fruiting body cut vertically, x26 Fig 4--Secotium reticulahtm, spores, x650; a, immature; b, mature!l'lill' Fig fi---secotium lamingtonense, spores, x650 r Fig 6-Secotium sessile v<r textum, spores, x650 Fig 7 --Gymnogaster boletoides, "fruiting body cut vertically, x2 Fig 8--Gymnogaste>' boletoides, spores, x6'50