Can't even get to genus

[SheffieldLass]

Maybe my brain wasn't engaged last night, but I couldn't even get this one to genus. I was using Archie McAdam's key and got nowhere, but then checked everything I could think of, but nothing seemed to fit.



Under ash, growing from leaf litter, but only under mud compressed by vehicle wheels. Most had dried (and they dry clay colour), but these were the freshest. They grow as small groups. Very tough.


Spores brown, rather like Tubaria ones, but the gills only turn light warm brown from them.
(7.5) 8.2-9.5 (10) x (4.8) 4.9-5.5(5.9)um, Qav=1.7

Cheilocystidia distinctive


I found nothing distinctive on the pileipellis cells (filamentous not cellular, no incrusted pigment) or anything on the stipipellis. Clamps abundant
throughout.


Smell mushroomy pleasant.
Agrocybe maybe? Just noticed that the inflated hymeniform cells to the cap are often only noticeable in young specimens. These were pretty dry, so possibly had collapsed and not obvious.

Size of cap from 5-25mm dia.

Melanie

[SheffieldLass]

Well, so far it seems to be eluding others too .... that makes me feel better ...

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

Well, so far it seems to be eluding others too .... that makes me feel better ...

Hi Melanie

My first thoughts (only thought actually!) were Inocybe. Not the norm whatever it is!

John

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

Hi Melanie

My first thoughts (only thought actually!) were Inocybe. Not the norm whatever it is!

John

I had ruled Inocybe out for some reason (I think I went through the Funga Nordica Inocybe key and didn't get one to fit) but was about to go back and check it through again.

Agrocybe vervacti fits the spores (size, shape and lack of obvious pore) and cheilocysidia, but macroscopically the fibrous stem doesn't seem right. I need to check through the literature for other features to see if there is a mismatch that rules it out of hand.

Melanie

[mollisia]

Hello Melanie,

to me these look like somewhat dried fruitbodies of Pholiota oedipus.
Filamentous cuticule rules out Agrocybe b.t.w.

best regards,
Andreas

P.S.: Having been very occupied the last weeks I had no chance to join the forum for a long time now, but hope time gets better now

[Andy Overall]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

Maybe my brain wasn't engaged last night, but I couldn't even get this one to genus. I was using Archie McAdam's key and got nowhere, but then checked everything I could think of, but nothing seemed to fit.



Under ash, growing from leaf litter, but only under mud compressed by vehicle wheels. Most had dried (and they dry clay colour), but these were the freshest. They grow as small groups. Very tough.


Spores brown, rather like Tubaria ones, but the gills only turn light warm brown from them.
(7.5) 8.2-9.5 (10) x (4.8) 4.9-5.5(5.9)um, Qav=1.7

Cheilocystidia distinctive


I found nothing distinctive on the pileipellis cells (filamentous not cellular, no incrusted pigment) or anything on the stipipellis. Clamps abundant
throughout.


Smell mushroomy pleasant.
Agrocybe maybe? Just noticed that the inflated hymeniform cells to the cap are often only noticeable in young specimens. These were pretty dry, so possibly had collapsed and not obvious.

Size of cap from 5-25mm dia.

Melanie

I think Andreas might have it there with Pholiota oedipus, its in the Brit and Irish checklist as Phaeogalera dissimulans. Melanie if you have dried the fruitbodies it might be worth sending the collection to Kew along with all of the info you have managed to collate. FAO Brian Spooner.

Andy

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Andy Overall

. . . it might be worth sending the collection to Kew along with all of the info you have managed to collate. FAO Brian Spooner.

Andy

and be quick - I think Brian retires in May - hope I'm wrong

if it is P. dissimulans then your find represents an interesting extension of its British (almost exclusively English?) range: NBN Gateway: Phaeogalera dissimulans grid map

best

Chris

[SheffieldLass]

Thanks Andreas. It looks very much like Pholiota oedipus /Phaeogalera dissimulans. In Funga Nordica it says it does not seem closely related to any genus, so I don't feel too bad that I couldn't get it to genus .

Chris - I've just looked under the FRDBI list and there is one in 2008 from NE Yorkshire, though there is no more detailed info of location, but possibly one of those blobs on the NBM gateway. In which case mine (if it is confirmed as P dissimulans) would become the northernmost blob . I have dried them, well they dried themselves even as I was looking at them. I think Brian Spooner retires next May ....

Malcolm Storey has some detailed macro and micro photos on Bioimages and his looks very like mine.

Cheers
Melanie

[Andy Overall]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

Thanks Andreas. It looks very much like Pholiota oedipus /Phaeogalera dissimulans. In Funga Nordica it says it does not seem closely related to any genus, so I don't feel too bad that I couldn't get it to genus .

Chris - I've just looked under the FRDBI list and there is one in 2008 from NE Yorkshire, though there is no more detailed info of location, but possibly one of those blobs on the NBM gateway. In which case mine (if it is confirmed as P dissimulans) would become the northernmost blob . I have dried them, well they dried themselves even as I was looking at them. I think Brian Spooner retires next May ....

Malcolm Storey has some detailed macro and micro photos on Bioimages and his looks very like mine.

Cheers
Melanie

If sent to Kew it will probably be looked at by someone other than Brian, such as Alick Henrici. Out of interest, Martyn Ainsworth has just taken up a position there. Good find Melanie.

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by Andy Overall

Out of interest, Martyn Ainsworth has just taken up a position there. Good find Melanie.

Excelent news. About time.

Mal