2 Coprinopsis

[SheffieldLass]

I found these two different Coprinopsis, about 2 weeks apart, on the same site, both from the Alachuani subsection of Coprinopsis, with the diverticulate veil. I've keyed them out, but not totally convinced I've reached the right id for either.

The first was growing off a bit of herbaceous stem litter, possibly nettle. Nice ochre-brown veil.



Veil thick walled, but not really thick walled, up to 1.4um thickness, to 6.5um wide. The excrescences look cylindrical rather than pointed or very rounded, but I'm not expereinced in looking at this type of veil.


Basidia 4 spored


Pleurocystidia 35-11um long, 12-22.5um wide.


Spores (8.6) 9-9.9 (10.4) x (6.3) 6.7-7.5 (7.9) um Qav 1.3

Some look to have eccentric pores to me. The spores also looked quite fragile, seemed to disintegrate quite easily. I usually think of Coprinopsis spores as robust. In fact when I first saw them I didn't even recognise them as spores , thought they were pigmented cells.

Also clamps present.


It was the veil excresence end shape and the eccentic pore on the spores that have made me not certain of the id of Coprinopsis pseudofriesii. But I think it must either be Coprinopsis pseudofriesii, or C tigrinellus. The latter is on grasses, not on herbs though. Which is why I've tentatively gone for C pseudofriesii. The spores seem to big and not globose enough for C phaeosporus.

So all thoughts, suggestions please.

Melanie
I'll post the other on a following post.

[SheffieldLass]

This was found growing off the end of a bit of twig, very probably willow.



Nice white veil. Again diverticulate, but with thin walled hyphae, and arrowed a clamp.


4 spored basidia


Pleurocystidia 62-72um long by 19-21um wide


Spores (6.8) 7.3-8.0 (8.2) x (5.3) 5.7-6.3 (6.6)um Qav 1.3


This one I keyed out to Coprinopsis urticicola var urticicola although it was growing from a twig (willow). The veil appeared to be white, ruling out Coprinopsis urticicola var salicicola.

But again thoughts on this, please.

Melanie

[SheffieldLass]

Any thoughts anyone?

Melanie

[Chris Yeates]

hi Melanie

it's certainly not C. tigrinellus - Coprinopsis urticicola seems by far the most likely
Chris

[derekschafer]

These herbicolous Coprinopsis species are very difficult to distinguish and I am not convinced the existing keys have them sorted out. C. pseudofriesii has veil supposedly less thick-walled than C. friesii, but still pale (white if fresh, becoming pale yellow-brown as i recall in my collections, starting ochre-brown becoming paler (?) according to Ulje & Noordeloos) and otherwise larger fruitbodies and substrate wood or woody. I find what I call C. friesii commonly on small grass stems, often the problem is finding veil hyphae wider than 4 microns to make 2 micron thick walls possible but long thin thick-walled (in relation to hyphal width) excrescences are usually clear. Maybe the veil cell walls get thinner when the fruitbody grows on more substantial substrates? But I still record C. pseudofriesii if it meets all the criteria. Tigrinellus has more rounded excrescences and some veil very dark (sepia) but again, this varies. With smaller spores, a lot of other things become possible. We all need to look at more collections, especially me!

[derekschafer]

Not sure if I'm replying in the right order! The other Coprinopsis on Willow, if it has clamps, is not C. urticicola. Their absence is reliable in this species (i.e. if present, not this). I haven't found var. salicicola but Sheila Wells has identified it from Huntingdonshire. I could look at dried material if you would like me to.

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by derekschafer

Not sure if I'm replying in the right order! The other Coprinopsis on Willow, if it has clamps, is not C. urticicola. Their absence is reliable in this species (i.e. if present, not this). I haven't found var. salicicola but Sheila Wells has identified it from Huntingdonshire. I could look at dried material if you would like me to.

Thanks Derek. I should have noticed the clamp discrepancy . I have dried it, and it is still attached to the twig, so will forward it on to you. I'll also double check the trees down there, almost all are willow close to where this was, though some trees were felled, which I think were willow too, but just to see what other possibilities it might be.

Melanie