Melanoleuca from Lound

[FungiJohn]

Hello all

Recent visits to Lound have produced more interesting fungi, most of which have gone to Kew for confirmation.

This Melanoleuca was found growing in sandy soil under Willow. Cream / yellow spores and a very distinctive bluish coloured stipe and central cap area.

Here's a few images:





Any comments as always much appreciated.

John et al

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

Hello all

Recent visits to Lound have produced more interesting fungi, most of which have gone to Kew for confirmation.

This Melanoleuca was found growing in sandy soil under Willow. Cream / yellow spores and a very distinctive bluish coloured stipe and central cap area.

Here's a few images:





Any comments as always much appreciated.

John et al

Hi John (et al)

I was discussing this one with someone who knows a lot more about agarics than I do . . . . did you actually see typical Melanoleuca cystidia on this collection? or were you going on general appearance?

cheers

Chris

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

Hi John (et al)

I was discussing this one with someone who knows a lot more about agarics than I do . . . . did you actually see typical Melanoleuca cystidia on this collection? or were you going on general appearance?

cheers

Chris

Hi Chris

I only looked at the spore print to rule out a 'possible' Entoloma. After Nick suggested Kew, I took the easy option

I still have dried material so could pass on a few hours tomorrow on the scope

John

[FungiJohn]

Not sure if this helps but:

Spore colour


Spores x400


Cystidia x400


John

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

Not sure if this helps but:

Spore colour


Spores x400


Cystidia x400


John

hi John

are those spores mounted just in water - always worth checking with Lugol's as Melanoleuca has amyloid warts on the spores of course; its difficult to see but they do look to be smooth - you'd know that better

if those are cystidia I can see nothing to suggest Melanoleuca there

let's see what the experts suggest

cheers

Chris

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

hi John

are those spores mounted just in water - always worth checking with Lugol's as Melanoleuca has amyloid warts on the spores of course; its difficult to see but they do look to be smooth - you'd know that better

if those are cystidia I can see nothing to suggest Melanoleuca there

let's see what the experts suggest

cheers

Chris

Just water Chris. Unfortunately I don't have any Lugol

Looking at 'typical' Melanoleuca spores I now think this may be something else! At least I could rule out Entoloma

John

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

Just water Chris. Unfortunately I don't have any Lugol
John

for the benefit of others (I know you spotted it!):
Stains in Microscopy

Chris

[FungiJohn]

Just to update:

Brian Spooner kindly sent the following:

'The Melanoleuca has been looked at by me and also by Alick Henrici. It lacks cystidia, and is close to what is called M. melaleuca in the Checklist. But that is a little-understood group still, so best name at present is just M. cf. melaleuca, or M. melaleuca ss. lato.
Accessed as K(M)170154.'

John

PS An interesting point Brian made was that the images were very like typical Lepista saeva, with purple stem and pale cap.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

. . .
PS An interesting point Brian made was that the images were very like typical Lepista saeva, with purple stem and pale cap.

Had that not occurred to you John? When Jerry C and I looked at your post it was the first thing we said - though tbf that may have been down to the photograph, you'd seen it in the field . . .

Chris

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

Had that not occurred to you John? When Jerry C and I looked at your post it was the first thing we said - though tbf that may have been down to the photograph, you'd seen it in the field . . .

Chris

Not really Chris. There was no distinctive smell and the gills were quite yellow in some fbs.

The habitat and time of year (not that you would go on that!) just didn't seem right either!

John