Lactarius sharmai K.Verma, Uniyal & Mehmood, 2024

Verma, Komal, Ahamed, Masood, Kumar, Anil, Mehmood, Tahir & Uniyal, Priyanka, 2024, Lactarius indohirtipes and L. sharmai (Russulales, Basidiomycota): two novel species from Jammu and Kashmir, India, European Journal of Taxonomy 947, pp. 175-190 : 183-186

Lactarius sharmai K.Verma, Uniyal & Mehmood sp. nov.

MycoBank: MB847562

Figs 5–6

Diagnosis

Lactarius sharmai sp. nov. can be identified by its yellowish white to greyish yellow, brownish grey, dry, velvety, radially rugulose pileus surface, greyish orange to pale yellow lamellae turning deep orange when damaged; extensive forkations, white abundant latex that changes into light orange to yellowish orange or pastel yellow on lamellae, globose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores with high ridges (≤ 1.6 μm), the absence of pleuromacrocystidia, abundant cheiloleptocystidia and a trichopalisade type of pileipellis.

Etymology

The epithet ‘ sharmai’ refers to Prof. Yash Pal Sharma to honour his valuable contributions to the macrofungal flora of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Type material

Holotype

INDIA • Jammu and Kashmir, Udhampur, Majalta, Samanabanj ; 32°42.996′ N, 75°25.931′ E; 1749 m a.s.l.; 8 Aug. 2020; K. Verma & T. Mehmood LK-012; GenBank no.: OP185255 (nrITS); CAL 1919 .

Paratype

INDIA • Jammu and Kashmir, Kathua, Machedi; 32°40.047′ N, 75°37.231′ E; 1807 m a.s.l.; 4Aug. 2021; K. Verma & T. Mehmood LK-120; under Quercus sp. and Pinus roxburghii in subtemperate mixed forest; GenBank no.: PP273500 (nrITS); HBJU / M /52.

Description

Basidiomata medium sized. Pileus 50–68 mm diam., convex when young, plano-convex to applanate with depressed centre when mature; surface dry, velvety, radially rugulose, yellowish white (4A2) to greyish yellow (4B2) when young, blond (5C4) to brownish grey (4D2) when mature, centre olive brown (4D3) to brownish grey (4D2); margin undulate, decurved to plane. Lamellae 4–6 mm broad, adnate to subdecurrent, greyish orange (5B4), pale yellow (4A3) towards edge, staining light brown (5C5) to brownish orange (5D5) after 30 minutes, crowded (15–18L+l/cm), edges concolorous, staining yellowish brown (5D8) when damaged; lamellulae plentiful, unevenly distributed, 10–12 lengths, forked in 5–6 ranks. Stipe 45–80 × 8–10 mm, cylindric, slightly tapered towards base, surface smooth, longitudinally rugose; yellowish white (3A2–3A3), greyish yellow (4B4) to blond (4C4). Context 3–4 mm thick in pileus, brittle, white to cream white (1B2), staining light orange (6A4–6A5) to greyish yellow (4B4–4B5) on exposure, stuffed in stipe; not staining with FeSO 4 and KOH, brownish red (8D7– 8D8) with guaiacol. Latex abundant, white, changing to light orange (6A4–6A5) to yellowish orange (6A5–6A6), pastel yellow to light yellow (3A4–3A6) on lamellae. Taste mild. Odour pleasant. Spore deposit not obtained.

Basidiospores 8.0–9.13–11 × 7.0–8.4–10.0 μm, (n = 40), Q = 1.00–1.09–1.29, globose to broadly ellipsoid, ornamentations composed of ridges (0.8–1.6 μm high) with entire to wavy edges, often with rounded isolated warts, some shorter and irregular ridges are present in between main ridges, never forming a reticulum; plage distally amyloid. Basidia 39–43 × 11–17 μm, subclavate, 2- or 4-spored; sterigmata 5–7 × 0.3–0.7 μm. Pleuromacrocystidia absent. Pseudocystidia abundant, 5–10 μm diam., emergent up to 10–15 μm, tortuous at base, unbranched. Cheilomacrocystidia absent. lamellar edges sterile. Cheiloleptocystidia abundant, 30–54 × 5–6 μm, emergent up to 20–25 μm, cylindric to clavate, apices round, with one to two cells at the base. Marginal cells 12–14 × 6–7 μm, cylindric to subclavate, often multiseptate, thin-walled, with brown intracellular pigmentation. Hymenophoral trama composed of abundant lactifers, up to 4–6 μm diam. Pileipellis a trichopalisade, 70–100 μm thick; suprapellis 40–65 μm deep, composed of cylindric to subclavate cells with brown intracellular pigmentation; subpellis 45–70 μm thick, composed of cylindrical to almost rounded cells. Stipitipellis a palisade to a trichopalisade, 60–75 μm thick; hyphae 4–5 μm diam., terminal cells with intracellular brown pigment.

Figures

Fig. 5. Lactarius sharmai K.Verma, Uniyal & Mehmood sp. nov. (CAL 1919). A. Fresh basidiomata in the field. B. Lamellae showing latex.C. Bruised context. D. Basidiomata at the base camp.E–F. Basidia. G. Pseudocystidia. H–I. Cheiloleptocystidia. J. Transverse section through pileipellis. K. Basidiospores under light microscope. L–M. Basidiospores under SEM. Scale bars: E–K = 10 μm; L–M = 2 μm.

Fig. 6. Line drawings of Lactarius sharmai K.Verma, Uniyal & Mehmood sp. nov. (CAL 1919). A. Basidia. B. Pleuropseudocystidia. C. Basidiospores. D. Marginal cells. E. Cheiloleptocystidia. F. Transverse section through pileipellis. Scale bars: A–B, D–F = 10 μm; C = 5 μm.