Pisolithus thermaeus T. Lebel, Pennycook & Beever, 2018

Lebel, Teresa, Pennycook, Shaun & Barrett, Matthew, 2018, Two new species of Pisolithus (Sclerodermataceae) from Australasia, and an assessment of the confused nomenclature of P. tinctorius, Phytotaxa 348 (3), pp. 163-186 : 172-173

Pisolithus thermaeus T. Lebel, Pennycook & Beever sp. nov. ( Fig. 8 )

Mycobank: MB820205

Differs from other Australasian species in the turbinate sporocarp with short pseudostipe, spores with fine to robust spines (0.8–) 1–2 μm tall, mostly isolated though occasionally tips of 3–7 coalescing into secondary conical warts and in its mycorrhizal association with Kunzea tenuicaulis .

Type: Rotorua, thermal area by lake, NE of racecourse, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand. 26 July 2001, RE. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2026 (holotype PDD 74168).

Etymology: from the Latin thermaeus in reference to the habitat preference for geothermally active sites within New Zealand.

Basidiomata turbinate or subglobose, 30–50 mm wide × 25–40 mm high, yellowish ochre with orange-brown or blackened patches. Peridium at most 5–12 mm thick, but soon thinning to show outline of peridioles below, finally disintegrating and leaving yellowish ochre, orange-brown or blackened patches. Peridioles globose to subglobose, occasionally elongate, 1–2 (rarely 3) mm diam, solid, moist, cream-colored at first, becoming pale ochre then yellow, and eventually dark olivaceous brown, before drying to powdery mustard yellow spore mass when mature, compressed in uppermost part, often forming in stipe apex. Pseudostipe absent or present, basal, central, short, 10–14 mm wide × 15 mm long, appearing solid; similar colours to peridium, remaining orange-brown in context with some blackening on exposure. Rhizomorphs yellow to ochre orange.

Basidia none observed. Spores globose, (6–)7–11(–11.5) μm diam [mean 9.1 ± 0.7 × 8.9 ± 0.65], Q = 1.1–1.26 [mean = 1.19]; ornamentation of fine to robust spines (0.8–) 1–2 μm tall × 0.3–1 μm broad, spines usually acute, mostly isolated though occasionally 3–6 tips coalescing into secondary conical warts. Spore colour in KOH pale yellow to brown, non-amyloid, non-dextrinoid.

Ecology and distribution: solitary or in small clusters, epigeous in geothermally active soils, associates are mostly upright (up to 2–3 m tall) Kunzea tenuicaulis with scattered Leptospermum scoparium and Leucopogon fasciculatus (G. Forst.) A. Rich nearby. Season: (Feb.–Aug.) Autumn–Winter. New Zealand, North Island.

Specimens examined: NEW ZEALAND, NORTH ISLAND. Bay of Plenty: Waiotapu, Maungaongaonga Scenic Reserve , 25 August 2001, R. E. Beever 2028 ( PDD 74526 ; 1 slide) ; Taupo: Tokaanu, Paeroa Range , Te Kopia Thermal Reserve , 14 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever 2056 ( PDD 77425 ) ; Paeroa Range, Te Kopia Thermal Reserve , 17 June 2002, R. E. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2084 ( PDD 100264 ) ; Paeroa Range , Te Kopia thermal area, 17 June 2002, R. E. Beever, B. Moyersoen REB2086, ( PDD 100265 ) ; Tauhara, Lake Rotokawa Thermal Area , 13 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2050 ( PDD 77286 ; mixed collection; cultured 2002 ICMP 18900 ) ; Tauhara, DOC Thermal Reserve near the Golf Course , 27 June 2002, R. E. Beever, B. Moyersoen REB 2108 ( PDD 77436 ) ; Tauhara Reserve , 6 May 2007, R. E. Beever 2725 ( PDD 93558 ; young sporocarp) ; Craters of the Moon Thermal Area , 13 April 1998, P. K. C. Austwick 3012 ( PDD 76125 ) ; Karapiti, Craters of the Moon Thermal Area , 14 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2054 ( PDD 77424 ) ; Craters of the Moon thermal Area , 5 April 2004, G. Gates FUNNZ2005 /0163 ( PDD 82701 ; immature) ; Tokaanu , near thermal pools, 17 June 2001, B. Moyersoen REB2029 ( PDD 75380 ) ; Tokaanu, Tokaanu Thermal Reserve , 12 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2047 ( PDD 77287 ) ; Tokaanu, Tokaanu Thermal Reserve , 12 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever 2045 ( PDD 77420 ; immature; culture 2002 ICMP 18901 ) ; Tokaanu, Tokaanu Thermal Reserve , 12 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2046 ( PDD 77421 ) ; Tokaanu, Tokaanu Thermal Reserve , 12 Feb 2002, R. E. Beever & B. Moyersoen REB2048 ( PDD 100258 ) .

Notes: Pisolithus arenarius var. novozeelandica Henn. [as ‘ novo-zeelandica ’], Bot. Jb. 18(4 (Beibl. 44)): 37 (1894). Neu-Seeland, Nord-Insel, Warakei [Wairakei] Valley, am Boden [on the ground] (29 August 1889, n.116).

Pisolithus leptothecum Reichardt, Verh. K. -K. Zool.- Bot. Ges. Wien 16: 373 (1866). ‘Neu-Seeland, [South Island]. Auf sandigem Boden in den Umgebungen von Nelson [on sandy ground in vicinity of Nelson].’

Two old names need to be considered. The name Pisolithus arenarius var. novozeelandica was applied to a collection from the same general location as that of the known distribution of P. thermaeus sp. nov. However, the description could fit any of the species currently known to occur in these thermal areas, and the collection is fragmentary at best. Cunningham (1931, p. 289) includes P. leptothecum , along with dozens of other names, in the synonomy of P. tinctorius sensu G. Cunn. Pisolithus leptothecum , was applied to a collection made near Nelson, which is not a geothermally active area. This with the protologue locality information ‘on sandy ground’, suggests a very different habitat than all other currently known species of Pisolithus , and the description appears more appropriate to a species of Bovista or Lycoperdon .

We do not feel we can apply either of these old names with confidence to any currently known species, so formally describe P. thermaeus .

Figures

FIGURE 8. Pisolithus thermaeus sp. nov. a sporocarp (PDD74168); b sporocarp (PDD100265); c SEM of spores (PDD77425); d–e spores (PDD74526).