Hebeloma alpinicola A.H. Sm., V. S. Evenson & Mitchel; Veiled species of Hebeloma in the western United States (Ann Arbor): 48, 1983.

Eberhardt, Ursula, Beker, Henry J., Borgen, Torbjorn, Knudsen, Henning, Schuetz, Nicole & Elborne, Steen A., 2021, A survey of Hebeloma (Hymenogastraceae) in Greenland, MycoKeys 79, pp. 17-118 : 17

Hebeloma alpinicola A.H. Sm., V. S. Evenson & Mitchel; Veiled species of Hebeloma in the western United States (Ann Arbor): 48, 1983. Fig. 7

Macroscopic description.

Cap 1.2-4.5 cm in diameter, robust, fleshy, irregularly hemispherical to convex, somewhat domed or not, almost unicolored, center cinnamon to dark pinkish buff, dark olive buff or rarely umber, sometimes with grayish tones, outwards ocher and lighter buff not white towards margin, sometimes with hoary canescent coating that dries shiny, with weakly hygrophanous spots, dry, margin inrolled at first, and then turned down, partial veil present. Lamellae narrowly attached, slightly emarginate, or with a tooth, or pulling away, somewhat broad (2-5 mm), pale gray brown to milky coffee, number of lamellae {L} 30-44, edges white floccose, without watery droplets. Stem 1.5-7.0 × 0.2-0.8 cm, cylindrical, whitish pruinose at apex, often with a whitish ring zone, dingy ocher to sordid yellowish or fairly dark brown, longitudinally strongly fibrillose and striate in lower part, often darkening when bruised, base sometimes encrusted with sand or earth, solid or slightly hollow. Context dingy whitish, darker below, unchanging or flesh staining brown. Smell weakly raphanoid. Taste almost insipid to slightly bitter. Spore deposit near fulvous.

Microscopic description.

Spores ellipsoid or some slightly amygdaliform or ovoid, with rounded end, apiculus small, on ave. 8-10.5 × 5-6 µm, ave. Q = 1.55-1.85, smooth to slightly rough (O1), not guttulate, not or very slightly dextrinoid (D0D1), perispore not loosening (P0). Basidia clavate, mostly four-spored, 20-35 × 6-8 µm. Cheilocystidia lageniform or ventricose, on ave. 35-55 × 5-6.5 (apex) × 4.5-6.5 (middle) × 6.5-10 (base) µm, occasionally geniculate or bifurcate, sometimes septate. Ratios A/M = 0.95-1.24, A/B = 0.54-0.88, B/M = 1.43-2.17. Epicutis an ixocutis, up to 200 µm thick, maximum hyphae width to 8 µm, encrusted hyphae not seen, shape of trama elements beneath subcutis cylindrical. Caulocystidia similar to cheilocystidia, but generally larger.

Collections examined.

S-Greenland: Kangilinnguit, 61.23°N, 48.07°W, 12 Aug 1985, T. Borgen (TB85.099, C-F-5082), 95 m, with Salix glauca and Chamaenerion latifolium in heathland. Kangilinnguit, 61.23°N, 48.10°W, 6 Aug 1984, T. Borgen (TB84.063, C-F-103534), 25 m, with Salix glauca in scrubland. Kangilinnguit, 61.23°N, 48.07°W, 17 Aug 1985, T. Borgen (TB85.071, C-F-5081), 95 m, with Alnus alnobetulae . Narsarsuaq, 61.15°N, 45.42°W, 9 Aug 2018, H. Knudsen (HK18.010, C-F-111109), 185 m, with Salix glauca and Betula pubescens in scrubland. Narsarsuaq, airport area, 61.08°N, 45.26°W, 3 Aug 1984, T. Borgen (TB84.028, C-F-103559), 20 m, with Salix glauca and Betula glandulosa in scrubland. Paamiut, 62.01°N, 49.4°W, 1 Aug 2000, T. Borgen (TB00.049, C-F-103516), 10 m, with Salix herbacea in snowbed. Paamiut, 62.01°N, 49.4°W, 8 Aug 1981, T. Borgen TB81.111, C-F-103554), 25 m. Paamiut, 62.01°N, 49.4°W, 20 Aug 1985, T. Borgen (TB85.218, C-F-103532), 30 m, with Salix herbacea and Bistorta vivipara in snowbed. W-Greenland: Kobbefjord, NuukBasic Station, 64.078°N, 51.23°W, 25 Aug 2018, H. Knudsen (HK18.322, C-F-111116), 5 m, with Salix herbacea in tundra. Sisimiut, Kællingehætten, 66.93°N, 53.59°W, 16 Aug 2016, H. Knudsen (HK16.165, C-F-108401), 400 m. N-Greenland: Zackenberg, Ulvehøj, 74.47°N, 21°W, 7 Aug 1999, T. Borgen (TB99.238, C-F-119805), 40 m, with Salix arctica and Bistorta vivipara . E-Greenland: Kuummiut, Torsukattak, 65.87°N, 37.01°W, 2 Aug 2008, T. Borgen (TB08.039, C-F-101623), 35 m; with Salix glauca in heathland. Kuummiut, Torsukattak, 65.87°N, 37.01°W, 2 Aug 2008, T. Borgen (TB08.037, C-F-101621), 35 m.

Distribution.

Widely distributed in Greenland, only missing in Constable Pynt. Originally described from the Seven Devils Mountains in Idaho, North America by Smith et al. (1983), more recently from the Rocky Mountains by Cripps et al. (2019) and from the European Alps by Grilli et al. (2020). This species appears to favor both boreal and arctic or alpine habitats. Most collections from Rocky Mountains were from subalpine areas. In Greenland, it occurs from the Subarctic zone to the High Arctic zone, and the Greenland collections from Zackenberg are the northernmost known (74.47°N). Circumpolar, arctic-alpine.

Habitat and ecology.

Thirteen collections in all, mainly with Salix glauca in scrubs and heathland, three collections in snowbeds with S. herbacea , one collection with S. arctica , and one collection with Alnus alnobetulae ssp. crispa , but the presence of other possible associates should not be ruled out. In the Rocky Mountains, Cripps et al. (2019) found two collections, one with Dryas , Salix planifolia Pursh. and S. reticulata L., the other subalpine record with dwarf willows only. Hebeloma alpinicola seems not to be specific regarding soil conditions.

Figures

Figure 7. Hebeloma alpinicola A HK 18.322, photograph H. Knudsen B distribution of cited collections C spores x 1600 and D cheilocystidia x 1000 of HK 18.322 in Melzer's reagent. Scale bars: 5 µm; microphotographs H. K. J. Beker.