Tulostoma giovanellae Bres., fungi Trident. 1(1): 63. 1881.

Jeppson, Mikael, Altes, Alberto, Moreno, Gabriel, Nilsson, R. Henrik, Yolanda Loarce,, Bustos, Alfredo de & Larsson, Ellen, 2017, Unexpected high species diversity among European stalked puffballs - a contribution to the phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Tulostoma (Agaricales), MycoKeys 21, pp. 33-88 : 52

Tulostoma giovanellae Bres., fungi Trident. 1(1): 63. 1881. Figure 2f

≡ Tulostoma volvulatum I.G. Borshch., Zap. Imp. Akad. Nauk 7: 189. 1865. Holotype. TURKMENISTAN: in arenosis deserti Kara-Kum, Oct. 1857, I.G. Borshschov (LE 1938).

Holotype.

ITALY, Trento: in Horto Cappucinarum, 1880, Bresadola (S!)

Our sequence data confirm T. giovanellae as a well-defined species. Morphologically it is characterized by its finely verrucose spores with verrucae arranged in radial lines, as seen under SEM (Figure 2f). Some photos of the holotype collection at S (habit and spore ornamentation under SEM) were included in Altés et al. (1999). Since T. volvulatum is an older synonym, it takes priority over T. giovanellae . Art. 57 of the Melbourne Code allows an exception to the priority rule, preventing the use of a name that incurs in serious conflict with the taxonomic concept traditionally associated with it. Also, Art. 56 allows rejection of a name in that circumstance. A formal proposition will be put forward to the General Committee (to be published in Taxon) that the name T. volvulatum become a nomen rejiciendum, whereas T. giovanellae would be a conserved name to be used in its traditional sense.

A sequence from a collection labelled T. caespitosum var. acaule , originating from Patouillard’s herbarium (BPI), proved to be identical with T. giovanellae . See discussion (below) for issues around interpretation of T. caespitosum and T. caespitosum var. acaule .

Habitat and distribution.

Africa, Asia, and Europe. It is a typical Mediterranean species found on sandy or halophytic soils in more or less exposed sites, but it is also recorded from anthropogenic habitats in Austria, Hungary, and Germany ( Bohus and Babos 1977, Kreisel 1984, Rimóczi et al. 2011).

Other specimens examined.

AFRICA, N. Patouillard 4639 (as T. caespitosum var. acaule , herb. Lloyd 15426, BPI 704323)*. HUNGARY, Bács-Kiskun: Kecskemét, 1 Dec. 1898, L. Hollós (S). SPAIN, Alicante: Punta del Sabinar, en dunas costeras, sobre restos enterrados de Posidonia oceanica, 28 May 1989, C. Bartolomé, J. Álvarez (AH 11641, GB)*; Almería: Tabernas, Puente de los Callejones, in halophilous vegetation on sandy rambla, 22 Apr. 2008, M. Jeppson 8706 (GB)*; Zaragoza: Candasnos SW, in halophilous steppe vegetation on road verge, 7 Apr. 2009, E. Larsson, U. Andersson, T. Gunnarsson, T. Knutsson, M. Jeppson 9059 (GB)*.