Coprinopsis stercorea (Fr.) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo

Melo, Roger Fagner Ribeiro, Chikowski, Renata Dos Santos, Miller, Andrew Nicholas & Maia, Leonor Costa, 2016, Coprophilous Agaricales (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) from Brazil, Phytotaxa 266 (1), pp. 1-14 : 9

8. Coprinopsis stercorea (Fr.) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo , Taxon 50(1): 231 (2001)

( Figure 4 , f–k)

Closed pileus initially subglobose to oblong, becoming ellipsoid to cylindrical-ellipsoid, 5–6 × 3–4 mm, covered along its entire length by velar fragments, giving it a floccose-granular texture, mainly in the center, extending radially towards the edge. Expanded pileus hemispherical to campanulate, 10–12 mm in diameter, soon becoming somewhat flattened, with revolute margin, initially white, becoming light gray to dark gray with age, plicate-sulcate. Lamellae free, initially white, finally becoming clear gray, poorly distinguishable, deliquescent. Stipe central, cylindrical to slightly clavate at the base, hollow, finely fibrillose, usually with abundant velar flakes throughout its length, white to pale gray, 25–50 mm long, 0.5–1 mm in diameter. Ring absent. Volva absent. Pileipellis composed of hyphal and globular hyaline elements. Veil composed of globular elements, 30–90 μm in diameter, with nipple-shaped crystal projections. Cheilocystidia 17.5–35 × 9.5–15 μm, globose to ellipsoid or utriform, thin-walled, smooth. Clamp connections absent or not observed. Basidia 4-spored, 7–15 × 3–4.5 μm, clavate, interspersed with hyphidial elements. Basidiospores long-ellipsoid to cylindrical, brown to reddish-brown, 6.5–7.5 × 3–4 μm, smooth, with a central germ pore.

Material examined: — BRAZIL. Pernambuco, Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco ( IPA), Caruaru, on cattle dung, 06 Feb 2012, R.F. R. Melo ( URM 86803a!, 86803b!).

Distribution: —Worldwide.

Notes: — Coprinopsis stercorea is one of the most common species of coprinoid fungi recorded on herbivore dung. Other key features, in addition to the habit, are the veil remnants formed by globular elements adorned by nipple-shaped crystal projections and cylindrical basidiospores less than 4.5 μm wide. It resembles Coprinus foetidellus P.D. Orton , which has broader basidiospores (4.5–6.5 μm wide).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Coprinopsis pseudoradiata a. Habit of a basidioma on dung. b. Basidiomata. c. Filamentous elements of veil remnants. d. Cheilocystidia. e. Basidiospores. Coprinopsis stercorea f. Habit of a basidioma on dung. g. Basidiomata. h. Lamellae and stipe insertion. i. Globular elements of veil remnants, ornamented with nipple-shaped crystal projections. j. Cheilocystidia. k. Basidiospores. Scale bars: a, f=100 mm. b=7.5 mm. c, i=30 μm. d, k=5 μm. e=3 μm. g=2 mm. h=5 mm. j=10 μm. Figure: R.F.R. Melo.