The North American species of Pholiota, by Alexander H. Smith and L. R. Hesler.

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The North American Species of Pholiota

Basidia 4-spored, 22-30 x (5) 6-8 I,, obscurely utriform to clavate,
in KOH yellowish, in Melzer's yellowish. Pleurocystidia none. Cheilocystidia 22-46 x 3-6 uX, subutriform, fusoid-ventricose or clavate, wall thin
smooth and hyaline, content hyaline and homogeneous. Caulocystidia
resembling cheilocystidia but typically more elongated.
Gill trama of somewhat interwoven hyphae with elongated cells
5-15,u diam. and nearly tubular, with colloidal content bright red to
orange in Melzer's reagent but merely yellowish-hyaline in KOH, walls
thin, smooth colorless; subhymenium of narrow (3-5 pu), yellowish, subparallel, non-gelatinous hyphae. Pileus cutis a pellicle of narrow (2-4 p)
subgelatinous (walls lacking sharp definition as revived in KOH), smooth
to slightly roughened hyphae, the layer well developed; hypodermial
region lacking differentiation from context. Context hyphae interwoven,
nearly tubular, content "colloidal" and reddish to orange in Melzer's
reagent. Clamp connections present.
HABIT, HABITAT, AND DISTRIBUTION: On hardwood trunks and stumps,
at times on conifers, reported from New York (Peck 1898).
OBSERVATIONS: The pileus may be viscid, lubricous, or merely moist,
depending on the weather conditions. There is also a possibility that the
gelatinous surface hyphae of the pileus may slough away, and thus leave
the surface "dry." Fries described the pileus as moist, not viscid, and
several authors, following Fries, apparently have so characterized it. Our
concept is based chiefly on a study of collections by Romell and Maas
Geesteranus. Aside from the bitter taste the species is very similar to
P. malicola, but since this appears to be such a variable group in North
America we have recognized all populations with at least one distinctive
character. We need a critical study of some American collections with a
bitter taste. Our data are from European specimens.
The spores of a collection by Lars Romell (n. 9894) are as given in
our description including the moderately strong dextrinoid reaction. The
Romell specimen has a well-developed gelatinous pellicle over the pileus.
Our disposition of this species is in a sense tentative since there is still a
difference of opinion in Europe as to its exact characterization. Favre
(1960) for instance, indicated the taste as not bitter.
87. Pholiota abieticola sp. nov.
Illustrations: Text figs. 189-191.
Pileus 2.5-4 cm latus, convexus, subviscidus, glaber, ochraccus.
Lamellae adnatae demum subdecurrentes, pallide luteae, confertae, latae.
Stipes 3-5 cm longus, 5-8 mm crassus, clavatus, siccus. Velum fibrillosum.
Sporae 7-9(10) x 4.5-5.5(6) p. Pleurocystidia desunt. Cheilocystidia
clavata. Caulocystidia 30-80(100) x 4-7 I/. Specimen typicum in Herb.
Univ. of Tenn. Conservatum est; legit G.S.M.N.P., 14 Sept. 1941. Hesler
1400.