The North American species of Psathyrella.

1972]

PSATHYRELLA

109

Type locality. Herradura, Cuba.
Habit and habitat. Gregarious on soil in a garden.
Distribution. Cuba. Type studied.
Observations. In color and in color changes the species recalls P. singeri,
an impression further supported by the narrow vinaceous-brown crowded gills
of the dried basidiocarps. It differs in having distinctly larger spores.
67. Psathyrella submontana A. H. Smith, sp. nov.
Pileus 2-4 cm latus, demum convexus vel subplanus, ad marginem appendiculatus, subcinnamomeus; lamellae latae confertae adnatae secedentes brunneolae demum vinaceo-brunneae; stipes 3-4 cm longus, 3-5 mm crassus ad basem
bulbilosus, albus; sporae 9-12(11-16) x5-6.4(4-5) ju; pleurocystidia 42-66x
10-16 A, ad apicerum capitata vel late rotundata; fibulae adsunt. Typus. Smith
66609 (MICH); legit Huron Mountains, Big Bay, Michigan.
Illust. Text Figs. 171-174.
Pileus 2-4 cm broad, obtuse when young, broadly convex, expanded to times
nearly plane, margin appendiculate at first submembranous patches of a
pallid partial veil, surface moist and subhygrophanous, dull cinnamon ("Verona
brown") moist, dingy tan when faded. Context fragile, brownish when moist,
pallid when faded, odor and taste not distinctive, with FeS04 slowly becoming
slightly olivaceous.
Lamellae broad, moderately close, adnate, soon seceding, pallid brownish
becoming nearly "Natal brown" (with a tinge of red), edges whitish.
Stipe 3-4 cm long, 3-5 mm apex, equal to the base which is typically ovalbulbous, white and unchanging, not darkening below, silky fibrillose.
Spores 9-12(-11-16) x 5-6.5(-4-5) /, smooth to angular (in apparently abnormal spores), apical pore distinct, shape in face view typically elliptic to ovate,
in profile ovate to obscurely inequilateral, color in KOH soon dark chocolate-color,
in Melzer's bay-red, wall about 0.3 E/ ("abnormal" spores elongate-angular or
subglobose-angular, or ovate-angular or drawn to a point-all types present in
some mounts.)
Basidia 4-spored, 23-30x9-11 fu, clavate, hyaline in KOH. Pleurocystidia
42-66 x 10-16 u, utriform to ventricose-capitate, thin-walled, smooth, hyaline
in KOH, content not distinctive in either KOH or Melzer's (in KOH some
with a faint diffuse brownish pigmentation). Cheilocystidia similar to pleurocystidia, or shorter, fatter and apex more nearly obtuse. Caulocystidia not
found.
Pileus cuticle a layer of vesiculose cells 2-3 deep, hyaline in KOH, with thin
walls and many lens-shaped local thickenings present against the inner wall
(these refractive in KOH, hyaline and 2-4 t wide); trama beneath the layer
vinaceous-brown in KOH and hyphal walls with incrustations on them. No
amyloid reactions present on any of the tissues. Clamp connections present.
Type locality. Huron Mountain, Huron Mountains Club, Big Bay, Michigan.
Habit and habitat. On wet sticks in and near cold water, June.
Distribution. Michigan.
Observations. The lens-shaped thickenings in the cuticular cells of the pileus
and the abnormal spores are not regarded as important taxonomic features-at
least not until verified by future collections. The large pleurocystidia, the oval
bulb of the stipe, the incrusted subcuticular hyphae, and habitat along with the
vernal occurrence are considered diagnostic.
Material examined. Michigan: Smith 66609 (Type), 66644, 66716.