Phallus sp. 1

Phallus sp. 1 . Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 . A-1, A-2.

Basidiocarp 150 mm high × 17 mm wide, spherical to subglobose when young, the exoperidium rupturing at maturity to reveal the cap and stipe. Cap 42 mm × 24 mm, campanulate, with a white opening at apex; surface smooth when young (A1–3), becoming reticulate with irregular ridges and pits, and showing white as flies consume the olive (1–3F5–8) gleba, which is slimy and smelly. Stipe hollow, pure white, 65 mm high × 17 mm wide, cylindrical, and reticulate or lacunose with elliptical or polygonal lacunae. Indusium at first folded up under the cap, later expanding to become well developed with orange tones. Volva off-white, without scales, but not smooth to the touch, attached to the soil by a thick rhizomorph. Basidiospores [25/1/1] 2.96–4.93 × 2–3 µm, L=4.22, W=2.05, Q=2.06, ellipsoidal or oblong to cylindrical, hyaline with drops, wall smooth and slightly thickened. Hyphae of stipe hyaline, and foam-like (not tightly packed) under the microscope. Basidia and cystidia not seen. Hyphae of volva hyaline, tubulose, and branched, with clamp connections ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Odour: foul or putrid.

Habitat/Distribution: —on soil, in rotting litter, solitary or in groups, Yunnan Province, China.

Notes: —The main characters of Phallus sp. 1 are a slightly orange indusium, which expands from under the cap at maturity and the white cap, smooth without reticulation under the olive (1–3F5–8) gleba ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 . A-1, A-2 & Fig. 6. C View FIGURE 6 ), when immature. Although phylogenetic tree shows 100% bootstrap support for Phallus sp. 1 and P. luteus (Liou & L. Hwang) T. Kasuya (2009: 106) , morphologically P. sp. 1 and P. luteus are different, even though the specimen of P. sp. 1 used in this study is immature. When young, the cap of P. luteus is reticulate under the olive brown gleba, the indusium of P. luteus is yellow, and the spore size of P. luteus is smaller than that of P. sp. 1 ( Kasuya 2008). P. sp. 1 should also be compared with Phallus multicolor (Berk. & Broome) Cooke (1882?57); however, the cap surface of P. multicolour is lemon yellow under the olive brown gleba and the stipe is yellow white ( Dutta et al. 2012). As only one specimen was found, we described it, but do not introduce it as a new species in this paper.

Material examined: — CHINA. Yunnan Province: Xishuangbanna, Mengsong Village , UTM-N2379744.485281, UTM-E653217.753714, alt. 1600m, 14 August 2012, Lei Ye, ( HKAS78339 ) .