Candolleomyces virgatus Haqnawaz, Niazi & Khalid, 2025

Candolleomyces virgatus Haqnawaz, Niazi & Khalid sp. nov.

Figs 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8

Etymology.

Species name “ virgatus ” (Latin) refers to the virgate pileus surface.

Holotype.

Pakistan • Punjab Province: Kot Addu District, Indus Riverbed , (30°14'44"N, 70°51'04"E, 134 m a. s. l.), on soil, rich in organic matter, 29 Aug 2020, Muhammad Haqnawaz, EF – 17 (Holotype LAH 38259 About LAH ). GenBank: PQ 329543 [ ITS], PQ 329549 [ LSU], PQ 369430 About LSU [tef- 1 α]. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis.

This species is different from Candolleomyces campanulatus by its parabolic to plane, distinct umbo, virgate surface of pileus, crinkled, 1–7 tiers of forking lamellae, marginate base, longitudinally striation on surface of stipe, lageniform with moniliform at top, moniliform, cylindrical, tibiiform, conical cheilocystidia.

Description.

Basidiomata medium-sized. Pileus 17–30 mm diameter, parabolic at young stage, campanulate to plane, umbonatus, straight shape and regular cap of margins, virgate, light brownish gray (7.5 YR 7 / 1), and dull reddish brown (5 YR 5 / 4) center. Lamellae adnate, broad, crinkled, 1–7 tiers of lamellae, branched or forking; some are not branched, grayish red (10 R 6 / 2). Stipe 40–80 × 1–4 mm, white gray (N 8 / 0), slightly flexuous, hollow, tomentose, and broad at base, marginate, longitudinally striation. Annulus absent.

Basidiospores [150 / 2 / 3], (6 –) 7–9 (– 10) × (4 –) 4.5–5 (– 6) µm, Q = 1.2–1.8, Qav = 1.61, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, thick-walled, smooth, guttulate, germ pore present, purplish to brownish with greenish to yellow guttule in 5 % KOH and water. Basidia (12 –) 13–29 (– 30) × (6 –) 7–9 (– 10) µm, clavate, broadly clavate, hyaline to light yellowish in 5 % KOH, thick-walled, smooth, with 2–4 sterigmata. Cheilocystidia (26 –) 27–46 (– 47) × (8 –) 9–13 (– 14) µm, utriform, lageniform with moniliform at top, moniliform, cylindrical, tibiiform, conical, hyaline to light yellowish in 5 % KOH. Pleurocystidia and Caulocystidia absent. Pileipellis an irregular epithelium; pileipellis cells 30–60 × 20–42 µm diameter, globose to subglobose and ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, clavate, hyaline to light yellowish in 5 % KOH. Stipitipellis a cutis, hyphae subregular, branched 6–15 µm in diameter, thin-walled, septate, hyaline to light yellowish in 5 % KOH. Clamp connection present in all tissues.

Ecology and habitat.

Terrestrial, gregarious, scattered, on loamy soil rich in organic matter.

Additional material examined.

Pakistan • Punjab Province: Kot Addu, Noor Shah Thal , (30°27'47"N, 71°02'05"E, 132 m a. s. l.), on loamy soil, 02 September 2020, Muhammad Haqnawaz, KA – 59 (Paratype; LAH 38260 About LAH ) GenBank PQ 329544 [ ITS], PQ 329550 [ LSU], PQ 369431 About LSU [tef- 1 α] GoogleMaps .