Rhodophana margallensis F. Razzaq & Khalid, 2024

Rhodophana margallensis F. Razzaq & Khalid , sp. nov. Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4

MycoBank:—MB854214

Etymology:— ‘ margallensis ’ refers to the type locality, Margalla Hills Pakistan.

Diagnosis:— Rhodophana margallensis is differentiated from the closely related R. squamulosa by having a dull yellow-orange to dull orange pileus except for the center; lamellae sinuate; basidiospores broadly ellipsoidal, 6.20– 9.63 × 4.72–7.27 µm, and presence of hymenial cystidia.

Type:— PAKISTAN. Islamabad , Margalla Hills National Park , found in small groups on soil, litter, and humus in the Margalla Hills, sub-tropical, sub-humid, and monsoon climate, elev. 1604 m a.s.l., July 2020, Shazia Ashraf, MH-34, ( LAH38238 About LAH ; ITS: PP863633; LSU: PP863637 About LSU ) .

Description:— Pileus 2–4 cm diam., convex to hemispherical with central depression at maturity, very dark reddish brown (5YR2/4) at center, with appressed scales, dull yellow-orange (10YR6/4) to dull orange (7.5YR6/4) elsewhere, dry; margin straight and entire. Lamellae sinuate, close to crowded, with 3–4 tiers of lamellulae, bright brown (10YR6/6) to light orange (10YR8/4), margin eroded and concolorous with faces. Stipe 2–4 × 0.5–1 cm, centrally attached, cylindrical, equal, reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) to light yellow-orange (10YR8/3-8/4), fibrillose, rigid, context white, with white basal mycelial mat. Taste and odor not recorded. Spore print not taken.

Basidiospores (6.20–) 6.31–9.41 (–9.63) × (4.72–) 5.09–7.25 (–7.27) µm, (avl × avw= 7.93 × 6.08 µm,) Q= 1.07– 1.55 µm, Qav= 1.30 µm, broadly ellipsoid, monoguttulate, undulate-pustulate all over, thin-walled, hyaline. Basidia (25.37–) 27.98–34.24 (–34.99) × (9.14–) 9.9.41–10.18 (10.61) µm, clavate, 2–4-spored, guttulate, thick-walled, hyaline. Cheilocystidia (22.80–) 22.95–25.43 (–32.0) × (6.03–) 6.63–7.72 (–9.34), utriform to narrowly utriform, obovoid, thin-walled, hyaline. Pileipellis a cutis with scattered trichodermal end cells, composed of both narrow and inflated hyphae, 4.7–18.6 µm diam., septate, regular, smooth, thin-walled, hyaline in 5 % KOH. Stipitipellis a cutis of cylindrical, septate, smooth, thin-walled hyphae, 5.30–8.05 µm diam., yellowish to olive green in KOH, clamp connections present. Caulocystidia absent. Clamp connections present in all tissues.

Ecology:—Growing in small groups among litter and humus on soil under deciduous and evergreen trees with diverse shrub growth.

Additional collection examined:— PAKISTAN. Islamabad , Margalla Hills National Park, found in small groups in soil litter and humus in Margalla Hills, 1604 m a.s.l., August 2020, Shazia Ashraf, MH-334, ( LAH38237 About LAH ; ITS: PP860854; LSU: PP863636 About LSU ) .