Pterulicium caricis-pendulae

Pterulicium caricis-pendulae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Pterulaceae
Genus:	Pterulicium
Species:	P. caricis-pendulae
Binomial name
Pterulicium caricis-pendulae (Corner) Leal-Dutra, Dentinger & G.W. Griff (2020)
Synonyms
Pterula caricis-pendulae Corner (1970)

Pterulicium caricis-pendulae Mycological characteristics
	Smooth hymenium
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is saprotrophic
	Edibility is unknown

Pterulicium caricis-pendulae is a species of mushroom producing fungus in the family Pterulaceae. ^{[1] [2]} It has the common name pendulous sedge club. ^[3]

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1970 by Edred John Henry Corner who classified it as Pterula caricis-pendulae. ^[4]

In 2020 the Pterulaceae family was reclassified based on phylogenetic analysis and many species were split into Pterula , Myrmecopterula, Pterulicium and Phaeopterula genera. This species was one of them and was reclassified as Pterulicium caricis-pendulae by the mycologists Caio A. Leal-Dutra, Bryn Tjader Mason Dentinger and Gareth W. Griffith in 2020. ^[5]

Description

Pterulicium caricis-pendulae is a small whitish coral fungus with a delicate branching structure.

Fruit body: 0.5-2mm thin, hairlike coral that is sparsely branched with smooth and shiny pointed tips. Stem: Absent. Flesh: White. Tough and rubbery. Spore print: White. Spores: Elongated ellipsoid and smooth. 5.5-7.5 x 3-4μm. Basidia: 4-spored. Taste: Indistinct. Smell: Indistinct. ^[6]

Habitat and distribution

This species is not commonly recorded in the United Kingdom and is on the Red List as a near threatened species. It has been found in woodland and marshes growing on decaying debris from the Carex pendula sedge as well as Juncus rushes and Symphytum . ^[7] It grows solitary or in small trooping groups. ^[6]

As of October 2022 ^[update] , GBIF has fewer than 20 recorded observations for this species with most being from Europe. ^[8]

Etymology

The specific epithet caricis-pendulae derives from the Latin 'caricinus' meaning like sedge (Carex) and 'pendulus' meaning hanging. ^[9]

Similar species

• Pteruliciumgracile is described similarly and is distinguished based on microscopic characteristics.

References

1. "Species fungorum - Pterulicium caricis-pendulae". www.speciesfungorum.org. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
2. "Mycobank Database - Pterulicium caricis-pendulae".
3. "The British Mycological Society - English names for fungi - April 2022". www.britmycolsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-29.
4. "Species Fungorum - Pterula caricis-pendulae Corner, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 33: 211 (1970)". www.speciesfungorum.org. Retrieved 2022-10-29.
5. Leal-Dutra, Caio A.; Griffith, Gareth W.; Neves, Maria Alice; McLaughlin, David J.; McLaughlin, Esther G.; Clasen, Lina A.; Dentinger, Bryn T. M. (December 2020). "Reclassification of Pterulaceae Corner (Basidiomycota: Agaricales) introducing the ant-associated genus Myrmecopterula gen. nov., Phaeopterula Henn. and the corticioid Radulomycetaceae fam. nov". IMA Fungus. 11 (1): 2. doi: 10.1186/s43008-019-0022-6 . ISSN   2210-6359. PMC   7325140 . PMID   32617254.
6. Buczacki, Stefan (2012). Collins fungi guide. London: Collins. pp. 452–453. ISBN   978-0-00-724290-0. OCLC   793683235.
7. "Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota - Pterula caricis-pendulae Corner, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 33: 211 (1970)". www.basidiochecklist.info. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
8. "Pterula caricis-pendulae Corner". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
9. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN   9781845337315.