Volva (mycology)

Last updated
The volva is the prominent cup-shaped feature at the base of this Amanita caesarea. Amanita caesarea.JPG
The volva is the prominent cup-shaped feature at the base of this Amanita caesarea .
A simplified diagram of an agaric-type basidioma in (A) the early development stage, and (B) after the body is fully expanded. (1) is the universal veil, the outer layer protecting the developing basidioma; (4) is the volva, the remnant of the universal veil at the base of the basidioma. Basidioma agaric veils.png
A simplified diagram of an agaric-type basidioma in (A) the early development stage, and (B) after the body is fully expanded. (1) is the universal veil, the outer layer protecting the developing basidioma; (4) is the volva, the remnant of the universal veil at the base of the basidioma.

In mycology, a volva is a cup-like structure at the base of a mushroom that is a remnant of the universal veil, [1] or the remains of the peridium that encloses the immature fruit bodies of gasteroid fungi. [2] This macrofeature is important in wild mushroom identification because it is an easily observed, taxonomically significant feature that frequently signifies a member of Amanitaceae. This has particular importance due to the disproportionately high number of deadly poisonous species contained within that family.

A mushroom's volva is often partially or completely buried in the ground, and therefore care must be taken to check for its presence when identifying mushrooms. [3] Cutting or pulling mushrooms and attempting to identify them later without having noted this feature could be a fatal error.

Whilst a volva is a feature best known from Amanita species and stinkhorns such as the Phallaceae family and others in the Phallales order, it may also occur with other genera including:

Some other species such as Leucoagaricus volvatus, Leucoagaricus bivelatus also display a volva despite this not being a typical trait for these genera. [4]

The majority of the almost 300 species described In the Conocybe genus do not have a volva but there are a small number of species in Conocybe section Singerella which possess a small volva, though in some it may not be immediately evident as they can remain buried in dung. Conocybe species with a volva include: C. anthuriae , [5] C. corneri , [6] C hornana , [5] C. locellina , [5] C. vaginata, [7] C. volvata , [8] C. volviornata, [9] C. volviradicata. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Agrocybe</i> Genus of fungi

Agrocybe is a genus of mushrooms in the family Strophariaceae. The genus has a widespread distribution, and contains about 100 species.

<i>Conocybe</i> Genus of fungi

Conocybe is a genus of mushrooms with Conocybe tenera as the type species and at least 243 other species. There are at least 50 different species in North America.

<i>Conocybe rugosa</i> Species of mushroom

Conocybe rugosa is a common species of mushroom that is widely distributed and especially common in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It grows in woodchips, flowerbeds and compost. It has been found in Europe, Asia and North America. It contains the same mycotoxins as the death cap mushroom. Conocybe rugosa was originally described in the genus Pholiotina, and its morphology and a 2013 molecular phylogenetics study supported its continued classification there.

<i>Pholiotina cyanopus</i> Species of fungus

Pholiotina cyanopus is a species of fungus that contains psychoactive compounds including psilocybin and the uncommon aeruginascin. Originally described as Galerula cyanopus by American mycologist George Francis Atkinson in 1918. It was transferred to Conocybe by Robert Kühner in 1935 before being transferred to Pholiotina by Rolf Singer in 1950. A 2013 molecular phylogenetics study found it to belong to a group of species currently assigned to Pholiotina that are more closely related to Galerella nigeriensis than to Pholiotina or Conocybe. It is likely that it will be moved to a different genus in the future, but this has not happened yet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolbitiaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Bolbitiaceae are a family of mushroom-forming basidiomycete fungi. A 2008 estimate placed 17 genera and 287 species in the family. Bolbitiaceae was circumscribed by mycologist Rolf Singer in 1948.

<i>Pholiotina</i> Genus of fungi

Pholiotina is a genus of small agaric fungi. It was circumscribed by Swiss mycologist Victor Fayod in 1889 for Conocybe-like species with partial veils. The genus has since been expanded to include species lacking partial veils.

<i>Volvopluteus earlei</i> Species of fungus

Volvopluteus earlei is a species of mushroom in the family Pluteaceae. It was originally described in 1911 by American mycologist William Alphonso Murrill as Volvariopsis earlei, based on collections made in a Cuban banana field. The fungus was later shuffled to the genera Volvaria and Volvariella before molecular studies placed it in Volvopluteus, a genus newly described in 2011.

<i>Conocybe aurea</i> Species of fungus

Conocybe aurea is a basidiomycete fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe moseri is a mushroom species in the family Bolbitiaceae. It was described as new to science in 1980 by mycologist Roy Watling, from collections made in France. The specific epithet moseri honours Austrian mycologist Meinhard Moser. The fungus has been reported from the United Kingdom, growing in grassy areas, fields, and edges of woods. In 1995, it was recorded from Switzerland, from Ukraine in 2007, and from Russia in 2007. It was reported from India in 2015, where it was found growing on cattle dung.

Conocybe velutipes is a species of mushroom in the Bolbitiaceae family. It contains the psychedelic alkaloids psilocybin and psilocin.

<i>Conocybe macrospora</i> Species of fungus

Conocybe macrospora is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe anthuriae is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe volvata is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe volviradicata is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe corneri is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe vaginata is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe volviornata is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe crispella is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Conocybe subpallida is a species of mushroom-producing fungus in the family Bolbitiaceae.

References

  1. Kirk PM, Cannon PF, Minter DW, Stalpers JA (2008). Dictionary of the Fungi (10th ed.). Wallingford, UK: CAB International. p. 727. ISBN   978-0-85199-826-8.
  2. Miller HR, Miller OK (1988). Gasteromycetes: Morphological and Developmental Features, with Keys to the Orders, Families, and Genera. Eureka, California: Mad River Press. p. 133. ISBN   0-916422-74-7.
  3. Kuo M. (2007). 100 Edible Mushrooms . Ann Arbor, Michigan: The University of Michigan Press. p.  45. ISBN   978-0-472-03126-9.
  4. Akers, Brian P.; Ovrebo, Clark L. (2005). "Leucoagaricus bivelatus, a new volvate leptoid species". Mycotaxon. 91: 303–308.
  5. 1 2 3 Watling, Roy; Hausknecht, Anton (1997). "Conocybe anthuriae, a new volvate species from Mauritius (Africa)" (PDF). Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde. 6.
  6. Watling, Roy (1979). "Observations on the Bolbitiaceae XVII Volvate Species of Conocybe" (PDF). Sydowia Beihefte. 8: 401–415.
  7. Watling, Roy (1979). "Observations on the Bolbitiaceae XVII Volvate Species of Conocybe" (PDF). Sydowia Beihefte. 8: 401–415.
  8. Agretious Thomas, K.; Hausknecht, Anton; Manimohan, P. (2001). "Bolbitiaceae of Kerala State, India: New species and new and noteworthy records" (PDF). Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde. 10: 87–114.
  9. Horak, Egon; Hausknecht, Anton; Desjardin, Dennis E. (2002). "Notes on extra-European taxa of Bolbitiaceae (Agaricales, Basidiomycota)" (PDF). Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde. 11: 226.
  10. Watling, Roy; Işiloğlu, Mustafa; Sermenli, Hayrünisa Baş (2011-02-11). "Observations on the Bolbitiaceae 31. Conocybe volviradicata sp. nov". Mycotaxon. 114 (1): 145–149. doi: 10.5248/114.145 .

See also