Cortinarius albertii Dima, Frøslev & T. S. Jeppesen, 2006

Frøslev, Tobias G., Jeppesen, Thomas S. & Laessøe, Thomas, 2006, Seven new calochroid and fulvoid species of Cortinarius, Mycological Research 110, pp. 1046-1058 : 1050-1051

Cortinarius albertii Dima, Frøslev & T. S. Jeppesen , sp. nov.

MycoBank no.: MB 500727

( Figs 1A , 2A , 3A and 4A )

Etym.: albertii (Latin), after László Albert.

Pileo 35-70 mm lato, hemisphaerico, dein plano-convexo, glutinoso, primo albido, dein brunneo maculato, KOH ope roseo. Lamellis albidis vel pallide griseo-violaceis. Stipite 20– 60 X 7-14 mm, bulboso, bulbo marginato, albido, margine bulbi pallido vel brunneo. Facie externa mycelioque albida, KOH ope roseo. Carne albida, sapore miti, odore sub-nullo, KOH ope nullo in stipite, griseo-brunneo-aurantiaco in pileo et bulbo. Sporis amygdaliformibus, grosse verrucosis, 9.5– 11 X 5.5–6 µm.

Typus: Denmark: Østjylland : Vosnaes Havskov , under Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur, 30 Sep. 2000, T. G. FrØslev & T. S. Jeppesen, TF2000-058 ( C - holotypus ).

Pileus 35–89(–100) mm, hemispherical then plano-convex, glabrous, glutinous, initially white to pale cream without yellow colours, later with irregular ochre to (yellowish) brownish spotting (4A7) and stripes, where touched by grass etc, mostly at centre, margin stays pale, occasionally with few white veil patches at centre, rarely with small brown (8F8) scales. Lamellae emarginate, very pale, white–grey, occasionally with a pale violaceous tinge. Stipe 20–80(–100) X 7–14 mm, with a broad marginate bulb (25–40 mm), shiny, cream-white, later stained brownish (4A8). Bulb cream white, later stained brownish (4A8), margin darkest. Cortina colourless. Veil white to cream. Context white to cream with few yellow–brownish to slightly greyish violaceous hygrophanous stripes/spots, primarily in stipe apex. Taste neutral and smell very faintly earth-like. Spores amygdaliform with coarse ornament, (9–)9.5– 11 X 5.5– 6(–6.5) µm, average 10.1 ± 0.5 X 5.9 ± 0.3 µm; Q ¼ 1.72 ± 0.12.

Chemical reactions: KOH on pileipellis and bulbipellis initially pink (12–13A8), on pileipellis turning darker red with time, in pileal and bulb context grey-brown–orange (6A–B4), in stipital context negative.

Habitat: Known from calcareous Fagus sylvatica forest in Denmark and Hungary and from calcareous Quercus ilex forest in France.

Observations/Discussion: This species is mostly reminiscent of pale specimens of the much more common and variable C. catharinae (and C. albolutescens , C. pseudoparvus and C. pallens ) if accepted as separate taxa). C. albertii is, however, paler, and we have never observed any initial yellow colouration of the pileus, though a brownish (yellowish) discolouration with age is normal. The spores of C. catharinae are slightly smaller ( Figs 2H and 3A ), but differences are vague and it should only be used as a supportive character. The likewise pale C. parvus was described without any significant alkaline reaction on surfaces ( Henry 1935). The epithet parvus has been applied for various taxa in this group, but the original description states a strong alkaline reaction of the context ̅ a character exhibited by no species in the calochroid group. It is, however, possible that it covers pale specimens of C. dibaphus or C. arcuatorum . C. albertii is the only calochroid taxon from deciduous forests that combines almost entirely pale fruit bodies with a positive alkaline reaction on both pileus and bulbipellis. Clear violaceous tinged lamellae have only been observed in one French collection. We have only encountered the species a few times, but it seems to be rare in Northern Europe, but more common in southern Europe. It may have been collected as C. parvus , C. catharinae , C. pallens , C. pseudoparvus and C. albolutescens . The species is named after the Hungarian mycologist, László Albert, who has been working with this genus for more than 20 years, and also found the hungarian collection. An ITS sequence from the holotype of C. albertii is available at GenBank (accession DQ323958 ).

Additional specimens examined: Denmark: Østjylland: Vosnaes Havskov , in open coastal forest with Fagus sylvatica and some Quercus robur on mineral rich soil, 30 Sep. 2000, T.G.F. & T.S.J., TF2000-061 . ̅ France: Provence: Plateau de Siou-Blanc , with Q. ilex on calcareous soil, 8 Nov. 2002, T. E. Brandrud, T.S.J. & T.G.F., TSJ2002-060 ; Pyrenées Orienthales : La Fargue , with Q. ilex and Q. pubescens on neutral soil, 2 Nov. 2005, T.S.J., TSJ2005-084 ; Roussilon: Maury , with Q. ilex on calcareous soil, 10 Nov. 2005, T.S.J., TSJ2005-135 . ̅ Hungary: Pest: Visegrádi-mts, Tahi , F. sylvatica on calcareous ground, 11 Nov. 2003, L. Albert & B. Dima, DB630 (hb. Dima). ̅ Spain: Catalunya: El Brull , with Q. ilex on calcareous soil, 6 Nov. 2005, T.S.J., TSJ2005-119 .

Figures

Fig 1 – Fruit bodies of the new species of Cortinarius. (A) C. albertii, TF2000-058 (holotype). (B) C. chailluzii, TSJ2000-085 (holotype). (C) C. cisticola, TSJ2002-081 (holotype). (D) C. langeorum, TF2000-012 (holotype). (E) C. sancti-felicis, TSJ2002-072 (holotype). (F) C. selandicus, TF2004-104 (holotype). (G) C. vesterholtii, TT1997-009 (holotype). Photographs A, D and G by T.G.F., B, C, E and F by T.S.J.

Fig 2 – Basidiospores. (A) Cortinarius albertii, TF2000-058 (holotype). (B) C. chailluzii, TSJ2000-085 (holotype). (C) C. cisticola, TSJ2002-081 (holotype). (D) C. langeorum, TF2000-012 (holotype). (E) C. sancti-felicis, TSJ2002-072 (holotype) (F) C. selandicus, TF2004-104 (holotype). (G) C. vesterholtii, TT1997-009 (holotype). (H) C. catharinae, TF2004-105. Scale bar = 10 Mm in each case.

Fig 3 – Spore scatter diagrams with each point representing average spore size of single collections. (A) Cortinarius albertii and C. catharinae (B) C. calochrous, C. catharinae, C. chailluzii, C. cisticola and C. sublilacinopes. (C) C. vesterholtii, C. insignibulbus, C. nymphicolor, C. parasuaveolens, C. sanctifelicis and C. selandicus.

Fig 4 – Fruit body habit of the new Cortinarius species. C. albertii, TF2000-058 (holotype). (B) C. chailluzii, TSJ2000- 085 (holotype). (C) C. cisticola, TSJ2002-081 (holotype). (D) C. langeorum, TSJ2003-057 (middle) and TSJ1999-089. (E) C. sancti-felicis, TSJ2002-072 (holotype). (F) C. vesterholtii, TSJ1999-039 (right) and TF2004-101. Drawn to scale. Scale bar = 1 cm in each case.