Entoloma daphnis O.V. Morozova, Kovalenko, E.S. Popov & Noordeloos, 2022

Morozova, Olga, Popov, Eugene, Alexandrova, Alina, Pham, Thi Ha Giang & Noordeloos, Machiel Evert, 2022, Four new species of Entoloma (Entolomataceae, Agaricomycetes) subgenera Cyanula and Claudopus from Vietnam and their phylogenetic position, Phytotaxa 549 (1), pp. 1-21 : 15-16

Entoloma daphnis O.V. Morozova, Kovalenko, E.S. Popov & Noordeloos , sp. nov. (Figs. 9, 10)

Mycobank: MB 843253

Type:— VIETNAM. Dong Nai Prov., Tan Phu Dist., Cat Tien National Park , “ Lagerstroemia trail” near the Park’s Headquarters , N 11.426667°, E 107.426389°, 125 m a.s.l., on fallen log in lowland semi-deciduous tropical forest, 14 June 2010, A. Kovalenko (holotype: LE F-262915 (!), as Entoloma nubilum in Morozova et al. 2012, ITS sequence GenBank OM987266 , LSU sequence GenBank OM996177 ) .

Etymology:—Δάφνις, from δάφνη–laurel (Greek), in Greek mythology, a beautiful young shepherd in Sicily and inventor of pastoral songs, the son of Hermes (Mercury). The butterfly Polyommatus daphnis was named after him. The new Entoloma species is named after this butterfly, due to the similar color.

Diagnosis:— Entoloma daphnis is characterized by small pleurotoid basidiomata, small spores with up to the 8 angles, a trichodermal pileipellis (pileus is densely covered by dark blue fibrils) and lack of cheilocystidia.

Description:— Basidiomata small, pleurotoid. Pileus 3–7 mm diam., cupulate then reniform with incurved then lobate margin, non hygrophanous, slightly translucently striate, tomentose to finely squamulose, deep blue to dark blue (20D8, 20E7–8). Lamellae moderately distant intermixed with lamellulae, adnate or slightly emarginate, whitish to bluish near the pileal margin then pinkish with concolorous entire edge. Stipe 3–4 × 0.5–1 mm, reduced, eccentric or lateral, curved, pruinose to tomentose, concolorous with the pileus or slightly paler (20D7), with white arachnoid mycelial strands at the base attached to the substratum. Context thin, bluish, under the surface dark blue. Odor indistinct, taste not reported.

Basidiospores (7–)8.3(–9) × (5.5–)5.7(–6) μm, Q = (1.3–)1.45(–1.6), heterodiametrical, with 6–8 angles in sideview. Basidia 23–31 × 9–12 μm, clavate, clampless. Lamellae edge fertile. Cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia absent. Pileipellis a trichoderm of long hairs, composed of chains of cylindrical cells narrower at the apical part (27–62 × 5.5–6.5 μm), broader at the base (27–62 × 5.5–6.5 μm) with dark blue intracellular pigment. Clamp connections, oleiferous hyphae and brilliant granules absent.

Notes:— Entoloma cyanomelaenum possesses larger (9–11 × 5.5–6.5 μm) spores and its pileus turns red in KOH ( Boedijn 1929; Horak 1980); E. gainsvillae has slightly larger spores (8–10 × 6–7 μm) and a smooth pileus ( Murrill 1943; Hesler 1967); E. nubilum differs from E. daphnis by differently-shaped (5–7 angled) spores, a cutis-type pileipellis, and habitat on decaying leaves or on humus ( Manimohan et al. 2002); E. icarus possesses larger (10–13 × 7–9 μm) differently-shaped (with 5–7 sharp angles) spores and cheilocystidia.