Clitopilus chichawatniensis N. Fatima, Usman & Khalid, 2022

Fatima, Nadia, Usman, Muhammad & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2022, Clitopilus chichawatniensis sp. nov. (Entolomataceae, Agaricales) from Pakistan, Phytotaxa 567 (3), pp. 257-268 : 261-262

Clitopilus chichawatniensis N. Fatima, Usman & Khalid sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 )

MycoBank MB844802

Etymology:—The specific epithet chichawatniensis (Latin) refers to the place Chichawatni Forest, where the type species was collected.

Diagnosis:— Clitopilus chichawatniensis differs from its closely related species C. albidus by having large pleurotoid white to light pale pileus (50–65 mm) with involuted margins, large ovoid to ellipsoid basidiospores (6.2– 8.4 × 4.8–6.4 µm) with 3–5 longitudinal ridges and large clavate to broadly clavate basidia (25.3–32.5 × 7.2–11 µm).

Holotype:— PAKISTAN. Punjab: Sahiwal, Chichawatni Forest 30°32’16” N, 72°40’ 4”E, elev. 163 m, on loamy soil under Bombax cieba L. 10 August 2019, Nadia Fatima , N-231 ( LAH37431 ), GenBank ON980767 (ITS) and ON980764 (nuLSU) .

Description:— Pileus 50–65 mm wide, pleurotoid, eccentric, irregularly lobed, margins incurved and involute, glabrous without striations, soft to touch and surface white to light pale (2.5Y 8/3). Lamellae deeply decurrent, ventricose, narrow, crowded, light yellow (2.5Y 8/4) with intermixed numerous lamellulae, entire, fertile lamellar edges. Stipe 2–3 × 1–1.5 cm, short, lateral to eccentric, solid, slightly attenuated at base, upper surface concolorous with the pileus while whitish on lamellar side, no change on bruising, glabrous, and densely matted hyphae present near the base. Volva and annulus absent. Taste and odor not recorded.

Basidiospores [80/3/3] (6.17–) 6.21–8.38 (–8.41) × (4.75–) 4.79–6.41 (–6.6) µm, Q = 1.27–1.29 µm, Qav = 1.32 µm, ovoid to ellipsoid, round apex, angular in apical view with 3–5 longitudinal ridges, thin walled and hyaline in 5 % KOH. Basidia 25.3–32.5 × 7.2–11 µm, hyaline, clavate to broadly clavate with basal septa and no clamps, rarely two but mostly four sterigmata. Pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia absent. Pileipellis a cutis consisting of agglutinated hyphae ranging from 2.45–5.47 µm in diameter, smooth, septate, branched, irregular, hyaline in 5% KOH, thin walled. Stipitipellis consists of hyphae 2.14–4.26 µm in diameter, branched, thin walled, septate, regular, hyaline in 5% KOH, parallel in arrangement. Clamp connection absent in all tissues.

Habit and Habitat:—Solitary and scattered on loamy soil mixed with plant debris under Bombax cieba .

Additional Specimen:— PAKISTAN. Punjab: Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Forest 30°32’15.82”N, 72°39’24.30”E, elev. 163 m, on soil mixed with plant debris, 27 September 2020, Nadia Fatima N-235, LAH! LAH 37432 . GenBank ON 980766 ( ITS) and ON 980763 (nuLSU) . 30°31’35.86”N, 72°39’2.37”E, elev. 166 m, on soil, 27 September 2020, Nadia Fatima N-002, LAH! LAH 37433 . GenBank ON 980765 ( ITS) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–B. Fresh basidiomata of Clitopilus chichawatniensis (Holotype, LAH37431). Photos by: Nadia Fatima.

FIGURE 2. A–D.Anatomical structures of Clitopilus chichawatniensis (Holotype, LAH37431). A. Basidiospores, B. Basidia, C. Hyphae of pileipellis, D. Hyphae of stipitipellis. Photos by: Nadia Fatima.