Cantharellus sikkimensis K. Das, Buyck, D. Chakr., A. Baghela, S.K. Singh & V. Hofstetter, 2015

Das, Kanad, Hofstetter, Valérie, Chakraborty, Dyutiparna, Baghela, Abhishek, Singh, S. K. & Buyck, Bart, 2015, Cantharellus sikkimensis sp. nov. (Cantharellales, Agaricomycetes) from the Indian Himalayas, Phytotaxa 222 (4), pp. 267-275 : 273

Cantharellus sikkimensis K. Das, Buyck, D. Chakr., A. Baghela, S.K. Singh & V. Hofstetter sp. nov.

Mycobank:—MB 812404

GenBank:—KP938966 (LSU), KR001903 (ITS).

Diagnosis:—differs from other species in subgenus Parvocantharellus in the strong contrast between the dark brown pileus and the yellowish color of all other parts of the fruiting bodies, it is furthermore characterized by its very long and partly hollowing stipe; spores 8–9–11× 5–5.5–7 μm (n= 20, Q = 1.33–1.64–2.2 μm); under Abies densa .

Holotype:— INDIA. Sikkim: North district, Shingba Rhododendron wildlife sanctuary, on ground, subalpine coniferous forest, under Abies densa Griff. , elev. 3208 m, N27°44’03.5” E88°44’23.3”, 25 July 2013, K. Das, KD 13- 024 ( CAL!).

Etymology:—referring to the state of Sikkim where the type locality is situated.

Pileus 10–35 mm diam., convex when young then plano convex to flat, finally irregularly wrinkled to depressed at centre, surface dry, smooth, brown (6F4) at centre, paler towards margin up to golden brown (5D7) or tan (6E6); margin incurved and irregularly wavy, yellowish brown (5D6). Hymenophore composed of close (11/cm), decurrent, mostly forked and strongly interveined gill-folds, butter yellow to maize yellow (4A5–4A6); edge smooth, concolorous. Stipe 60–105 × 3–10 mm, cylindrical or gradually broader towards base, central, mostly twisted or longitudinally ridged or flutted: surface smooth, slightly waxy, concolorous to pileus or slightly paler brownish orange (5C6) on upper half, gradually more paler maize yellow (4A6) on lower half. Context in stipe partly hollow (mostly in the upper half), yellowish white to buttercup yellow (4A7) towards base, light blond (4C3) in pileus, darker up to olive brown (4D4) below pileus surface, turning golden yellow (5A6) with FeSO 4, dull yellow to greyish yellow (3B3–3C3) with KOH and unchanging in guaiacol. Taste mild initially, then peppery, odor pleasant, faint. Spore print pale yellow (3A3).

Basidiospores 8–9–11× 5–5.5–7 μm (n= 20, Q = 1.33–1.64–2.2 μm), ellipsoid to sub-reniform, uniguttulate to multiguttulate, smooth, hyaline, inamyloid, with refringent contents. Basidia 44–77 × 6–16 μm, 4- to 5-spored, narrowly clavate with large number of vacuoles; sterigmata 4–9 × 2–3 μm; basidiole 51–81 × 6–10.5 μm, numerous, clavate. Hymenial cystidia absent. Subhymenium to 20 μm thick, filamentous. Hymenophoral trama filamentous; hyphae up to 6 μm diam., branched, septate. Pileipellis 150–200 μm thick, composed of horizontal to ascending, subparallel, cylindrical and branched, slightly thick-walled (up to 0.8 μm) hyphae arranged mostly in irregular patern; septa clamped; terminal cells 47–125 × 9.5–11.5 μm, mostly cylindrical to subclavate, subcapitate, subfusoid to slightly appendiculate, mostly encrusted. Stipitipellis composed of suberect to erect hyphae; hyphae branched, septate, mostly cylindric with clavate to subfusoid or rounded apices. Stipe trama with hyphae 9–15 μm wide, clamped, septate, encrusted.

Habitat/ Distribution:—Growing in groups or gregariously under Abies densa Griff. in subalpine coniferous forest.