Helvella tianshanensis X.C. Wang & W.Y. Zhuang

Wang, Xin-Cun, Liu, Tie-Zhi, Chen, Shuang-Lin, Li, Yi & Zhuang, Wen-Ying, 2019, A four-locus phylogeny of rib-stiped cupulate species of Helvella (Helvellaceae, Pezizales) with discovery of three new species, MycoKeys 60, pp. 45-67 : 45

Helvella tianshanensis X.C. Wang & W.Y. Zhuang sp. nov. Figure 3 h–k

Holotype.

CHINA. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Jimsar County, 43°59'44"N, 89°10'31"E, alt. 1700 m, on the ground, 31 Jul 2003, W.Y. Zhuang & Y. Nong 4661, HMAS 86040.

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to the type locality of the fungus.

Description.

Apothecia stipitate, cupulate, margin undulate, involute, 2.5-3.5 cm high and 2-3 cm diam. when dry; hymenium greyish-brown, brown to dark brown, receptacle surface yellowish-brown to brown; stipe terete or flattened, buff, yellowish-brown, orange brown to brown, surface ribbed, 2-2.5 × 0.5-1.3 cm, typically fluted with rarely blunt ribs, ribs branching at the upper half of receptacle surface, reaching to the edge or ending 3-12 mm from the edge. Ectal excipulum of textura angularis, 120-150 µm thick, hyphae hyaline, outer cells 35-40 × 20-40 µm. Medullary excipulum of textura intricata, 350-600 µm thick, hyphae hyaline. Asci subcylindrical, tapering and with crozier at base, 8-spored, 240-275 × 12-24 µm. Paraphyses filiform, slightly enlarged at apical portion, septate, hyaline to light brown, 6-7.5 µm wide at apex and 3-4.5 µm below. Ascospores ellipsoidal, hyaline, smooth, uniguttulate, 17-21 × 11.5-13.5 µm, median 18.8 × 12.3 µm, Q = 1.35-1.7, median 1.51, n = 30.

Additional specimen examined.

CHINA. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi City, Urumqi County, 43°28'47"N, 87°27'27"E, 12 Aug 1985, L. Fan & K. Tao 161, HMAS 88611.

Notes.

Helvella tianshanensis nested with H. calycina and H. costifera in Clade 1 ( Figure 1 ). These three species are hardly separated by gross morphology and anatomic structures. Helvella tianshanensis differs from H. calycina in 4 bp of Hsp90 (H022, epitype), 16 bp of ITS2 (HMAS 279704), 9 bp of LSU (H022) and 15 bp of TEF1 (H022); and it is different from H. costifera in 3 bp of Hsp90 (H298, epitype), 12 bp of ITS2 (HMAS 187120), 11 bp of LSU (H131) and 13 bp of TEF1 (H131). The two specimens of the new species are identical in Hsp90 and ITS2.

Figures

Figure 1. Bayesian phylogenetic tree of Helvella and Dissingia inferred from combined Hsp 90, ITS 2, LSU and TEF 1 dataset. Posterior probability values ≥ 0.90 (left) and bootstrap values ≥ 70 % (right) are indicated at nodes.

Figure 3. a-d Helvella acetabuloides: a mature apothecia when dry (CFSZ 2044) b asci (HMAS 23842) c, d ascospores in ascus (c: CFSZ 2044, d: HMAS 23842) e-g Helvella sichuanensis (HMAS 254610): e mature apothecia when dry f mature apothecia when fresh g ascospores in asci h-k Helvella tianshanensis (HMAS 86040): h, i Mature apothecium when dry j asci k ascospores in ascus. Scale bars: 1 cm (a, e); 0.75 cm (h, i); 50 μm (b, g, j); 20 μm (c, d, k).