Fomitopsis benghalensis R.Saha, A.K.Dutta & K.Acharya, 2024

Saha, Rituparna, Dutta, Arun Kumar, Roy, Anirban & Acharya, Krishnendu, 2024, Two new polyporoid species of Fomitopsidaceae (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) from India, European Journal of Taxonomy 935, pp. 122-136 : 131-133

Fomitopsis benghalensis R.Saha, A.K.Dutta & K.Acharya sp. nov.

MycoBank: MB 848690

Figs 4–5

Diagnosis

Fomitopsis benghalensis sp. nov. differs from Fomitopsis submeliae B.K.Cui & Shun Liu due to the presence of effused-reflexed to imbricate, glabrous, mouse grey to greyish brown pilei and small-sized basidiospores (3.8–5.2 × 1.9–2.6 μm).

Etymology

The epithet ‘benghalensis’ refers to the type locality in West Bengal.

Type material

Holotype INDIA – West Bengal • South 24 pargana , Hasim Nagar ; 22°30′95″ N, 88°25′34″ E; 8 m a.s.l.; 2 Oct. 2021; R. Saha & K. Acharya RK –36/2021; on dead wood of an unidentified angiosperm; GenBank no.: OQ892247 (ITS); CUH [AM795].

Paratype INDIA – West Bengal • South 24 pargana , Hasim Nagar ; 22°30′95″ N, 88°25′34″ E; 8 m a.s.l.; 2 Oct. 2021; R. Saha & K. Acharya RK –39/2021; on dead wood of an unidentified angiosperm; GenBank no.: OQ892252 (ITS); CUH [AM796].

Description

Basidiocarp annual, resupinate to effused-reflexed, projecting 60–100 mm and 5–13 mm thick. Pileus surface pilose, azonate, bluish white (21A2) to orange grey (6B2), warty, woody. Margin bluish white (21A2) when fresh, up to 5 mm thick. Pore surface bluish white (21A2); pores circular to angular, 5–7 per mm. Context orange grey (6B2), 2–6 mm thick, hard, woody, colour unchanged in KOH. Tubes bluish white (21A2), not stratified, 2–7 mm deep.

Hyphal system trimitic. Generative hyphae clamped, hyaline, thin walled, branched, 2.5–6 µm wide. Skeletal hyphae hyaline, thick walled with narrow lumen, sometimes branched, 2.5–6.5 µm wide. Binding hyphae thin walled, solid, hyaline, branched, sometimes septate, 1.5–3.5 µm wide. Basidia clavate, thin walled, hyaline, 4-sterigmate, smooth, 11.5–20.5 × 5.5–7.5 µm in diam. Cystidioles fusoid, thin walled, hyaline, smooth, 11.5–15 × 5–5.5 µm in diam. Basidiospores thin walled, hyaline, smooth, cylindrical to elongate, aguttulate, negative in cotton blue (CB), 5.5–6.2–8.0 × 2.5–3.0–3.5 µm in diam., Q=1.67–2.7, Q m = 2.05.

Remarks

Characteristic features of Fomitopsis benghalensis sp. nov. include an annual, resupinate basidiocarp with a pilose, bluish white to orange grey upper surface; bluish white pore surface; trimitic type of hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae; fusoid cystidioles; cylindrical to elongate basidiospores measuring 5.5–8 × 2.5–3.5 µm with a mean Q value of 2.05. The type species Fomitopsis pinicola differs from our novel species by having a perennial, ungulate, reddish brown basidiocarp, which is rarely effused-reflexed or resupinate, stratified tube layers, and hyphoid, often thick-walled cystidia ( Ryvarden & Gilbertson 1993).

Figures

Fig. 4. A–B. Field photographs of fresh basidiocarps of Fomitopsis benghalensis R.Saha, A.K.Dutta & K.Acharya sp. nov. in natural habitat, collected from West Bengal, India (CUH [AM795], holotype). Scale bars = 10 mm. Photograph by R. Saha.

Fig. 5. Microscopic characteristics of Fomitopsis benghalensis R.Saha, A.K.Dutta & K.Acharya sp. nov. (CUH [AM795], holotype). A. Basidia. B. Cystidioles. C. Generative hyphae. D. Skeletal hyphae. E. Binding hyphae. F. Basidiospores. Scale bars = 5 µm. Drawing by R. Saha.