Mycena nidificata
Encyclopedia
Mycena nidificata is a species of fungus
in the Mycenaceae
family of the Agaricales
. First collected in 2000 and reported as a new species in 2007, it is known only from Kanagawa, Japan, where it grows on the floor
of oak
forests. The dark brown irregularly wrinkled cap
measures up to 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) in diameter. The cap is supported by a thin stem
up to 50 mm (2 in) long, which is covered at the base by a whitish hairlike growth, and attached to white, cord-like rhizomorphs—aggregations of mycelium
that resemble plant roots. The underside of the cap features thin, distantly spaced grayish gills that have distinct veins running between them. At a microscopic level, distinguishing characteristics include the inamyloid
spores (turning dark blue to black when stained with Melzer's reagent
), the club-shaped cheilocystidia (cystidia on the gill edges) with finger-like appendages, the diverticulate
cells in the outer layer of cap and stem, and the presence of clamp connection
s.
word nidificata, meaning "nidificate"—"to make a nest". Its Japanese name is Yamiiro-kunugitake (ヤミイロクヌギタケ).
According to Takahashi, the inamyloid spores, the diverticulate cap cuticle
hyphae, and the dark pigment
in the gill hyphae suggest that the fungus is best classified in the section Hiemales of the genus Mycena
. Because of its medium-sized, partly collybioid fruit bodies (i.e., small to medium-sized with white spore print
s and convex caps, similar to species once placed in the genus Collybia
), the white cord-like rhizomorphs, and its distinctly intervenose gills, it has an isolated position within the section.
is initially conical to convex to bell-shaped, then flattened in age, ultimately reaching 10 to 25 mm (0.393700787401575 to 0.984251968503937 in) in diameter. The center of the cap is irregularly wrinkled to pitted, but less so toward the grooved margin. It is hygrophanous
(changing color as it loses or absorbs water), dry, initially pruinose (covered with what appears to be a fine white powder), but soon becomes smooth. The color is blackish-brown at the center, dark brown to reddish-brown farther outward, and becoming much paler at the margin; sometimes the cap is evenly dark brown. The flesh
is up to 1 mm thick and white, and does not have any distinctive taste and odor. The stem
is 40 to 50 mm (1.6 to 2 in) long by 1.5 to 2 mm (0.0590551181102362 to 0.078740157480315 in) wide, cylindrical, slightly enlarged at the base, central, slender, and hollow. The stem surface is dry, pruinose over the entire length, and does not become smooth with age. It is pale brownish at the top, and gradually becomes dark brown toward the base. The base is covered with a white mycelial
hairlike growth (a tomentum
) that is attached to white cord-like rhizomorphs on the substratum. The gills are fused to the stem, and distantly spaced, with between 15 and 18 gills reaching the stem. The gills are up to 2.5 mm broad, thin, grayish, and have distinct veins running between them. The gill edges are the same color as the gill faces.
s are roughly ellipsoid and measure 8–11 by 5–6 µm
. They are smooth, colorless, inamyloid
, and thin-walled. The basidia (the spore-bearing cells) are 28–35 by 7–8 µm, club-shaped, and mostly four-spored. The abundant cheilocystidia (cystidia on the gill edge) are club-shaped, measure 30–45 by 10–15 µm, and form a sterile gill edge. They have several irregularly cylindrical to knob-like apical appendages measuring 3–11 by 2–5 µm, which are colorless and thin-walled. Pleurocystidia (cystidia on the gill face) are absent in M. nidificata. The hymenophoral
(hymenium
-bearing) tissue is made of smooth, thin-walled hypha
e that are 6–26 µm wide, cylindrical (but often inflated), and contain brownish pigment
in the cytoplasm
. These hyphae are dextrinoid, meaning they will turn reddish to reddish-brown in the presence of Melzer's reagent. The cap cuticle
is made of parallel, bent-over hyphae that are 3–10 µm wide, cylindrical. The hyphae are smooth or covered with scattered, warty or finger-like diverticulae
. Under the cap cuticle is a layer of parallel hyphae containing cytoplasmic brownish pigment. The hyphae are dextrinoid, and contain short and inflated cells that are up to 40 µm wide. The stem cuticle is made of parallel, bent-over hyphae 3–8 µm wide, which are similar in appearance to the hyphae of the cap cuticle. The caulocystidia (cystidia on the stem) are relatively sporadic; they are cylindrical, diverticulate, colorless, thin-walled, and measure 45–60 by 4–8 µm. The stem tissue is composed of longitudinally arranged, cylindrical hyphae that are 10–25 µm wide, dextrinoid, smooth, and have cytoplasmic brownish pigment. Clamp connection
s are present in the stem tissues, and at the septa
at the bases of the basidia.
species Quercus castanopsis. Fruiting occurs from May to September.
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
in the Mycenaceae
Mycenaceae
The Mycenaceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. According to the Dictionary of the Fungi , the family contains 10 genera and 705 species. This is one of several families that were separated from the Tricholomataceae as a result of phylogenetic analyses...
family of the Agaricales
Agaricales
The fungal order Agaricales, also known as gilled mushrooms , or euagarics, contains some of the most familiar types of mushrooms. The order has 33 extant families, 413 genera, and over 13000 described species, along with five extinct genera known only from the fossil record...
. First collected in 2000 and reported as a new species in 2007, it is known only from Kanagawa, Japan, where it grows on the floor
Forest floor
The forest floor, also called detritus, duff and the O horizon, is one of the most distinctive features of a forest ecosystem. It mainly consists of shed vegetative parts, such as leaves, branches, bark, and stems, existing in various stages of decomposition above the soil surface...
of oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
forests. The dark brown irregularly wrinkled cap
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
measures up to 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) in diameter. The cap is supported by a thin stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
up to 50 mm (2 in) long, which is covered at the base by a whitish hairlike growth, and attached to white, cord-like rhizomorphs—aggregations of mycelium
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...
that resemble plant roots. The underside of the cap features thin, distantly spaced grayish gills that have distinct veins running between them. At a microscopic level, distinguishing characteristics include the inamyloid
Amyloid (mycology)
In mycology the term amyloid refers to a crude chemical test using iodine in either Melzer's reagent or Lugol's solution, to produce a black to blue-black positive reaction. It is called amyloid because starch gives a similar reaction, and that reaction for starch is also called an amyloid reaction...
spores (turning dark blue to black when stained with Melzer's reagent
Melzer's Reagent
Melzer's reagent is a chemical reagent used by mycologists to assist with the identification of fungi.-Composition:...
), the club-shaped cheilocystidia (cystidia on the gill edges) with finger-like appendages, the diverticulate
Diverticulum
A diverticulum is medical or biological term for an outpouching of a hollow structure in the body. Depending upon which layers of the structure are involved, they are described as being either true or false....
cells in the outer layer of cap and stem, and the presence of clamp connection
Clamp connection
A clamp connection is a structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is created to ensure each septum, or segment of hypha separated by crossed walls, receives a set of differing nuclei, which are obtained through mating of hyphae of differing sexual types...
s.
Taxonomy, naming, and classification
Mycena nidificata was first collected in 2000 by Japanese mycologist Haruki Takahashi, and reported as new along with seven other Mycenas in a 2007 publication. The specific epithet is derived from the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word nidificata, meaning "nidificate"—"to make a nest". Its Japanese name is Yamiiro-kunugitake (ヤミイロクヌギタケ).
According to Takahashi, the inamyloid spores, the diverticulate cap cuticle
Pileipellis
thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....
hyphae, and the dark pigment
Pigment
A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...
in the gill hyphae suggest that the fungus is best classified in the section Hiemales of the genus Mycena
Mycena
Mycena is a large genus of small saprotrophic mushrooms that are rarely more than a few centimeters in width. They are characterized by a white spore print, a small conical or bell-shaped cap, and a thin fragile stem. Most are gray or brown, but a few species have brighter colors. Most have a...
. Because of its medium-sized, partly collybioid fruit bodies (i.e., small to medium-sized with white spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
s and convex caps, similar to species once placed in the genus Collybia
Collybia
Collybia is a genus of mushrooms in the Tricholomataceae family. The genus has a widespread but rare distribution in north temperate areas, and contains three species that grow on the decomposing remains of other mushrooms....
), the white cord-like rhizomorphs, and its distinctly intervenose gills, it has an isolated position within the section.
Description
The capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
is initially conical to convex to bell-shaped, then flattened in age, ultimately reaching 10 to 25 mm (0.393700787401575 to 0.984251968503937 in) in diameter. The center of the cap is irregularly wrinkled to pitted, but less so toward the grooved margin. It is hygrophanous
Hygrophanous
The adjective hygrophanous refers to the color change of mushroom tissue as it loses or absorbs water, which causes the pileipellis to become more transparent when wet and opaque when dry....
(changing color as it loses or absorbs water), dry, initially pruinose (covered with what appears to be a fine white powder), but soon becomes smooth. The color is blackish-brown at the center, dark brown to reddish-brown farther outward, and becoming much paler at the margin; sometimes the cap is evenly dark brown. The flesh
Trama (mycology)
In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....
is up to 1 mm thick and white, and does not have any distinctive taste and odor. The stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is 40 to 50 mm (1.6 to 2 in) long by 1.5 to 2 mm (0.0590551181102362 to 0.078740157480315 in) wide, cylindrical, slightly enlarged at the base, central, slender, and hollow. The stem surface is dry, pruinose over the entire length, and does not become smooth with age. It is pale brownish at the top, and gradually becomes dark brown toward the base. The base is covered with a white mycelial
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...
hairlike growth (a tomentum
Tomentum
Tomentum may refer to the following:*In botany, a covering of closely matted or fine hairs on plant leaves. *A network of minute blood vessels in the brain.* Tomentum in zoology are a short, soft pubescence...
) that is attached to white cord-like rhizomorphs on the substratum. The gills are fused to the stem, and distantly spaced, with between 15 and 18 gills reaching the stem. The gills are up to 2.5 mm broad, thin, grayish, and have distinct veins running between them. The gill edges are the same color as the gill faces.
Microscopic characteristics
The sporeSpore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s are roughly ellipsoid and measure 8–11 by 5–6 µm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
. They are smooth, colorless, inamyloid
Amyloid (mycology)
In mycology the term amyloid refers to a crude chemical test using iodine in either Melzer's reagent or Lugol's solution, to produce a black to blue-black positive reaction. It is called amyloid because starch gives a similar reaction, and that reaction for starch is also called an amyloid reaction...
, and thin-walled. The basidia (the spore-bearing cells) are 28–35 by 7–8 µm, club-shaped, and mostly four-spored. The abundant cheilocystidia (cystidia on the gill edge) are club-shaped, measure 30–45 by 10–15 µm, and form a sterile gill edge. They have several irregularly cylindrical to knob-like apical appendages measuring 3–11 by 2–5 µm, which are colorless and thin-walled. Pleurocystidia (cystidia on the gill face) are absent in M. nidificata. The hymenophoral
Hymenophore
A hymenophore refers to the hymenium-bearing structure of a fungal fruiting body. Hymenophores can be smooth surfaces, lamellae, folds, tubes, or teeth....
(hymenium
Hymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...
-bearing) tissue is made of smooth, thin-walled hypha
Hypha
A hypha is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or...
e that are 6–26 µm wide, cylindrical (but often inflated), and contain brownish pigment
Pigment
A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...
in the cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
The cytoplasm is a small gel-like substance residing between the cell membrane holding all the cell's internal sub-structures , except for the nucleus. All the contents of the cells of prokaryote organisms are contained within the cytoplasm...
. These hyphae are dextrinoid, meaning they will turn reddish to reddish-brown in the presence of Melzer's reagent. The cap cuticle
Pileipellis
thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....
is made of parallel, bent-over hyphae that are 3–10 µm wide, cylindrical. The hyphae are smooth or covered with scattered, warty or finger-like diverticulae
Diverticulum
A diverticulum is medical or biological term for an outpouching of a hollow structure in the body. Depending upon which layers of the structure are involved, they are described as being either true or false....
. Under the cap cuticle is a layer of parallel hyphae containing cytoplasmic brownish pigment. The hyphae are dextrinoid, and contain short and inflated cells that are up to 40 µm wide. The stem cuticle is made of parallel, bent-over hyphae 3–8 µm wide, which are similar in appearance to the hyphae of the cap cuticle. The caulocystidia (cystidia on the stem) are relatively sporadic; they are cylindrical, diverticulate, colorless, thin-walled, and measure 45–60 by 4–8 µm. The stem tissue is composed of longitudinally arranged, cylindrical hyphae that are 10–25 µm wide, dextrinoid, smooth, and have cytoplasmic brownish pigment. Clamp connection
Clamp connection
A clamp connection is a structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is created to ensure each septum, or segment of hypha separated by crossed walls, receives a set of differing nuclei, which are obtained through mating of hyphae of differing sexual types...
s are present in the stem tissues, and at the septa
Septum
In anatomy, a septum is a wall, dividing a cavity or structure into smaller ones.-In human anatomy:...
at the bases of the basidia.
Similar species
Mycena granulifera, a species originally described from Brazil, is comparable to M. nidificata in having inamyloid spores, club-shaped cheilocystidia with finger-like outgrowths, and diverticulate cap cuticle hyphae. M. granulifera differs in forming a whitish, wrinkled cap and club-shaped to roughly spindle-shaped pleurocystidia. Mycena nidificata also bears some resemblance to the European species M. flos-nivium, which is distinguished by having cylindrical, amyloid spores, gills without veins between them, and an absence of cord-like rhizomorphs.Habitat and distribution
Mycena nidificata is known only from Kanagawa, Japan. The mushroom is found growing solitary or scattered, on dead fallen twigs in forests dominated by the oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
species Quercus castanopsis. Fruiting occurs from May to September.
External links
- The Agaricales in Southwestern Islands of Japan Images of the holotypeHolotypeA holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen