Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Laccaria laccata var. pallidifolia

Laccaria laccata var. pallidifolia (Peck) Peck

• 1. Gregarious in soil under Picea rubens, Abies balsamea and Betula papyrifera, Caledonia Gorge Protected Natural Area, New Brunswick (15-08-12/11).

  • Basidiospores 7.7-10.0 X 7.0-8.7 μm, D/d=1.06-1.19, with spines about 0.9-1.3 μm wide at base, 1.2-1.3 μm tall.

• 2. Gregarious to clustered (6) in soil under firewood pile, no close ectomycorrhizal plants although Abies balsamea and Picea rubens were 7-10 m distant, Little Lepreau, New Brunswick (01-09-19/01).

  • Basidiospores white in spore print, nearly spherical, covered with sharp spines measuring up to 1.0 µm long and 1.6 µm at the base, 7.2-8.5µm in diameter (average[32]: 7.8 µm). Cheilocystidia abundant, mixed with basidia, irregularly cylindrical to clavate or lobed, with homogenous and somewhat refractive contents. Pleurocystidia scattered but fairly abundant, similar to the cheilocystidia. Pileipellis a cutis composed of broad radially encusted hyphae, not strongly differentiated from the pileal trama. Clamp connections present on nearly all septa.

It is difficult to distinguish from L. laccata var. pallidifolia from L. striatula as presented by Mueller (Fieldiana 30: 1-158, 1992 and at Dr. Mueller's Laccaria website. The long stipe and basidiospore spines greater than 1.2 µm broad at the base are said to be diagnostic of L. striatula, but that species was reported to lack cheilocystidia, which are abundant here. Collection 01-09-19/01, although fresh, had faded pilei, but were clearly striate at the margin.

Photo: D. Malloch (15-08-12/11, 01-09-19/01).