Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Tricholoma magnivelare

Tricholoma magnivelare (Peck) Redhead

Scattered to gregarious (4) in needle litter in sandy soil, associated with Pinus banksiana in a plantation – E of Utopia, New Brunswick (Bruce Malloch B20191014-01).

Basidiospores white in spore print, ellipsoidal, smooth, without colour changes in Melzer's Solution, 5.8-8.0 x 4.7-5.2 μm, Q = 1.20-1.64 (average[32]: 6.5 x 4.9 μm, Q = 1.31). Basidia clavate, 4-spored, without a basal clamp connection. Hymenial cystidia lacking. Pileipellis a thick cutis 100-150 µm deep, separating readily from the pilear trama when dried, composed of smooth hyphae with an intracellular pigment, without clamp connections, with subcutis not greatly differentiated from the pilear trama. Clamp connections lacking on all hyphae of the basidiomata.

Tricholoma magnivelare is one of the "matsutake" group of mushrooms, characterized by their dull whitish to brownish colours, strong aromatic odours and growth with pines or other conifers. It differs from the similar T. dulciolens in its growth in dry pine forests, broad pileus in relation to the length of the stipe, larger basidiospores, and much thicker pileipellis.