Macroscyphus-macropus_asci-paraphyses_5Mb

Description:

Macroscyphus macropus, (Pers.) C.F. Gray, syn.: Helvella macropusFelt Saddle, DE: Spindelsporige LorchelSlo.: visoki loputarAsci and paraphyses at magnification 400x.Dat.: Oct. 11. 2014Lat.: 46.40132 Long.: 13.70322Code: Bot_847/2014_DSC4724Habitat: mountain pasture, flat terrain, overgrown old river deposits terrace covered by mosses and grasses, near wood edge, calcareous skeletal ground, full sun, exposed to direct rain, average precipitations about 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 5-7 deg C, elevation 975 m (3.200 feet), alpine phytogeographical region.Substratum: shallow skeletal soil, among grass and mosses near a small Picea abies.Place: Zapodn, near a mountain trail along right bank of (dry) river bed of Soa, on the most upstream grassland before the trail enters forests, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC Comments: This find is an example of a 'strange' looking mushroom, which has neither gills nor pores but smooth spore bearing hymenium on the upper side of its 'hut'. It is an ascomycete producing spores within elongated sacks (asci) and not on basidia. There are a few other species known looking very similarly (genus Cyathipodia), but they are rare. Without microscopy it is hard, if at all possible, to distinguish among them. Macroscyphus macropus is the most common among them in Slovenia and can be distinguished from others by its spores, which have one large centrally located oil drop and two or more smaller drops on each side. It is probably a quite common mushroom, but it is very easily overlooked since it is small, usually grows solitary and is of uniformly gray-brown color, which excellently blends with the patchwork of late autumn ground covered by half faded grasses, fallen leaves, mosses and other ground debris.Growing solitary. 'Pileus' diameter 3 cm, stipe 4.5 cm tall and of 4.5 mm diameter; smell mildly on earth, taste almost none; SP abundant, whitish with ochre tint, oac850.Spores smooth, with one large oil drop and two or more small ones. Dimensions 18.7 [20.7 ; 21.5] 23.5 x 11.7 [12.8 ; 13.2] 14.3 microns; Q = 1.4 [1.6 ; 1.7] 1.9; N = 38; C = 95%; Me = 21.1 x 13 microns; Qe = 1.6. Asci dimensions: 226.8 [244.5 ; 256.8] 274.4 x 14.4 [15.9 ; 16.9] 18.3 microns; Q = 13.2 [14.8 ; 15.9] 17.5; N = 15; C = 95%: Me = 250.6 x 16.4 microns; Qe = 15.3. Projecting excipulum hyphae (hairs) of sterile (lower) surface of sporocarp with many septa. Cell dimensions: 13.7 [20.5 ; 23.6] 30.4 x 9 [11.8 ; 13.1] 15.9 microns; Q = 1.1 [1.7 ; 1.9] 2.5; N = 30; C = 95%; Me = 22 x 12.5 microns; Qe = 1.8. Olympus CH20, NEA 40x/0.65, magnification 400x (spores, asci, hairs, trama), NEA 10x/0.25, magnification 100x (asci collectively), in water, Congo red.AmScope MA500 digital camera.Herbarium: Mycotheca and lichen herbarium (LJU-Li) of Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vena pot 2, Ljubljana, Index Herbariorum LJFRef.:(1) www.mushroomexpert.com/helvella_macropus.html(2) M. Bon, Parey's Buch der Pilze, Kosmos (2005), p 328. (3) D. Arora, Mushrooms Demystified, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley (1986), p 810.(4) R.M. Daehncke, 1200 Pilze in Farbfotos, AT Verlag (2009), p 1113. (5) J. Breitenbach, F. Kraenzlin, Eds., Fungi of Switzerland, Vol.1. Verlag Mykologia (1984), p 58.