Russula wangii G. J. Li, H. A. Wen & R.L.Zhao

Fungal Names number: FN570232 Facesoffunginumber: FoF 02059

Etymology: named after Prof. Y.C. Wang, in honor of his contribution to the study of fungi from China.

Holotype: HMAS 268809

Basidiomata small- to medium-sized. Pileus 38–56 mm in diam., hemispheric when young, plano-convex, expanding to applanate when mature, rarely center slightly depressed with age, not striate, sometimes cracked, viscid when wet, peeling 1/3–1/2 from the edge, brownish vinous to violet tinged with Pecan Brown (XXXVIII11″i) to Cacao Brown (XXXVIII9″i), intermixed with darkertinge of Walnut Brown(XXXVIII9″k) to Rood’s Brown (XXXVIII11″k) in center, sometimes completely Dark Bull Bluish Violet (X57m), Prussian Red (XXVII5″k) and Dark Indian Red (XXVII3″m) intermixed with Deep Cortinthian Red (XXVII3″i) towards the margin when dry. Lamellae slightly subfree, 2–5 mm in height, 13–17 pieces per cm in the edge, not forked, interveined, with ocherous, yellowish tinged with Salmon Buff (XIV11′d), Salmon Colour (XIV9′d) to Apricot Buff (XIV11′b); lamellulae absent. Stipe 4.4–6.5×0.8–1.7 cm, subcylindrical, surface dry, rugulose longitudinally, dull, without annulus, slightly attenuate upwards, White (LIII), a tinge of Pale Yellow–Orange (III15f) when injured and dry, stuffed first, becoming hollow when old. Context up to 3 mm at the center of the pileus, White (LIII), fragile, no distinct Odour; taste acrid. Sporeprint Yellow (Romagnesi IVd–IVe). Basidiospores [100/10/7] (6.3–) 6.8 –8.2×7–8( –8.5) μm, Q=(1.06–) 1.13–1.30 (–1.34), (Qm=1.38±0.06), hyaline, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, rarely subglobose; ornamentation cristulate to subreticulate, composed of amyloid warts that linked as small crests and ridges, forming a nearly complete network, often intermixed with isolated verrucae, warts 0.5–1μm in height; suprahilar area amyloid. Basidia 30– 40×8–10μm, mostly with four sterigmata 4 –7μm long, hyaline, sometimes yellowish in KOH, subclavate to clavate, rarely cylindrical. Pleuroystidia scattered, 60–80×8–13μm, projecting 20–55μm beyond the basidia, subfusoid to subcylindrical, sometimes clavate to subclavate, apex obtuse, often with a moniliformto papillate appendage, thin–walled, contents granular to crystal, blackish gray in SV. Cheilocystidia not observed; lamellar edge sterile. Subhymenium a cellular layer 20 –35μm thick composed of inflated cells 7–13μm in diam., hyaline, sometimes pale yellowish in KOH. Pileipellis composed of epipellis and subpellis; epipell is a trichoderm 125–150 μm thick, composed of thin-walled, diverticulate, cylindrical hyaline hyphae 3– 6 μm wide; pileocystidia 6–8 μm wide with refractive contents blackened in SV, abundant, septate, diverticulate, clavate to cylindrical, apex obtuse, sometimes inflated; subpellis a cutis 100–150μm thick, composed of gelatinized, interweaved hyaline hyphae 2–6μm wide. Stipitipellis a cutis, composed of filamentous hyphae3–5μm in diam.,interweaved with inflated cells 15–25μm in diam., hyaline, some hyphae yellowish to pale ocher in KOH; caulocystidia absent. Clamp connections and lacticiferous hyphae absent from all tissues.

Habit and habitat. Single or scattered in coniferous forest (dominated by e.g. Pinus densata var. pygmaea, P. yunnanensis, Picea purpurea and P. likiangensis var. balfouriana) at 3000–4000 m altitude. Distribution. China (Qinghai and Sichuan). Season. July and August.

Material examined: CHINA, Sichuan Province, Garzê Autonomous Prefecture, Dawo County, Geka Township, Geka Village,N30°59′E101°08′,elevation3471m.,12August2013, collector Weilai Lu, Lan Jiang and Guojie Li, 13279 (HMAS 268809, holotype); Ibid., 13278 (HMAS 268808); Zamtang County, N32°19′ E100°59′, elevation 3930 m., 28 July 2013, collector Binbin Li, Xiaoying Li and Ruiheng Yang, 180 (HMAS 269580); Ngawa Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Ngawa County, N32°53′ E101°42′, elevation 3457 m., 24 July 2013, collector Binbin Li, Xiaoying Li and Ruiheng Yang, 48 (HMAS 269308); Qinghai Province, Golog Autonomous Prefecture, Baima County, Hongjungou, N32°57′ E100°42′, elevation 3516 m., 26 July 2013, collector Binbin Li, Xiaoying Li and Ruiheng Yang, 197-1 (HMAS 269106); Ibid., 243 (HMAS 269398); Ibid., 383 (HMAS 269143).

Notes: The violet tinged pileus, acrid tasted context, yellow spore print, sulphoaldehyde sensitive pileocystidia, diverticulate epicutis hyphal ends and pileocystidia clearly place R. wangii within Russula section Urentinae Maire
ss. str. of Russula subgenus Insidiosula Romagn. Ten species, R. adulterina Secr., R. cristata Romagn., R. cuprea J.E. Lange, R. cupreoaffinis Sarnari, R. cupreola Sarnari, R. firmula Jul. Schäff., R. gigasperma Romagn. ex Romagn., R. juniperina Ubaldi, R. subcristulata Romagn., R. transiens (Singer) Romagn. and R. urens Romell, have been recognized in Russula section Urentinae. Russula adulterina differs in larger basidospores 7.5–12×7–9.5μm with higher ornamentations composed of isolated warts up to 1.6–2μm, and nondiverticulate pileocystidia (Romagnesi 1967). Russula cristata can be distinguished from R. wangii in brownish grey staining context, lower basidiospore ornamentations up to 0.75μm, nonseptate and non-diverticulate pileocystidia (Romagnesi 1967). Russula cuprea discriminates from R. wangii in larger basidospores 8.5–12×6.7– 8.5μm with higher ornamentations composed of isolated warts up to 1.5 μm (Romagnesi 1967; Sarnari1998). Russula cupreoaffinis differs in larger basidiospores variable pileus colours, larger basidiospores 7.7–10×6.2– 7.4μm, and habitat of broad-leaved forest dominated by Quercus spp. (Sarnari 1998). Russula cupreola can be distinguished from R. wangii in longer and wider basidia 42–64×10.5–14μm, longer and wider pleurocystidia 60– 100×9–16μm, and habitat of alpine dwarf shrubs associated with Salix herbacea and S. reticulata (Sarnari 1998). Russula firmula discriminate from R. wangii in larger basidospores 8–10.5×6.8–8.4μm with ornamentations composed of mostly isolated warts, and non-diverticulate pileocystidia (Romagnesi 1967; Sarnari1998). Russula gigasperma is different from R. wangii in larger basidospores 10–12×8–10μm with higher ornamentations composed of isolated warts up to 1.4μm, and habitat of hardwood forest (Romagnesi 1967; Sarnari 1998). Russula juniperina discriminates from R. wangii in brightly red pileus, larger basidiospores 8–11×7.2–9μm, and habitat of broad-leaved forest dominated by Quercus ilex or Q. pubescens (Sarnari 1998). Russula subcristulata can be distinguished from R. wangii in in longer basidia 42– 57×9–12μm, longer and wider pleurocystidia 65– 105×10–15.7μm, nonseptate and non-diverticulate pileocystidia (Romagnesi 1967). Russula transiens differs in larger basidiospores 7.5–10×6.7–10μm with ornamentations up to 1.25μm, and non-diverticulate pileocystidia (Romagnesi 1967; Sarnari 1998). Russula urens discriminate from R. wangii in large green to yellowish green tinged pileus up to 12 cm with strongly tuberculatestriated margin (Sarnari 1998). Russula olivina Ruots. & Vauras from Russula section Laricinae Romagn. of Russula subgenus Tenellula Romagn. and R. olivobrunnea Ruots. & Vauras from Russula section Integroidinae Romagn. of Russula subgenus Polychromidia Romagn., cluster together with R. wangii by support of BS 71 % and PP 0.98 in phylogenetic tree. However, R. olivina differs in larger basidospores 9–11.2×7.2–9.5μm with higher ornamentations composed of isolated warts up to 1.5μm, longer and wider basidia 37–71×13–20μm, and longer and wider pleurocystidia 65–105×10–19μm. Russula olivobrunnea can be distinguished from R. wangii in larger basidospores 9–12.8×7.4–10.4μm with higher ornamentations composed of isolated warts up to 1.6μm, longer and wider basidia 37–58×9–15μm, and longer, wider pleurocystidia 45–98×9–15.5μm, and nondiverticulate pileocystidia (Sarnari 2005).

Basidiocarps and microcharacters of Russula wangii (holotype) a Basidiocarps b Basidiospores c Pleurocystidia d Basidia e Epipellis. Scale bars: a=1 cm, b–e =10μm

Basidiocarps and microcharacters of Russula wangii (holotype) a Basidiocarps b Basidiospores c Pleurocystidia d Basidia e Epipellis. Scale bars: a=1 cm, b–e =10μm