Major Groups > Gilled Mushrooms > Pale-Spored > Collybioid > Baeospora myosura

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Baeospora myosura

[ Basidiomycetes > Agaricales > Marasmiaceae > Baeospora . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

This tiny little guy inhabits the cones of spruces and pines across North America. It appears to be fairly common and widespread--but it is often overlooked due to its size. The very crowded gills will help to identify Baeospora myosura, but microscopic analysis is probably needed to identify this species with certainty, since several species of the genus Strobilurus also inhabit cones and can appear very similar. However, Strobilurus species differ substantially under the microscope; they have inamyloid spores and a hymeniform pileipellis, while the spores of Baeospora myosura are amyloid, and the pileipellis is a cutis.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic; decomposing the fallen cones of spruces and pines (especially those of Norway spruce, eastern white pine, Douglas-fir, and Sitka spruce); growing alone or gregariously; fall; widely distributed in North America.

Cap: 1-3 cm across; convex, becoming broadly convex or flat; dry or slightly moist; bald or very slightly silky; light brown, fading markedly to buff from the margin inward; the margin not lined, or very faintly lined at maturity.

Gills: Narrowly attached to the stem or nearly free from it; crowded; whitish; sometimes developing brownish spots.

Stem: 1.5-5 cm long and 1-2 mm thick; equal; finely powdery or hairy; whitish to brownish; base attached to conspicuous rhizomorphs.

Flesh: Whitish; insubstantial.

Odor and Taste: Not distinctive.

Chemical Reactions: KOH negative or faintly olive on cap surface.

Spore Print: White.

Microscopic Features: Spores 3-4.5 x 1.5-2 µ; elliptical to nearly cylindric; smooth; amyloid. Pleuro- and cheilocystidia clavate to fusiform; up to 40 µ long and 10 µ wide; pleurocystidia rare; cheilocystidia abundant. Pileipellis a thin cutis of clamped cylindric elements 4-14 µ wide above a subcellular subcutis.


REFERENCES: (Fries, 1818) Singer, 1938. (Fries, 1821; Coker & Beardslee, 1921 [as Collybia conigena]; Desjardin, 1987; Breitenbach & Kränzlin, 1991; Lincoff, 1992; Barron, 1999; McNeil, 2006; Miller & Miller, 2006; Trudell & Ammirati, 2009.) Herb. Kuo 10300402, 09300502, 09281101.


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Baeospora myosura

Baeospora myosura

Baeospora myosura

Baeospora myosura
Spores

Baeospora myosura
Cheilocystidia



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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2013, Febraury). Baeospora myosura. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/baeospora_myosura.html