Major Groups > Jelly Fungi > Dacrymyces capitatus

MushroomExpert.Com

Dacrymyces capitatus

[ Basidiomycota > Dacrymycetales > Dacrymycetaceae > Dacrymyces ... ]

by Michael Kuo

Dacrymyces capitatus looks like most of the other species in the genus; it is a small, orange to yellow jelly fungus appearing on sticks and branches. It can be tentatively separated from the others on the basis of its tendency to form a fairly well-developed, cylindric and whitish stem that roots into the substrate. Under the microscope, Dacrymyces capitatus has spores that become septate with three thin lines—and it lacks arthrospores or clamp connections.

Dacrymyces ellisii is a synonym.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic; growing gregariously on the wood of hardwoods; spring through fall; originally described from Pennsylvania; widely distributed in North America but apparently absent or uncommon in the southwestern United States; also found in Central America, South America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. The illustrated and described collection is from Illinois.

Fruiting Body: 2–6 mm across; more or less cushion shaped above a fairly clearly defined, central stem-like structure that roots into the substrate; upper surface yellow to orangish yellow, bald, occasionally with brain-like wrinkles; stem surface finely fuzzy and whitish to yellowish; flesh gelatinous.

Odor: Not distinctive.

Microscopic Features: Spores 12–15 x 4.5–7 µm; allantoid; apiculate; smooth; hyaline in KOH, with many oil droplets; tardily becoming septate with 3 thin septa. Probasidia subclavate to clavate; developing 2 short, stubby apical protrusions that eventually extend to become sterigmata on mature basidia. Basidia Y-shaped. Contextual hyphae 1.5–2.5 µm wide; smooth or a little roughened; hyaline in KOH; clamp connections not found.


REFERENCES: Schweinitz, 1832. (Brasfield, 1938; Olive, 1948; Martin, 1952; Kennedy, 1958; Lowy, 1971; McNabb, 1973; Reid, 1974; Breitenbach & Kränzlin, 1986; Shirouzu et al., 2009; Buczacki et al., 2012; Shirouzu et al., 2013; Desjardin, Wood & Stevens, 2015; Castro-Santiuste et al., 2017; Zamora & Ekman, 2020.) Herb. Kuo 04262001.


This site contains no information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.


 

Dacrymyces capitatus

Dacrymyces capitatus

Dacrymyces capitatus

Dacrymyces capitatus
Spores and contextual hyphae



© MushroomExpert.Com



Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2021, April). Dacrymyces capitatus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/dacrymyces_capitatus.html