Fungalpedia – Note 349, Sphagnurus
Sphagnurus Redhead & V. Hofst.
Citation when using this data: Tibpromma et al. 2024 (in prep.) – Fungalpedia, Parasites.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig.1
Classification: Lyophyllaceae, Agaricales, Agaricomycetidae, Agaricomycetes, Agaricomycotina, Basidiomycota, Fungi
The type species of Sphagnurus is Sphagnurus paluster, a fungus within the Lyophyllaceae family known to parasitize Sphagnum moss. This genus was firstly described by Peck (1873). Commonly referred to as Sphagnum greyling, this fungus is found in peat bogs, and its cap turns gray as it matures and dries. When young, Sphagnurus paluster may appear white and pruinose, and remains unstained and unbruised when crushed. The flesh is thin, soft, and watery. Initially conical or bell-shaped, when young, the cap expands to a flat form with a distinct umbo as it ages. It is smooth, striate, hygrophanous, typically olive-brown when moist, and dried to a pale gray color. The white to gray gills are adnate or with a slight tooth. Subgills are often present, creating close to subdistant spacing. The stem equal and hollow. The color is usually lighter than the cap, being grey-brown or grey. The white to cream colored spores, elliptical, and smooth. This mushroom may have a farinaceous odor when fresh (Peck et al. 1873, Singer et al. 1943, Harding 1953). Sphagnurus grows during the spring to early summer in cool northern climates, typically found singly or in groups, thrives in bogs or ditches, and is always associated with Sphagnum moss (Untiedt & Müller 1985, Davey et al. 2006).
Type species: Sphagnurus paluster (Peck) Redhead & V. Hofst.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Sphagnurus
Figure 1 – Morphology of Sphagnurus paluster . a Basidiocarps. b Basidium. c Basidiospores. Scale bar: a = 2 cm, b = 10 μm, c = 5 μm. Redraw from Harding (1953).
References
Singer R. 1943 – Das System der Agaricales. III. Annales Mycologici 41(1/3), 1–189.
Entry by
Yang EF, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, Yunnan 655011, China.
(Edited by Saowaluck Tibpromma, Samaneh Chaharmiri-Dokhaharani & Achala R. Rathnayaka)
Published online 14 November 2024