Fungalpedia – Note 62 Xeroceps
Xeroceps Audet
Citation if using this entry: Fallahi et al. (2023) New genera in 2010-2011. Mycosphere (in prep)
Index Fungorum, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1-2.
Xeroceps is a white rot-forming saprotrophic mushroom or possibly has ectomycorrhizal association with many plants. Chemotaxis, phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and LSU sequence data, morphological, and trophic characters supported the introduction of Xeroceps as a new genus in Russulales incertae sedis emerging from Scutiger Paulet (Audet 2010). Two species are attributed to this genus, the type species Xeroceps skamania (Basionym: Scutiger skamanius) and Xeroceps yunnanensis (Basionym: Albatrellus yunnanensis) (Audet 2010). In contrast to the typical Scutiger, Xeroceps has generally non-scaly caps and ellipsoid-shaped basidiospores (Audet 2010). Annual basidium in this genus is circular to reniform, with a central stipe. The cap is thick, fleshy, smooth, felted, or scaly. The genus has single-layered and white flesh and angular-pored hymenophore. It has an uncharacteristic odor and mild flavor. The hymenophore has a reddish surface on herbarium specimens. The cap and stipe are reddish-orange then change to reddish brown. Hymenophores change to vinaceous red and then to pink. The monomitic hyphae have smooth or encrusted surfaces, amyloid walls, or inamyloid, and are non-dextrinoid. Basidia is long clavate and often pedicellate. The genus has white ellipsoidal to sub-spheroidal spores, rarely lachrymose, thin-walled, hyaline, inamyloid, non-dextrinoid, cyanophilic, and with large oily drops. The macro-chemical reaction tests with potassium hydroxide (KOH) on the cap turn it to red tints and dark gray with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) (Audet 2010).
Type species: Xeroceps skamania (Murrill) Audet
Other accepted species: Xeroceps yunnanensis (H.D. Zheng & P.G. Liu) Audet
Fig 1. Basidiomata of Xeroceps skamania (Redraw from The Mycology Collections Portal (MyCoPortal). https://www.mycoportal.org/portal/taxa/index.php)
Fig 2. Xeroceps skamania (redrawn from Zheng et al. 2004) a basidia. b basidiospores. c contextual hyphae. d tramal hyphae. d. Scale bars; a,c,d=20 μm; b=4 μm.
Reference
Audet S. 2010- Essai de découpage systématique du genre Scutiger (Basidiomycota): Albatrellopsis, Albatrellus, Polyporoletus, Scutiger et description de six nouveaux genres. Mycotaxon 111, 431-464. https://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/PDF/Essai%20de%20d%C3%A9coupage%20syst%C3%A9matique%20du%20genre%20Scutiger.pdf
The Mycology Collections Portal (MyCoPortal). https://www.mycoportal.org/portal/taxa/index.php?tid=92907&taxauthid=1&clid=0
Zheng HD, Liu PG, Wang XH, Yu FQ. 2004- Four new records in the genus Albatrellus (Aphyllophorales, Albatrellaceae) from China. Mycotaxon 90, 291-299. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Huan-Di-Zheng 2/publication/262676848_Four_new_records_in_the_genus_Albatrellus_Aphyllophorales_Albatrellaceae_from_China/links/57c382dd08aed246b102a94d/Four-new-records-in-the-genus-Albatrellus-Aphyllophorales-Albatrellaceae-from-China.pdf
Entry by:
Maryam Fallahi, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.
(Edited by Kevin D Hyde and Ishika Bera)
Published online 4 September 2023