A Tale of Many Names Michael G. Wood
hromosera cyanophylla is it very easy to miss unless you know This mushroom was first named probably the most beautiful where to look. Agaricus cyanophyllus by Elias Magnus mushroom in California The cap of this mushroom is lilac to Fries in 1861 and transferred to Cthat you may never see. Its habitat lavender when young, but soon fades Omphalina by Lucien Quélet in 1886. is coniferous logs, primarily fir. It’s to yellowish orange, yellow, pale yellow, In the United States, Charles Horton not uncommon on red fir logs (Abies or buff. The young gills are lavender, Peck named the new species Agaricus magnifica) in the Sierra Nevada fading to pinkish-lavender, pale lilac, lilacinus in 1872, but renamed it Mountains and in north coastal pink, or cream. The vivid colors Agaricus lilacifolius in 1878 when he California on grand fir (Abies grandis). continue with the lavender to yellow realized the former name was already It most often grows hidden under the stipe down to the conspicuous lavender in use by a European species. William bark of the rotting fir logs, making mycelium at the stipe’s base. Alphonso Murrill transferred it to
Chromosera cyanophylla by M. Wood
FUNGI Volume 6:5 2014 23 Omphalina in 1916 and Alexander Joseph Ammirati, and Lorelei Norvell being in the Hygrophoraceae. Hanchett Smith transferred it to thought so and erected a new genus We may have yet another name Mycena in 1947. Besides Omphalina for this taxon, Chromosera, named in coming for the western United States and Mycena, 20th century taxonomic honor of Meinhard Moser and also species as its ITS (DNA) sequence treatments have also placed this taxon alluding to its beautiful coloration is 5% different from the European in Clitocybe and Hygrocybe. North “chromos.” The oldest specific for material. It is possible that the eastern American mycologists of my generation the taxon was the Fries name, so it United States name from Peck might learned this species as Mycena became Chromosera cyanophylla. In be available, but it is not known how lilacifolia and European mycologists creating the new genus, the authors close the eastern US mushroom is to called it Omphalina lilacifolia. indicated that they thought it close, the western US or European as there The various generic names used for but distinct, from Mycena and placed is currently no sequence data from this species should give you a hint the genus in the Mycenae. They were Eastern collections. that maybe it really doesn’t belong in wrong about its relationships; genetic Whatever you call it, don’t forget to any of them. In 1995 Scott Redhead, analysis strongly supports Chromosera call it beautiful!
For a description, many more photographs, and references to pertinent literature, see the Chromosera cyanophylia page at California Fungi: http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/ Chromosera_cyanophylia.html For information on the forthcoming book, California Mushrooms, go to: http:w//www.californiamushrooms.us/
Chromosera cyanophylla by M. Wood
24 FUNGI Volume 6:5 2014