TAXONOMIC STUDIES ON SOME MEMBERS OF FAMILY SING. FROM PUNJAB

N.S. ATRI, S.S. SAINI AND G IW E E T KAUR Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala-147 002, India (Accepted June 1992)

Six taxa of family Bolbillaceae Sing, namely Bolbitius coprophilus (PK)n)Hon%. B. mesoxporus Sing,. Af;roc\he Unoi S\a%. A. xuchilensis(Murr.)Sing., Conocybeambigua (KOhner) Sing, and C. rickenii (Schacf.) KOhn. collcclcd from I’unjabarc included in Ihis paper. Of Ihese, the species of Bolbitius and Af^rncybc are new records from India while the species of CoiuKiyhf arc new record.-; for Niirlh India.

Key words: , Bolbitius, Agrocyhe, Homoiometous In this paper six taxa of family BoJbitiaceae Raiya (250 m); growing in open area among grasses, Sing, are included. Out oilhcseBolbitiuscopropkilus Anil Kumar, PUN 1589, April 30, 1*)«K. (Peck) Hong., B. mesosporus Sing., Agrocybe lazoi The above examined collcclion has been Sing, and A. xuchilensis (Murr.) Sing, arc illustrated identified as Bolbitiur coprophilus as it agrees well and described for the first time from India while with the detaijs provided by Singer (1977) for this Conocybe ambigua (Kiihner) Sing, and C. rickenii species. (Schaef.) Kiihner are new records for North India. The collections have been deposited in the Herbar­ Bolbitius mesospores Sing. Sydowia 30: 219, 1977. ium of Botany DgiartmenI, Punjabi University, Fig-2 (A-E) Patiala (PUN.). The colour tcnninology used in the Fructification up to 4.2 cm in height. Pileus up to text is after Komerup and Wanschef (1978). 3.5 cm broad, broadly umbonate; margin pectinate, Bolbiiiits coprophilus (Peck) Hongo. Meni. Fac. striate, sulcate; surface yellowish white: (4A2), Lamellae Lib. Arts Educ. Shiga Univ. Nat. Sci. 9: 82, 1959. broadly adnate, close, parallel, brown: (7E4) darker on Fig-1 (A-E) bruising; edges smooth. up to 4.1 x 0.2 cm in size, distinctly bulbous, yellowish while: (4A2), Fructification up to 5.5 cm in height. Pileus up to annulate, annulus free below, movable in some carpo­ 2.5 cm broad, conical, margin regular, surface orange phores. Spores 5.7-8.5 x 3-4 /mi, ovoid, double white: (5A2) with brown patches in the centre, turns walled, apiculus indistinct, deposit dark brown; darker when bruised. Taste peppery. Lamellae (7F4). Basidia 13-15.6 x 4-5.6 ;

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^B,D£ JQufxi B-pJQy- ^ 2 c-Jfi-ym

Fig.l (A-E): Bulbitius coprophitus (Peck) Hongo. A. Mature carpophore; B. Cross section through gill showing basidia, subhymenium and hymenophoral tnm a; C. Cross section t h r o u g h pileus cuticle with projecting hyphal elements; D. Basidiospores; E. Cheilocystidia. Fig,2 (A-E); ^o/Znftujmejoj/Fomj Sing. A. Mature carpophore; B. Cross section through gill showing basidia, Subhymenium and hymenophoral trim*; C. Cross section through pileus cuticle;D. Basidiospores; E. Cheilocystidia. Fig.3 (A-E); Agrocybe lazoi Singer Carpophores; B. Cross Section through gill showing basidia, subbymeoiuiD and hymenophoral trama; C. Cross section through pileus cuticle; D. Basidiospores; E. Cheilocystidia. Fig.4 (A-F); Agrocybexuchilensis (Murr.) Sing. A. Carpophores; B. Cross section through gill showing basidia, subhymenium and hymenophoral trama; C, Crosssection through pileus cuticle; D. Basidiospores; E. Cheilocystidia; F. Pleurocystidia. of shorter stipe and clamp connections (in the basal 7 ftm, 2-4 spored, sterigmata up to 1.4 fim long; mycelium) in the Indian collection. pleurocystidia lacking; cheilocystidia 25.5-33 x 9­ 12 /^m, clavate, few. Pileus cuticle of palisade Agrocybe lazoi Singer Nova. Hedw. 29; 22,1969. cells; context homoiomerous. Hymenophoral trama Fig. 3 (A-E) of almost parallel hyphae; subhymenium cellular. Fructifications up to 3 cm in height. Pileus up to Stipe cuticle hyphal. Clamp connection.<< present in 1.2 cm broad, campanulate, margin transluscent hyphae of stipe context. striate; surface moist, brown: (7D4) with white mar­ Collection examined: Punjab plains; Bathinda, gins. Lamellae subdecurrent, close, arranged in se­ Raiya village (250 m), growing among grass; Anil ries, moderately broad, pale yellow; (4A3), edges Kumar, PUN 1592, May 20, 1988. smooth. Stipe 2.9 x 0.2 cm in size, cartilaginous, slightly bulbous, white, hollow, smooth. Spores 7.1­ All its diagnostic features are in conformity with 8.6 X 3.S-4.3 ^m, ovoid smooth, double walled, the details provided by Singer (1977) for A. lazoi deposit greyish brown: (6D3). Basidia 12.8-17 x5.7- except for slightly narrower spoies. Mgrocybe xuchikn- sis (Murr.) Sing. Sydowia 11:361,1958. Fig.4 (A-F) Taxonomic studies on some family Bolbitiaccae 89 FiuctiGcation up to 2.7 cm in height. Pileus up to Collection examined: Punjab {dains: Patiala, Uiban 2.6 cm broad, applanate to slightly convex at Estate (250 m) growing in open well watered lawn maturity; maigin splitting; suifacc brownish yellow: amongst Cyanodon dactylon; N.S. Atri, PUN 1582, (5C7) when young and yellowish: (SE>8) at maturity. November 4,1987. Taste of bitter almonds. Lamellae adnate, unequal, This species was reported eariier from India by close, moderately broad, greyish brown: (6D3)when Natarajan & Raman (1984) from Tamil Nadu. young, light brown (6D4) at maturity. Stipe up to 2.6 x 0.4 cm in size, central, barrow in the middle, greyish Conocybe rickenii (Schaef.) Kuhner, Encycl. orange: (5B3), pubescent, spores S.7-8.5 x 3.5-4.2nm Mycol. 7: 115,1935. ellipsoid, smooth, double walled, deposit dark brown: Collections examined: Punjab plains: Patiala, (7F6). Basidia 15.6-20 x 5-5.7 fim, clavate, 2-4 Sheikhupura village (250 m), growingalong roadside; spored; sterigmata up to 4.3 ^m long. Pleurocystidia Anil Kumar, PUN 1588, April 28, 1988. growing 15.6-21.3 X 3.5-S.7 /

The diagnostic features of the above examined Singer R 1977 Keys for the identification of species collection are in conformity with those given by of Agaricales-I. Sydowia 30 192-278. Singer (1979) for A. xuchilensis. Singer R 1978 Keys for the identification of species Conocybe ambigua (Kiibner) Singer: Singer, of Agaricales-II. Sydowia, Annales Mycological Ser. Mycologia 51: 395-1959. II 30 193-237.