PERSOONIA Published by the Rijksherbarium, Leiden Volume Part I, I, pp. 149-164 (1959) Observations on Gasteromycetes—VIII. Persoon’s Geastrum Pers. and specimens of pectinatum a reassessment of Geastrum plicatum Berk. and G. tenuipes Berk. J.T. Palmer The Hartley Botanical Laboratories, The University, Liverpool, England. (With 26 Text-figures) The authentic collections of Geastrum pectinatum Pers., G. plicatum Berk. and G. Berk, redescribed. Persoon’s collection in the tenuipes are Rijks- herbarium,Leiden, is designated as the Neotype of G. pectinatum. Geastrum and G. considered as plicatum tenuipes are probable synonyms, although still observations on freshly expanded specimens are required. Comparisons made between and dried material in the British are freshly collected Museum (Nat. Hist.), the Hartley Botanical Laboratories, the Rijks- herbarium and Herb. Kew, and the literature is discussed. INTRODUCTION.—The main of this is to the purpose paper designate Neotype of Geastrum pectinatum Pers. but the opportunity has also been taken to re-examine and G. Berkeley's type specimens of G. plicatum tenuipes, generally regarded as of G. Dried collections in the herbaria of the British Museum synonyms pectinatum. (Nat. Hist.), London; the Hartley Botanical Laboratories, Liverpool; the Rijks- herbarium, Leiden; and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have been investigated and with the and material studied the are compared types freshly developed by author. Herbarium Leiden The fungi preserved in Persoon's at were most probably the latter of Persoon's whilst he in and acquired during part life, was living Paris, of the it is doubtful, therefore, whether they can be considered to be the types species described in his 'Synopsis methodica fungorum' (1801), which was published whilst Persoon was living in Germany. However, the specimens indicate what Persoon had in mind and, in the absence of earlier authentic specimens, the author considers that should be selected from them in accordance with the Inter- neotypes national Code of Botanical Nomenclature. In Persoon's Herbarium, the determination of some specimens is followed by whilst often similar found a question mark others, although macroscopically, are to have more than one species on the same sheet when examined microscopically, whilst some names were never published. With his classification being necessarily based still in its on gross morphology, especially as microscopy was infancy, we should not be too critical of Persoon, who could hardly be expected to anticipate 149 Persoonia Vol. Part 150 i, i, 1959 our decision to use his work (1801) as the starting point for the nomenclature of the later. exists Gasteromycetes just over one century Fortunately, no problem with Geastrum pectinatum as there is only a single sheet bearing this name and the two of the which modern workers call G. specimens glued to it are typical fungus pectinatum Pers. Today, most European workers are agreed upon the limits of Geastrum pectinatum and can readily distinguish it from the related species with non-hygroscopic exoperidia, smooth endoperidia and sulcate mouths, i.e. Geastrum badium Pers., G. bryantii Berk. (= G. striatum DC.) and G. nanum Pers. Outside Europe, however, the situation is different and, particularly in Australasia, workers have experienced difficulty in separating G. pectinatum from its relatives. With the leathery peridia to preserving so well, little critical observation seems have been made on freshly expanded specimens and it is on such structures as the Fleshy Layer, which more readily succumb to attacks by insects and micro-organisms, that further information is required. and G. The author's examinationof the type materialof G. plicatum Berk, tenuipes Berk, shows deviate in from the that, whilst both specimens some respects typical of G. the differences do warrant their European form pectinatum, not appear to separation as distinct species when taking into account the climatic conditions. However, the Fleshy Layer with the characteristic columnar structure around the Pedicel which, after its shrinkage to a ring-like appendage lying at the base, has often caused G. pectinatum to be confused with G. bryantii in Europe, is missing from and little of the the type specimens. Also, no record of this structure mention Fleshy Layer is found in the literature or herbarium specimens. TECHNIQUE. —As in earlier papers in this series, microcharacters have been examined in Erythrosin Ammonia (Palmer 1955) and microscopic characters are camera-lucida drawn. The formulae show and maximum minimum, average measurements. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. —The author is grateful to Professor N. A. Burges, in whose department this research has been pursued; to the Directors of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.), the Rijksherbarium, Leiden, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as and well as Mrs. F. L. Balfour—Browne (London), Dr. R. W. G. Dennis (Kew) for the loan of with Dr. R. A. Maas Geesteranus (Leiden) type specimens, help literature, etc., and to the following collectorsof material, Miss Winifred M. Parker, (Fetcham Downs), Dr. H. H. Handke (Halle/Saale), and Messrs. P. K. C. Austwick (Weybridge), P. D. Orton (Reading), R. P. Scase (Wisley), T.J. Wallace (Axminster) and H. G. Ward (Birkenhead). GEASTRUM PECTINATUM PERS. the The single sheet bearing this name in Persoon's Herbarium in Rijks- herbarium, Leiden, is numbered H. L. B. 910.262-391 and bears two rather weathered similar in specimens which, being general appearance, probably belong to the same collection. Palmer: —Vlll Gasteromycetes 151 Overall with arid 8 dimensions: 7.5 X 8.5 cm. Exoperidium 7 subdivided, broadly about the acuminate to narrowly wedge-shaped rays, divided half-way to centre and arched at the base. Mycelial Layer brown, lightly debris encrusted. Separated in from the Fibrillose from a structure one specimen rays. Layer varying thin, papery and in colour. absent. to a more tough consistency yellow-ochraceous Fleshy Layer dark-brown to Endoperidium 2 X 2.5 cm, smooth, globose, purplish, stipitate, lighter from smooth below with an inconspicuous, upwards tapering Apophysis varying to striate. Pedicel circular flattened in section. very faintly 5 X 3.5 mm, equal, or brown and with the Endo- Mouth 6 mm tall, sulcate, conical, merging surrounding peridium. Gleba dark brown. Capillitium brown, thick-walled with the lumen indistinct, bends and simple, sometimes very thin and sinuous, occasionally with abrupt and diameters, to 1.2 to at encrusted, between 4.4 n 13.3 n maximum tapering 3 fi the tips. Spores brown, globose to subglobose, i-guttulate, thick-walled, 4.2-4.5- with 5.1 X 4.1-4.5-4.8 /1, flat-topped digitate Verrucae, 5.8-6.1-7.0x5.5-5.9-6.4 fi. This collection is herewith formally designated as the Neotype. GEASTRUM PECTINATUM IN BRITAIN the is recorded and to be of local In Britain, species sparsely appears occurrence although tending to recur annually in established habitats. In the national herbaria, three collections the British British material appears to be represented by only at Museum (Nat. Hist.) and three at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, whilst there are eight collections in the Mycological Herbarium of the Hartley Botanical Labora- also in the Herbarium. tories, two of which are represented Kew Most collections have been made under conifers (Pinus, Picea, Taxus, Cupressus and Chamaecyparis ) whilst those withoutdata usually have coniferous needles adhering The is confined conifers the author has to the Mycelial Layer. species not to as seen material from other habitats, i.e. in a hollow Fraxinus and from beneath Crataegus. The following description is based on fresh and preserved British material examined by the author. UNEXPANDED PERIDIA.—No specimens with immature glebae have been seen by the author account of the basidia to have been these and, as no appears published, be described. The structures are yet to eggs, approximately 1.5 X 2.5 X 2.5 cm, recorded about broad Stanek although 5 cm by (1958), are depressed-globose structures, externally densely covered with debris and, being embedded in the substratum, are difficult to locate. Expansion is similar to that for other species and, on completion, the rays are typically recurved with the base arched and the fungus standing on the surface of the Fleshy Layer. FRESHLY-EXPANDED PERIDIA.—On completion of expansion, peridia measure from 2.5 to 9.5 cm of the expanded rays. Exoperidium non-hygroscopic, fissuiing into acuminate 5-10 broadly to narrow, wedge-shaped rays, often subdividing at the tips. The base is usually arched. Mycelial Layer densely coated with the sub- coniferous in colour and Fibrillose stratum, usually needles, cream very persistent. Layer tough and leathery, whitish where exposed. Fleshy Layer whitish at first, becoming creamy-brown, often rimose, from 3 to 4.5 mm thick, continuous over the ray surface but frequently cracking or Assuring, although rarely flaking away, Pedicel and and forming a thick columnar structure which completely encloses the Persoonia Vol. Part 152 i, i, 1959 flares above where it is in close with the lower of the out contact part Endoperidium, not infrequently corrugated where it has been in contact with the furrowed base of the A odour and somewhat bitter have Endoperidium. slightly pungent or soapy a taste been detected. Endoperidium 5 -25 x 7-25 mm, depressed-globose to obturbinate, somewhat with the basal usually hemispherical in profile part lobed, smooth, to smooth purplish-brown greyish-purple or very occasionally creamy-ochraceous, often coated with whitish buff to finely pubescent, granules or a grey to farinaceous deposit. The base is obscured by the columnar structure of the Fleshy Layer but, on exposure, the upwards tapering Apophysis is found to vary from smooth through _ varying degrees of striae to plicate with such corrugations being partly decurrent down the upper part of the Pedicel. Mouth to 6 mm tall, conical, brown, sulcate, the merging into surrounding Endoperidium, rarely in a depressed area, typically acute but occasionally tubular and varying from typically conical to almost plain.