January 2010 AUSTRALIA’S FUNGI MAPPING SCHEME Basidiomycota. One of these is already a Inside this Edition: target species—the agaric Omphalina Introducing five new lichen target species by chromacea. Its fruit-bodies arise from an Tom May & Pam Catcheside ......................1 algal mat, and there are special structures at Contacting Fungimap ..................................2 the base of the stipe where fungal hyphae Editorial.......................................................3 enclose algal cells. A recent name change Dermocybe confusion by Katrina Syme ......3 for this species to Lichenomphalia An introduction to the lichens by Simone chromacea emphasises the lichen nature. Louwhoff.....................................................4 Lichen alert for Fungimappers by Gintaras Their characteristic structure and physiology Kantvilas .....................................................5 means that lichens are often studied New Lichen targets for Fungimap by Tom independently to non-lichenised fungi. There May et al .....................................................7 are good reasons for treating lichens Lichen publications and website by Tom separately in taxonomic and ecological May .............................................................9 studies, but it also makes sense to welcome Australia's most beautiful fungus? by Tom them into the broad fungal fold without May & Steve Axford.................................10 diluting their identity. Auricularia in Queensland by Patrick Leonard .....................................................15 Australia has been very fortunate to have a A fungal curiosity by Tony Young et al...16 close-knit and highly productive community A report from afar … by Alison Pouliot....18 of lichenologists, which has resulted in Keeping Records on a foray by Patrick numerous new species being described in Leonard .....................................................19 recent decades, and production of five Fungal News: NSW Central Coast............21 impressively detailed volumes of the Flora Fungal News: SFSG, QMS .......................22 of Australia series devoted to lichens. Fungal News: South Australia...................23 However, there have been fewer Acknowledgements ...................................24 contributions by field naturalists, perhaps because of the difficulty of identification of many species. INTRODUCING FIVE NEW LICHEN TARGET SPECIES Mapping lichens as one way of raising their profile was one of the recommendations This issue of Fungimap Newsletter contains from discussions at the Australian Network a number of articles about lichens, and for Plant Conservation forum ‘What lies introduces five new lichen target species. beneath?’ in April 2007. Lichens are fungi that grow symbiotically Distribution data on lichens is reasonably with a photobiont (an alga or a good for many species. There are more cyanobacterium). Generally, each different specimens on average for lichens than for lichen is a different fungus, in association most other groups of fungi and maps are with one of a small range of photobionts. already included for lichens covered in the Lichens are therefore classified as fungi. Flora of Australia series. However, mapping Lichenisation has evolved independently lichens not only adds to distribution and multiple times, and there can be lichenised ecological data, but draws attention to the and non-lichenised fungi in the same fungal diversity and vital ecological roles of order or family. lichens, such as in rock weathering and as components of the biological soil crusts that Most lichens belong in the Ascomycota stabilise the soil of semi-arid Australia. (which also contains non-lichenised fungi (continued on page 3) such as morels and cup and disc fungi). However, there are also lichens among the Fungimap Newsletter 39 January 2010 CONTACTING FUNGIMAP Fungimap Central Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Telephone: (03) 9252 2374 Private Bag 2000 Email: [email protected] South Yarra VIC 3141 Website: http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/fungimap/ Co-ordinator: [email protected] Fungimap Committee President Secretary Committee Members Tom May Paul George Pam Catcheside Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne C/-Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne State Herbarium of S.A. Private Bag 2000 Private Bag 2000 PO Box 2732 South Yarra VIC 3141 South Yarra VIC 3141 Kent Town SA 5071 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Vice President Treasurer and Public Officer Katrina Syme John Carpenter Pam O’Sullivan 1874 South Coast Hwy, C/-Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne PO Box 154 Denmark WA 6333 Private Bag 2000 Ourimbah NSW 2258 Email: [email protected] South Yarra VIC 3141 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] FUNGI INTEREST GROUPS NSW Vic Sydney Fungal Studies Group Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, Secretary: Donald Gover, Ph: (02) 9661 4898 Email: [email protected] Fungi Group Web: www.sydneyfungalstudies.org.au Forays, monthly meetings & presentations. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse Ph: (03) 9560 7775 Central Coast Fungi Group Web: http://www.vicnet.net.au/~fncv then Calendar of Contact: Pam O’Sullivan, Ph: (02) 4362 1543 Events Email: [email protected] WA Qld Sapphire McMullan-Fisher Perth Urban Bushland Fungi Project Email: [email protected] Fungi workshops, walks, surveys in Perth Urban bush areas. Queensland Mycological Society PUBF Team: Neale Bougher, Roz Hart, Sarah de Bueger, QMS Secretary. Brett Glossop. Email: [email protected] Contact: Roz Hart, Community Education Officer Website: http://www.qms.asn.au/ Email: [email protected] SA Web: http://www.fungiperth.org.au Fungimap WA, forays in Denmark Adelaide Fungal Studies Group Contact: Pam Catcheside, Ph: (08) 8222 9379 area Email: [email protected] Contact: Katrina Syme Email: [email protected] Tas WA Naturalists’ Club, Fungi Study Fungi Lovers Adventure Group (FLAG) Group Fungi activities in northern Tasmania. Fungal forays, workshops, identification evenings and Contact: Sarah Lloyd, Ph: (03) 6396 1380 talks, based in Perth. Email: [email protected] Contact: WA Naturalists’ Club Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.wanats.iinet.net.au/fungigroup.html 2 Fungimap Newsletter 39 January 2010 (continued from page 1) suggestions for new target species, and intend to add more The possibility of introducing lichen target species to lichen targets in future. Fungimap was further explored at the 18th meeting of Australasian lichenologists at Traralgon, Victoria, in April We were fortunate that Simone Louwhoff presented a talk 2008, at which there was a positive response. Several and workshop about lichens at the recent Fungimap V lichenologists contributed suggestions for target species, Conference, and we will include activities about lichens in and from this shortlist the five species described and future conferences and encourage contributions about them illustrated in this issue were chosen. to the Fungimap Newsletter. Selecting lichen target species that are unambiguously One advantage of including lichen targets is that the lichen identifiable in the field proved more difficult than fruit-body (thallus) is not ephemeral, as in many choosing the 100 or so existing targets. This underlines macrofungi such as the fleshy agarics. The five new lichen how lucky we are that there are so many highly distinctive targets occur in a variety of habitats from rainforest to the macrofungi, particularly as far as the range of colours and arid interior. We hope you see some on your forays. forms. Acknowledgements Species of Cladia, the coral lichens, are common lichens Thanks to Alan Archer, Ray Cranfield, David Eldridge, that were considered when choosing targets; but Simone Louwhoff, Pat McCarthy and Kath Ralston for differentiating species is rather difficult. We may end up suggestions for lichen targets and to Ray Cranfield, including lichens like these as species complexes, in the Gintaras Kantvilas and Simone Louwhoff for preparing same way that we currently map the Ileodictyon gracile their contributions to this issue at such short notice. group inclusive of I. cibarium. We are always open to Tom May & Pam Catcheside EDITORIAL We hope you enjoy this issue of the Fungimap Newsletter. now ask that their articles be refereed and, especially for It is a special issue highlighting lichens, which are featured articles on taxonomy of genera and species, we may in the colour plate section, along with fungi to illustrate suggest that they be sent for external review. other articles, such as the various species of Auricularia. Plate 4 (c–l) also includes a selection of photographs of The deadline for the next issue is Friday 12th March 2010. some beautiful and interesting species of Hericium, Coprinus, Pseudohydnum, Dictyopanus, Fuligo, Aleuria, But to less serious matters: we wish you a very happy Volvariella and Cortinarius. Christmas and very best wishes for the New Year—and an excellent and productive fungal season in 2010. We have updated and expanded the ‘Instructions to authors’. These will be posted on the Fungimap website in Pam Catcheside the new year, and may be obtained from me, on request. If you have any queries, please contact me. Authors may DERMOCYBE CONFUSION Katrina Syme Dermocybe erythrocephala and D. kula (Plate 3h, 3k) are liquid from D. kula gradually turned from a dull purple to often found growing in close proximity and are not easy to brown. tell apart—especially when