VIRTUAL MYCOTA: NZ Fungi Identification: Cortinarius cartilagineus

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Cortinarius cartilagineus

Synonyms

Thaxterogaster cartilagineus
Secotium cartilagineum

Biostatus

Present in region - Indigenous. Non endemic

Images (click to enlarge)


Caption: Dried type specimen Owner: Herb PDD	Caption: Thaxterogaster cartilagineum (Cunningham) Moser (holotype): a. fruitingbodies (sec. Cunningham). b. spores.	Caption: Thaxterogaster cartilagineum (Cunningham) Moser (ZT 67/171): c. fruitingbodies. d. spores. c. basidia. f. cuticle.

Article: Horak, E. (1973). Fungi Agaricini Novazelandiae I-V. Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia 43: 200 p.
Description: Gastrocarp 5-40 x 15-30 mm, globose or depressed globose, peridium up to 2 mm diam., enrolled towards the margin and dehiscent from upper parts of the marginate base of the stipe, excavated, ochraceous to deep apricot yellow (especially at the centre), paler on drying, densely covered with fibrillose, concolorous squamules of the veil, scabrid, dry. Gleba cellular, chambers oval, up to 3 mm diam., irregularly arranged, exposed only in aged carpophores, rust brown. Stipe (columella) absent or obliquely developed, -30 x 2-3(-22) mm, base of stipe marginate, turbiniform, columella tapering towards the apex and emerging into the peridium or irregularly branched or lacking altogether, base of stipe concolorous with peridium, squamulose from remnants of the veil. Context whitish to yellow-brown. Odor and taste not distinctive. Chemical reactions on peridium: KOH - brown; HCl - yellowish; NH₃ - negative.
Spores 12-15 x 8,5 µm, broadly ovate, coarsely warted, perisporium well developed, axially symmetric, ferruginous. Basidia 35-50 x 10-12 µm, 4-spored Cystidia absent. Epicutis consisting of cylindric, repent, not gelatinised hyphae (3-12 µm diam.) forming a cutis, membranes encrusted with brownish pigment. Clamp connections present
Habitat: On ground under Nothofagus spp. and Leptospermum scoparium. New Zealand.
Notes: The description has been drawn from the type and from two fresh collections made in the beech forests of South Island. The macroscopic characters of this species are well described by Cunningham who says that the peridium in appearance and to the touch closely resembles chamois leather. However, it seems that Cunningham never saw this fungus in fresh condition because he overlooked the significant turbinate base of the stipe. Microscopically this species also may be distinguished by the broadly ovate and strongly warted spores (Cunningham 1942: 86; Horak & Moser 1965: 228).

Article: Cunningham, G.H. (1924). A critical revision of the Australian and New Zealand species of the genus Secotium. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 49(2): 97-119.
Description: Peridium pallidum, paler below, depressed-globose, base excavated, incurved, margin distinct from stipe, 7-12 mm. high, 18-22 mm. wide, densely and closely scabrid; drying dingy-brown. Stipe short, stout, up to 10 mm. long, 4 mm. thick, tan-coloured, hollow, scabrous, base slightly inflated. Gleba dark ferruginous, cellular, tough, compact, cells minute, 2-3 mm long, polygonal, dissepiments thin. Spores verruculose, ferruginous, ovate, rounded at one end, pointed at the other, 12-15 x 8-11 µ, epispore thin.
Habitat: Habitat.-Solitary on the ground in beech forest.
Notes: The scabrid surface of the peridium would place this close to S. scabrosum, but the glebal characters are different from those given for the latter species. In appearance and to the touch the peridium exactly resembles chamois leather. The tough, almost cartilaginous nature of the gleba is also characteristic, and would serve to separate it from any other Australasian species.