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New British Records
Mycologist, Volume 16, Part 4 November 2002. ©Cambridge University Press Printed in the United Kingdom. DOI: 10.1017/S0269915X02004020
First European record of Coriolopsis aspera (Jungh) Teng (Polyporaceae) from Malta. MICHAEL BRIFFA Durham House, 20, Creche Street, Sliema SLM09 Malta
An unidentified specimen collected by the author in 1978 at Maqluba Malta under a Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua), was examined and determined by Prof. Leif Ryvarden in November 2001 as Coriolopsis aspera (Jungh) Teng (Polyporaceae). This specimen is deposited at the author’s private herbarium (MB902), and a part of it is also deposited at the University of Oslo. Coriolopsis aspera is widespread in the paleotropical zone, mainly in Asia and less so in Africa, and had never been reported in Europe (Ryvarden, personal communication). Its status in Malta is probably an introduction. However, one cannot rule out the remote possibility that it is a rare native. The host tree, Ceratonia siliqua, which is probably indigenous in Malta, is believed to be a relic of the subtropical vegetation of the Tertiary (Haslam et al., 1977). This tree also hosts the
tropical polypore Inonotus indicus (Mass.) Pieri & Rivoire [= Aurificaria indica (Mass.) Reid], Hymenocetaceae, which in Europe only occurs in Malta (Pieri et al., 1996), where it is frequent and widespread. Acknowledgment Thanks are due to Professor Leif Ryvarden of Oslo University for examining and identifying the specimen.
References Haslam, S. M., Sell, P. D. & Wolseley, P. A. (1977). A flora of the Maltese Islands. Malta University Press: Ixxi + 560 pp. Pieri, M. & Rivoire, B. (1996): A propos de quelques polypores (Aphllophoromycetideae) rare ou critiques recoltes recemment. Bulletin Sociéte Mycologique France 112: 163-187.
New British Records Exidiaceae 216. Sebacina dimitica Oberw. in Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges. 36: 53 (1963). Basidiome effused in irregular patches, smooth, ceraceous, bluish grey when fresh, whitish to pale ochraceous when dried. Hyphal system dimitic; generative hyphae 2 – 3 µm wide, thin-walled, lacking clamp-connexions; skeletal hyphae 2.5 - 3 µm wide, thick-walled, lacking septa, strongly dextrinoid. Cystidia absent. Hyphidia weakly branched. Basidia tremelloid, septate, ellipsoid when mature, 14 – 16 x 11 - 13 µm, with 4 sinuous sterigmata. Basidiospores oblong, 10.5 - 12 x 6.5 - 7.5 µm, smooth, with thin walls. Specimen examined: Oxfordshire, Bix, Warburg Reserve, on rotten, fallen, deciduous branch, 16 Oct. 1999, Henrici, K(M) 67271. 178
In the field, Sebacina dimitica appears similar to the much commoner S. epigaea, having an irregularly effused, bluish grey, waxy-gelatinous basidiome. Microscopically, however, it is immediately distinguished by the presence of abundant, thick-walled, aseptate, skeletal hyphae which turn deep reddish brown in Melzer’s reagent. The large, unclamped, tremelloid basidia and the basidiospores measuring around 11 x 7 µm are similar to those of S. epigaea. Sebacina dimitica was originally described from Germany and is widely distributed but uncommon throughout Europe. P. J. Roberts The Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB Helotiaceae 217. Chlorencoelia torta (Schwein.) Dixon in Mycotaxon 1: 230 (1975).
First European record of Coriolopsis aspera (Jungh) Teng (Polyporaceae) from Malta. MICHAEL BRIFFA Durham House, 20, Creche Street, Sliema SLM09 Malta
An unidentified specimen collected by the author in 1978 at Maqluba Malta under a Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua), was examined and determined by Prof. Leif Ryvarden in November 2001 as Coriolopsis aspera (Jungh) Teng (Polyporaceae). This specimen is deposited at the author’s private herbarium (MB902), and a part of it is also deposited at the University of Oslo. Coriolopsis aspera is widespread in the paleotropical zone, mainly in Asia and less so in Africa, and had never been reported in Europe (Ryvarden, personal communication). Its status in Malta is probably an introduction. However, one cannot rule out the remote possibility that it is a rare native. The host tree, Ceratonia siliqua, which is probably indigenous in Malta, is believed to be a relic of the subtropical vegetation of the Tertiary (Haslam et al., 1977). This tree also hosts the
tropical polypore Inonotus indicus (Mass.) Pieri & Rivoire [= Aurificaria indica (Mass.) Reid], Hymenocetaceae, which in Europe only occurs in Malta (Pieri et al., 1996), where it is frequent and widespread. Acknowledgment Thanks are due to Professor Leif Ryvarden of Oslo University for examining and identifying the specimen.
References Haslam, S. M., Sell, P. D. & Wolseley, P. A. (1977). A flora of the Maltese Islands. Malta University Press: Ixxi + 560 pp. Pieri, M. & Rivoire, B. (1996): A propos de quelques polypores (Aphllophoromycetideae) rare ou critiques recoltes recemment. Bulletin Sociéte Mycologique France 112: 163-187.
New British Records Exidiaceae 216. Sebacina dimitica Oberw. in Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges. 36: 53 (1963). Basidiome effused in irregular patches, smooth, ceraceous, bluish grey when fresh, whitish to pale ochraceous when dried. Hyphal system dimitic; generative hyphae 2 – 3 µm wide, thin-walled, lacking clamp-connexions; skeletal hyphae 2.5 - 3 µm wide, thick-walled, lacking septa, strongly dextrinoid. Cystidia absent. Hyphidia weakly branched. Basidia tremelloid, septate, ellipsoid when mature, 14 – 16 x 11 - 13 µm, with 4 sinuous sterigmata. Basidiospores oblong, 10.5 - 12 x 6.5 - 7.5 µm, smooth, with thin walls. Specimen examined: Oxfordshire, Bix, Warburg Reserve, on rotten, fallen, deciduous branch, 16 Oct. 1999, Henrici, K(M) 67271. 178
In the field, Sebacina dimitica appears similar to the much commoner S. epigaea, having an irregularly effused, bluish grey, waxy-gelatinous basidiome. Microscopically, however, it is immediately distinguished by the presence of abundant, thick-walled, aseptate, skeletal hyphae which turn deep reddish brown in Melzer’s reagent. The large, unclamped, tremelloid basidia and the basidiospores measuring around 11 x 7 µm are similar to those of S. epigaea. Sebacina dimitica was originally described from Germany and is widely distributed but uncommon throughout Europe. P. J. Roberts The Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB Helotiaceae 217. Chlorencoelia torta (Schwein.) Dixon in Mycotaxon 1: 230 (1975).