Comptes rendus de lAcadmie bulgare des Sciences e Tome 65, No 4, 2012

BIOLOGIE
Mycologie

ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE TRUFFLE-LIKE FUNGUS STEPHENSIA BOMBYCINA (ASCOMYCOTA, PYRONEMATACEAE ) IN BULGARIA AND GREECE
Melania Gyosheva, Giorgos Konstantinidis, Boris Assyov, Vasileios Kaounas
(Submitted by Academician V. Golemansky on November 10, 2011)

Abstract The noteworthy hypogeous fungus Stephensia bombycina is recorded for the rst time for the mycota of Bulgaria and Greece. Description is provided, based upon the collected specimens, accompanied by illustrations of the macromorphological and the microscopic features of the species. Key words: Ascomycota, Balkan mycota, hypogeous fungi, Pezizales, Pyronemataceae

Introduction. Hypogeous fungi are a rich group, some members of which are known and prized for their high economic value and this prompts their intensive research in several European countries. Despite the fact that many of the Balkan countries have been for a long time known as major suppliers of wild mushrooms, the knowledge about trues and true-like fungi in the Balkans is still scarce, and this is especially true for the eastern parts of the peninsula [14 ]. The study of the true-like fungi in Bulgaria is progressing relatively slowly, partly due to lack of trained dogs. So far 22 species have been recorded in this country [2, 4 ]. In Greece there is more intensive research going on in the recent years, often leading to the discovery of some rare and interesting hypogeous fungi [1, 58 ]. Materials and methods. The Greek and the Bulgarian specimens of Stephensia bombycina were collected with the aid of trained dogs. Air dried specimens of the fungus are preserved in the Mycological Collection at the In479

stitute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SOMF) or in the private collections of G. Konstantinidis and V. Kaounas, referred to as GK and VK respectively. The samples are documented with colour photographs and/or appropriate eld notes, as to allow further consult or revision. Microscopic features were observed and measured in water. The amyloidity reaction was ascertained by use of Melzers solution (recipe after Kirk et al. [9 ]). The measurement values for ascospores are presented in the description in the following form: (min) mean 1 (max); for the rest of the microscopic structures minimum and maximum values are noted. Description of the species. Stephensia bombycina (Vittad.) Tul., Comp. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 21, p. 1433 (1845); Genea bombycina Vittad., Monogr. Tuberacearum, p. 29 (1831). Ascomata hypogeous or subhypogeous, irregularly subglobose and often with a basal depression, up to 2 cm in diameter, pale brown, yellowish brown to reddish brown; outer surface nely tomentose, with pale bu to whitish tomentum, the later often binding some debris (Fig. 1). Peridium thin (< 0.5 mm thick), consisting of a pseudoparenchymatous layer of irregularly arranged polygonal or globose cells with thickened walls, some of them giving rise to septate, cylindrical, 57 m broad pale brown surface hairs with densely encrusted walls (Fig. 2a).

Table

Diameter of ascospores of Stephensia bombycina comparative data Authors/studied specimens Hawker [ ] De Vries [ ] Dennis [ ] Pegler et al. [ ] Astier [16 ] Dissing et al. [ ] Montecchi & Sarasini [ ] Gori [ ] SOMF 29 308 GK 3251 GK 5756 GK 5790 GK 5791 VK 2276
19 18 17 14 13 12 11

Ascospores (m) 19.026.0 19.028.0 19.026.0 19.034.0 19.034.0 17.023.0 16.028.0 19.025.0 20.028.0 19.023.0 18.021.0 16.522.5 19.023.0 19.528.0

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Fig. 1. Ascomata of Stephensia bombycina: a collection GK5756; b GK 5790; c GK 5791

Fig. 2. Microscopic features of Stephensia bombycina: a surface hyphae of the tomentum; b paraphyses; c-d asci and ascospores

Gleba whitish or cream, rarely bu, with straw coloured veins and folds; smell strong, unpleasant. Hymenium lining up the veins and the surface of the folds of the gleba. Asci up to 250.0 (260.0) 30.5 m, 8-spored, cylindrical, rounded at the apex, stipitate, non-amyloid, not arising from croziers. Paraphyses septate, hyaline, 5.57.5 m wide (Fig. 2b). Ascospores globose, 16.528.0 (mean 23.5 2.2; n = 50) m in diameter, hyaline, smooth, with slightly thickened walls, uniseriate in asci (Fig. 2cd). Habitats. Hypogeous or semi-hypogeous on the soil surface or among leaf litter, under coniferous and deciduous trees in dierent types of forests, occasionally collected in parks as well. Specimens examined. Bulgaria: Rhodopi Mts (central), above Markovo village, Rhodopi municipality near Plovdiv town, under Pinus silvestris L., 17 October 2010, leg. T. Chokova, det. M. Gyosheva (SOMF 29 308); Greece: Elatos, Grevena, under Coryllus avellana L., 20 August 2008, leg. N. Sgouridi, det. G. Konstantinidis (GK 3251); Maniaki, Kastoria, under Populus nigra L., 20 July 2011, leg. G. Setkos, det. G. Konstantinidis (GK 5790); Maniaki, Kastoria, under Populus sp., 26 August 2011, leg. G. Setkos, det. G. Konstantinidis (GK 5791); Dydimotiho, Evros, under Quercus sp., 20 August 2011, leg. D. Stambolidis, det. G. Konstantinidis (GK 5756); Mainalo, Arkadia, ca 1400 m, under Abies cephalonica Loudon and Quercus coccifera L., 15 October 2011, leg. M. Gkilas, det. V. Kaounas (VK 2276). Comments. Stephensia bombycina is one of the two so far known European members of this otherwise small genus, which has been recently proved to be non-monophyletic [10 ]. Macroscopically it is relatively easily recognized by the nely tomentose peridium and the pale coloured gleba with distinct darker veins and folds. The microscopic examination allows instant recognition by the pseudoparenchymatous structure of the peridium, the 8-spored inamyloid asci intermixed with septate paraphyses, the globose, non-ornamented spores and the peculiar encrusted surface hyphae of the tomentum. The studied Bulgarian and Greek collections match very well the authoritative descriptions of the species [1119 ]. The size of the ascospores varies from one specimen to another, but the measurements from our collections generally t well within the known range of variability of the species (Table 1). In the adjacent countries S. bombycina is known only from Romania [20 ], but it might be more widespread and possibly overlooked. Outside the Balkan Peninsula the species has been reported so far from Byelorussia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. ExtraEuropean records include the Middle East (Israel) and North America. Acknowledgements. The inventory of the Bulgarian hypogeous fungi is held within the frame of the project Taxonomy, conservation and sustainable use of fungi. The authors are indebted to T. Chokova, M. Gkilas, G. Setkos, N. Sgouridi and D. Stambolidis for the collections provided.
Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci., 65, No 4, 2012

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17, Aristidou Str. 51 100 Grevena West Macedonia, Greece e-mail: info@manitari.gr

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