Abstract
Russula scarlatina sp. nov. is a common sequestrate fungus found in the dry sclerophyll Eucalyptus woodlands of southeastern Australia. Basidiomata are hypogeous or sometimes emergent; they are scarlet in youth and become dark sordid red or brown with advanced age. Historically, this species would have been placed in the genus Gymnomyces, but in light of recent revisions in the taxonomy of sequestrate Russulaceae, we place it in the genus Russula. It is morphologically distinct from other sequestrate species of Russula because of its scarlet peridium and unusual cystidial turf in youth. It has been collected only in dry grassy woodlands and open forest habitats of southeastern Australia.
Highlights
Non-lactating sequestrate members of the Russulaceae were historically placed in one of six genera based on various aspects of their morphology (Lebel 1998)
We found them by raking away the leaf litter under Eucalyptus spp. and carefully examining the soil layer below
Russula scarlatina is easy to recognize in the field because of its vibrant scarlet peridium, totally enclosed loculate gleba, and lack of a stipe; these characters set it apart from other members of the genus
Summary
Non-lactating sequestrate members of the Russulaceae were historically placed in one of six genera based on various aspects of their morphology (Lebel 1998). Recent genetic analysis supports the recombination of all of these genera with the common mushroom genus Russula (Lebel & Tonkin 2007; Lebel 2017; Elliott & Trappe 2018). It has been suggested that adaptations to abiotic environmental factors and symbiotic associations with vertebrates and invertebrates have led to evolution of sequestrate and hypogeous basidiomata (Thiers 1984; Trappe & Claridge 2005; Vernes & Dunn 2009; Galante et al 2011).
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