New Records of Rare Hypogeous Fungi from Poland (Central Europe)

Piotr Mleczko,Maciej Kozak,Filip Karpowicz

doi:10.5586/am.5529

Abstract

Investigations carried out in recent years have provided new data on the localities of some rare hypogeous fungi in Central Europe. In this study, we present new localities of Leucangium carthusianum, Melanogaster luteus, and Rhizopogon melanogastroides, two of which are new for Poland. Sporocarps of L. carthusianum were found in seven new localities in mixed and coniferous forests in the Western Carpathians as well as in Sudetes. In Poland, the species was also recorded in a mixed forest in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. Fir, Abies alba, accompanied the fungus in almost all known localities. Three localities of M. luteus were found in the Polish Western and Eastern Carpathians in Alnus incana communities mostly associated with streams. Knowledge of the distribution of this species in Europe is incomplete due to the complicated taxonomic history; nevertheless, it is regarded as rare, despite its wide distribution. One new locality of R. melanogastroides recorded in the Tatra Mts, Western Carpathians, is the fourth known to date. This species is mostly associated with Pinus mugo in high mountain localities (the Alps, the Tatra Mts). In this study, detailed descriptions and illustrations of the macro- and micromorphological features of the species are provided.

Highlights

Hypogeous macrofungi are rarely considered in mycological investigations
The aim of this study was to report on new localities of three rarely recorded species in Central Europe: Leucangium carthusianum, Melanogaster luteus, and Rhizopogon melanogastroides
Investigations carried out in recent years have identified new localities of some hypogeous fungi, which are new for the mycobiota or have not been recorded for over 50 years in Poland

Summary

Introduction

Hypogeous macrofungi are rarely considered in mycological investigations. considerable progress in knowledge of their taxonomy, diversity, and distribution has been made in recent years (e.g., Alvarado et al, 2016; Moreau et al, 2011; Paz et al, 2016, 2017; Stielow et al, 2011; Vidal et al, 2019), they remain one of the most understudied groups of fungi in Poland and other Central European countries.Over 20 species of hypogeous Basidiomycota and nearly 30 species of hypogeous Ascomycota were found in Poland before the year 2000 (Chmiel, 2006; Ławrynowicz, 1988; Wojewoda, 2003). Several studies have reported on the localities of new species hitherto not known to occur in Poland (e.g., Chachuła, 2018; Chachuła et al, 2020; Hilszczańska et al, 2008; Mleczko et al, 2009, 2010; Paz et al, 2017; Vidal et al, 2019; Wojewoda et al, 2016). The status of certain species regarded as very rare changed when more data on their distribution became available; for example, Chamonixia caespitosa (Kozak et al, 2013; Mleczko et al, 2010). Several species have only been found in a single or only a few localities in

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