Доклади на Българската академия на науките

Comptes rendus de l’Academie bulgare des Sciences

Tome 65, No 4, 2012

BIOLOGIE

Mycologie

ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE TRUFFLE-LIKE FUNGUSSTEPHENSIA 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 forthe first time for the mycota of Bulgaria and Greece. Description is provided,based upon the collected specimens, accompanied by illustrations of the macro-morphological 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 whichare known and prized for their high economic value and this prompts their in-tensive research in several European countries. Despite the fact that many ofthe Balkan countries have been for a long time known as major suppliers of wildmushrooms, the knowledge about truffles and truffle-like fungi in the Balkans isstill scarce, and this is especially true for the eastern parts of the peninsula [1–4].The study of the truffle-like fungi in Bulgaria is progressing relatively slowly,partly due to lack of trained dogs. So far 22 species have been recorded in thiscountry [2, 4]. In Greece there is more intensive research going on in the recentyears, often leading to the discovery of some rare and interesting hypogeous fungi[1, 5–8].

Materials and methods. The Greek and the Bulgarian specimens ofStephensia bombycina were collected with the aid of trained dogs. Air driedspecimens of the fungus are preserved in the Mycological Collection at the In-

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stitute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences(SOMF) or in the private collections of G. Konstantinidis and V. Kaounas, re-ferred to as ‘GK’ and ‘VK’ respectively. The samples are documented with colourphotographs and/or appropriate field notes, as to allow further consult or revi-sion. Microscopic features were observed and measured in water. The amyloidityreaction was ascertained by use of Melzer’s solution (recipe after Kirk et al. [9]).The measurement values for ascospores are presented in the description in thefollowing form: (min–) mean ±1σ (–max); for the rest of the microscopic struc-tures 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 witha basal depression, up to 2 cm in diameter, pale brown, yellowish brown to red-dish brown; outer surface finely tomentose, with pale buff 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 orglobose cells with thickened walls, some of them giving rise to septate, cylindrical,5–7 µm broad pale brown surface hairs with densely encrusted walls (Fig. 2a).

T a b l e 1

Diameter of ascospores of Stephensia bombycina – com-parative data

Authors/studied specimens Ascospores (µm)

Hawker [11] 19.0–26.0

De Vries [12] 19.0–28.0

Dennis [13] 19.0–26.0

Pegler et al. [14] 19.0–34.0

Astier [16] 19.0–34.0

Dissing et al. [17] 17.0–23.0

Montecchi & Sarasini [18] 16.0–28.0

Gori [19] 19.0–25.0

SOMF 29 308 20.0–28.0

GK 3251 19.0–23.0

GK 5756 18.0–21.0

GK 5790 16.5–22.5

GK 5791 19.0–23.0

VK 2276 19.5–28.0

480 M. Gyosheva, G. Konstantinidis, B. Assyov et al.

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

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Gleba whitish or cream, rarely buff, with straw coloured veins and folds; smellstrong, unpleasant. Hymenium lining up the veins and the surface of the foldsof the gleba. Asci up to 250.0 (–260.0) ×30.5 µm, 8-spored, cylindrical, roundedat the apex, stipitate, non-amyloid, not arising from croziers. Paraphyses sep-tate, hyaline, 5.5–7.5 µm wide (Fig. 2b). Ascospores globose, 16.5–28.0 (mean23.5 ± 2.2; n = 50) µm in diameter, hyaline, smooth, with slightly thickenedwalls, uniseriate in asci (Fig. 2c–d).

Habitats. Hypogeous or semi-hypogeous on the soil surface or among leaf lit-ter, under coniferous and deciduous trees in different types of forests, occasionallycollected in parks as well.

Specimens examined. Bulgaria: Rhodopi Mts (central), above Markovovillage, Rhodopi municipality near Plovdiv town, under Pinus silvestris L., 17October 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., 20July 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 Euro-pean members of this otherwise small genus, which has been recently proved tobe non-monophyletic [10]. Macroscopically it is relatively easily recognized bythe finely tomentose peridium and the pale coloured gleba with distinct darkerveins and folds. The microscopic examination allows instant recognition by thepseudoparenchymatous structure of the peridium, the 8-spored inamyloid asci in-termixed with septate paraphyses, the globose, non-ornamented spores and thepeculiar encrusted surface hyphae of the tomentum.

The studied Bulgarian and Greek collections match very well the authorita-tive descriptions of the species [11–19]. The size of the ascospores varies from onespecimen to another, but the measurements from our collections generally fit wellwithin 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 BalkanPeninsula the species has been reported so far from Byelorussia, France, Germany,Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Extra-European records include the Middle East (Israel) and North America.

Acknowledgements. The inventory of the Bulgarian hypogeous fungi isheld within the frame of the project ‘Taxonomy, conservation and sustainableuse 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 481

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Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

2, Gagarin Str.

1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

e-mail: gyosheva@bio.bas.bgbassyoff@hotmail.com

∗17, Aristidou Str.

51 100 Grevena

West Macedonia, Greece

e-mail: info@manitari.gr

∗∗40, Sokratous Str.

TK 19016, Artemis

Attika, Greece

e-mail: bkaounas@yahoo.gr

482 M. Gyosheva, G. Konstantinidis, B. Assyov et al.