Phaeodaedalea sprucei

Phaeodaedalea sprucei (Berk.) M. Fidalgo 1962, in Fidalgo, Mycologia, 53(2), 201-210 (1961).

Diagnosis: Fruiting body sessile, large, dimidiate, flabelliform to applanate, often entirely resupinate, (2-)4--17(-20) X (1.5-)4--12 X (0.4--)0.7-3(-4.5) µm, corky, flexible in the thin specimens; pileus tomentose to glabrescent, zonate, subsulcate to tuberculate, dark avellaneous (Seguy 131, Brunhavane, MP 14D7, Adobe or MP 15C8, Chukker brown), generally of a darker color behind; margin thin, acute and lighter in color than the rest of the pileus; context homogeneous, very thin, 0.1-1 ( -2) µm thick, medium brown (Seguy 336, Bure, MP 14E7, Stag or MP 15E9); bymenial surface initially daedaloid, with flexuous pores, then very variable, lamellate, hexagonal or irpiciform, most commonly irpiciform behind, vinous when fresh (Seguy 686, Brun de Garance, Seguy 711, MP 8E8, African+ or MP 56H2), darkening when dry and changing to dark brown (Seguy 116, Bistre fonce or MP 16A12, Biskra), with age turning slightly gray ( Seguy 176, Terre d'ombre brulee, Seguy 702 or MP 15C7, Racquet); pores or lamellae with very acute and rigid edges, generally undulate, crenate or fimbriate; lamellae, tubes or teeth (0.2-) 1- 4.5 µm deep; dissepiments ( 300-)400-800( -1500) µ. thick; pores or lamellae in the margin, (3-)4-6(-8) per µm. Hypha! system trimitic; generative hyphae hyaline, septate, clamped, branched, thin walled to slightly thickened, 1.5-2.5 ( -3) µ. diam; skeletal hyphae yellowish brown, not branched, nonseptate, thickened to subsolid, 3-4 µ. diam; binding hyphae hyaline, much branched, nonseptate, subsolid to solid, 1-2.5 ( -3) p. diam. Cystidia fusiform to ventricose, yellow to yellowish brown, much thickened, ( 13-) 14.5-25 ( -27) X ( 4-) 5-7 µ.. Basidia subclavate, short, hyaline, 1-4 sterigmate, (8-)9-10 X 5-7 µ, with sterigma very short and roundish, 1-1.5 µ. long, some tetrasterigmate basidia present two apical sterigmata and two others laterally placed. Spores globose to subglobose, not amyloid, yellowish brown, slightly apiculate, thickened, 9.5-11.5(-13) X 10.5-13.5(-15) µ., with a smooth and brown outer layer, 1-1.5 ( -2) p. diam, not stained by the phloxin, which however stains the interior of the spore dark pink. Hyphal pegs and setae not observed. Hymenium thickening by the stratification, of the same type found in some species of Hymenochaete in the old fruiting bodies reaching (80-) 100-150 µ. thick, presenting several layers of basidia and cystidia.

Index Fungorum Number: IF336100

Notes: Berkeley apparently was the first to describe this species, giving it two names (Daedalea sprucei and Hexagona erubescens) simultaneously (1856, p. 236, 237), based on two collections found by Spruce in Amazonas State, Brazil. These two collections had different hymenial surfaces, one described as D. sprucei was dark-brown with daedaloidlamellate hymenium whereas that published as H. erubescens had a vinous hymenium with flexuous pores. It may be concluded that Berkeley's mistake was made not only because of the variation of this species but, also because of the different ages of the two collections. The type specimen of H. entbescens consisted of much younger material which presented the typical vinous color of the young specimens of Phaeodaedalea sprucei. Bresadola (1916) compared the types of the two species of Berkeley and considered H. erubcscens as a form of D. sprucei. Lloyd seemed to have a very confused idea about this species. Dacdalea sprucei was considered as the type of a new genus, Phaeodaedalea McGinty (a name not validly published), but all the synonyms were not included by Lloyd in the new genus. So Hexagona erubescens Berk. is indicated as a good species; Hexagonia aequalis Pat. is said to be a tropical form of Daedalea quercina (L.) Pers. ex Fr. and an irpiciform collection of P. sprucei was described by Lloyd as Irpex rickii. Hexagonia aequalis was described by Patouillard (1889) as an allied species to Hexagona glabra Lev., which according to Bresadola is a later synonym of Daedalea pruinosa Lev. Lloyd (1910, p. 33) and Torrend (1935, p. 118) considered H. aequalis as a tropical form of Daedalea quercina. The examination of the type specimen of H. aequalis, found in the Farlow herbarium, proved it to be a specimen of P. sprucei. On the label of this material there is a note, possibly from Patouillard himself, as following: "Hexagona aequalis Pat. = Daedalea sprucei Berk., n'a rien de commun avec Daedalea quercina." Bresadola (1916) included H. aequalis also in the synonymy of D. sprucei. Cunningham (1950, p. 243) inserted in the synonymy of Coriolus sprucei (Berk.) G. Cunn. the name of Daedalea sprucei Berk. The first is based on Trametes sprucei Berk., a species described from Amazonas State, Brazil, but completely different from D. sprucei Berk. Cooke (1892) had reported these two species in Australia, Trametes sprucei under no. 845 and Daedalea sprucei under no. 873, but never with the same generic epithet. Rick (1937, p. 159) had considered Daedalea sprucei as a good species. However, in the posthumous paper (Rick, 1960, p. 261) he did not mention it, but only Irpex rickii Lloyd, which he recognized as a form "resupinata irpicoidea D. sprucei" and added to the synonymy of Daedalea quercina var. stalactiformis Mont. Apparently this is a typographic error since the Latin diagnosis that follows the name of D. quercina var. stalactiformis does not fit, as it presents amongst other characteristics spores "pallidis, 12 p., sphaericis."The basidium in this species appears to have a very variable shape. In the old and dry specimens basidia are quite difficult to find, indeed very few were observed. These are subclavate, short, tetrasterigmate, with very short and round sterigmata. In fresh material, collected in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, basidia were more frequent, presenting subglobose to subclavate shapes, with few short cells at the base and with variable number of sterigmata, 1-4. In some tetrasterigmate basidia the sterigmata are placed in a very unusual position, two of them being apical and the other two lateral. Several of these basidia still had spores attached to the sterigma.