Crystallicutis damiettensis

Crystallicutis damiettensis El-Gharabawy, Leal-Dutra & G.W. Griff. 2021, in El-Gharabawy et al., Fungal biology, 125, 447-458 (2021)

Etymology: The species epithet “damiettensis” refers to Damietta University (North Nile Delta, Egypt), close to the location where the fungus was first discovered.

Diagnosis: Basidiome resupinate, honey-yellow, tuberculate to papillate-warty, with waxy texture, white margin. Basidia clavate (6.0-7.5 × 12.0-15.0 mm), smooth, thin-walled, 4-spored. Basidioles similar in shape but smaller (4e5 mm diameter). Basidiospores short, ovoid to ellipsoid, tear-shaped, smooth, sometimes thick-walled (3.0-3.5 × 4.0-5.0 mm), non-amyloid and nondextrinoid. Cystidia abundant, long, smooth, hyaline, thin-walled, septate (2-celled), spear-shaped (4.0-5.0 × 22-25 mm). Cystidioles are fusiform, 3.0-4.0 × 18-22 mm. Monomitic hyphal system, with generative hyphae bearing abundant clamps and frequent stumpy branches. Brown, resinous agglomerations and large irregularly-shaped hyaline crystals (10-30 × 20-50 mm) are present on the hymenium surface, subhymenium and subiculum. Smaller (1-4 mm) rhomboid-shaped hyaline crystals are present forming encrustations of hyphae. Differs from other members of this genus in having abundant cystidia and cystidioles.

Index Fungorum Number: IF557790

Notes: White-rot decay mechanism with secretion of Mn-dependent and Mn-independent peroxidases, but only low and transient secretion of laccase (El-Gharabawy et al., 2016).