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Danny’s DNA Discoveries – non-waxy Hygrophoraceae of the PNW (Marasmiineae)
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Introduction
There's not just one clade of this family that "looks waxy" or one that "doesn't", it's more complicated than that. A 4-gene study suggests that the waxy genera - Cuphophyllus, Hygrophorus and Hygrocybe s.l. (incl. Gliophorus, Humidicutis and Gloioxanthomyces in the PNW) either became waxy in 3 or more separate events, or all of the genera on this page lost their waxiness in several different events. Nothing much unites these genera, unfortunately, although some are still quite colourful like the waxies (but others are very drab). There's no good way without DNA to know you have a mushroom on this page unless you go through a rather complicated key. abundant common uncommon rare - colour codes match my Pictorial Key and are my opinions and probably reflect my bias of living in W WA. Rare species may be locally common in certain places at certain times. Click here to download the FASTA data of all my DNA sequences |
Summary of Interesting Results
Here are some of the newest, most interesting results of the study:
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![]() Clitocyboid. Grey or brown slightly umbonate (yet depressed in age) caps, strongly decurrent white gills. Resembles Cantharellula but without the forking gills that stain red in age and without amyloid spores. (Pseudoclitocybe in the Tricholomatineae has no umbo, no forking, no staining and amyloid spores). Species mentioned: Ampulloclitocybe clavipes, avellaneialba, avellaneoalba. Clitocybe subclavipes. |
![]() There are two very distinct looks for Arrhenia, and some species of the first type don't have strong support for belonging to this genus.
Species mentioned: Arrhenia acerosa, subglobisemen, lobata, auriscalpium, retiruga, chlorocyanea, epichysium, hohensis, obscurata, onisca, peltigerina, pubescentipes, rainierensis, sphagnicola. |
![]() Clitocyboid. Grey or brown slightly umbonate (yet depressed in age) caps, strongly decurrent white gills. So far that describes Ampulloclitocybe, but these have forking gills that stain red in age and amyloid spores. (Pseudoclitocybe in the Tricholomatineae has no umbo, no forking, no staining and amyloid spores). Species mentioned: Cantharellula umbonata, oregonensis. |
![]() A large and stocky, bright yellow, strongly decurrent mushroom often with an off centre stem. Species mentioned: Cantharocybe gruberi. |
![]() Colourful (almost waxy), small mushrooms growing on wood with dry caps. They also have decurrent gills an may be hygrophanous. Species mentioned: Chrysomphalina aurantiaca, grossula, chrysophylla |
![]() One of two known PNW basidiolichens (algae usually pair with ascos to form a lichen). The other is Multiclavula, a club. Yellowish tan omphalinoids growing out of lichen on conifer logs. Our most abundant species may need a new genus. |
![]() Medium sized thin-fleshed funnel shaped Clitocyboids on conifer logs. Yellowish-tan radially streaky cap, occasional forked gills that are sometimes quite yellow. Amyloid spores. No other fair-sized white spored mushroom quite like it grows out of logs, even though if you found it growing from the ground you'd be stumped. |
![]() Small felty grey Clitocyboids. Species mentioned: Spodocybe trulliformis. |