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Danny’s DNA Discoveries – Alnicola (Naucoria) and Hymenogaster of the PNW
by Danny Miller

(there's not much call for a picture key of species)

Introduction

Alnicola is now considered part of the Hymenogastraceae with Hymenogaster, a collection of false truffles.

Alnicola (Naucoria) - unusual LBMs that are mycorrhizal, perhaps you'll be able to recognize them from among the myraid other LBMs by their tendency to have a dry, flat cap and grow under alder and willow. Naucoria seems to be the older name, but some sources are still using Alnicola. I await a final ruling.

Alnicola may need to be split into three genera: A. salicis and A. bohemica into a second genus and A. submelinoides and A. alnetorum into a third genus.

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.

Summary of Interesting Results

Here are some of the newest, most interesting results of the study:

  • TBD

Alnicola (Naucoria) - click to expand

For a non descript LBM, Alnicola has been studied quite extensively in Europe by Moreau, so we have good sequences of many species... yet still many of ours are turning out to be different undescribed species.
 
Hymenogaster - click to expand

False truffles perhaps easily confused with Rhizopogon, but Hymenogaster are firmer (less spongy), with darker brown glebas (not yellow-brown) and lacking rhizomorphs covering the outside.

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