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Danny’s DNA Discoveries – Pholiota (Pyrrhulomyces, Flammula, Kuehneromyces, Hemipholiota, Hemistropharia) of the PNW
by Danny Miller

Click here for my Pictorial Key to Pholiota s.l.

Introduction

This portion of the large Hymenogastraceae family (or perhaps it should be called a super-family) usually grow on wood, burned wood or burned ground. They are medium to large, usually viscid capped and sometimes scaly (either the cap or stem or both). It's somewhat unusual for scaly capped mushrooms to be viscid, that usually implies they are dry capped. Yellow-brown and orange-brown are common colours. The spore print is usually a plain brown. They most always have a veil (but it may be somewhat filamentous like Cortinarius) so they'll typically have a ring but more often a ring zone. There is often a somewhat pleasantly fruity aroma to many of the species, but the pleasant odor does not usually extend to a pleasant taste. Formerly all called Pholiota, now that has been separated into a few extra genera based on genetics:

  • Pyrrhulomyces - one brightly coloured pinkish-orange species.
  • Kuehneromyces - some of  the only hygrophanous species in this group. Usually clustered and dull brown coloured.
  • Flammula - a few yellowish, thinly viscid species, possibly hygrophanous and umbonate, that are somewhat tall and slender, but they will have learned to be recognized.
  • Hemipholiota - one large white, scaly species (the cap somewhat discolouring to brown).
  • Hemistropharia - one large red, scaly species.
  • Pholiota - everything else.

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:

  • Pholiota gummosa was found in WA

Pyrrhulomyces - click to expand

One brightly coloured pinkish-orange species

Species mentioned: Pyrrhulomyces astragalinus. Gymnopilus laeticolor.

Kuehneromyces - click to expand

Some of  the only hygrophanous species in this group. Usually clustered and dull brown coloured.

Species mentioned: Kuenheromyces mutabilis, lignicola, vernalis. Pholiota atripes, conica, nigripes, obscura.

Flammula - click to expand

A few yellowish, thinly viscid species, possibly hygrophanous and umbonate, that are somewhat tall and slender, but they will have learned to be recognized. Most likely to be confused with Pholiota spumosa, which is more viscid and more likely to have a brown disc.

Species mentioned: Flammula alnicola, malicola, malicola var. macropoda, flavida. Pholiota oregonensis, subvelutina.

Hemipholiota - click to expand

One large white, scaly species (the cap somewhat discolouring to brown).

Species mentioned: Hemipholiota populnea, Pholiota destruens.

Hemistropharia - click to expand

One large red, scaly species.

Species mentioned: Hemistropharia albocrenulata.

Pholiota - click to expand

Everything else.

Species mentioned: Pholiota highlandensis, carbonaria, fulvozonata, molesta, subsaponacea, brunnescens, luteobadia, subangularis, flammans, kauffmaniana, aurivella, adiposa, limonella, abietis, connata, filamentosa, hiemalis, terrestris, gummosa, melliodora, squarrosoides, squarrosa, kodiakensis, flavopallida, lurida, lenta, scamba, spumosa, baptistii, baptistiae, velaglutinosa, rubronigra, humii, decorata, lubrica, lubrica var. luteifolia, rufodisca, avellaneifolia, fulviconica, ferrugineolutescens, alniphila, occidentalis, mixta, agglutinata, fulvodisca, nubigena, abruptibulba, acutoconica, aurantioflava, bakerensis, brunnea, canescens, crassipedes, curcuma, ferruginea, galerinoides, gruberi, iterata, lactea, luteola, macrocystis, milleri, multifolia, olympiana, pallida, paludosella, mutans, polychroa, populicola, proximans, pseudopulchella, pulchella var. pulchella, pulchella var. brevipes, rivulosa, scabella, scamboides, sienna, sipei, subangularis, subechinata, subflavida, subfulva, subgelatinosa, sublubrica, subminor, subochracea, subpapillata, tuberculosa, P. curvipes, umbilicata, velata, verna, vialis, vinaceobrunnea

 

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