Humidicutis lewelliniae
Encyclopedia
Humidicutis lewelliniae, commonly known as the mauve splitting wax-cap, is a gilled
fungus
of the waxcap
family found in wet forests of eastern Australia and New Zealand. The small mauve- or lilac-coloured mushrooms are fairly common and appear in moss or leaf litter on the forest floor in autumn, and are saprobic. The key distinguishing feature is the splitting of the cap dividing down the middle of the individual gills.
in 1882, and later as Hygrocybe lewelliniae by Brittlebank in 1940, before being placed in the genus Humidicutis
by Australian mycologist Tony Young
in 1997. The generic
name derives from the Latin
humidus "moist" and cutis "skin", referring to its moist cap. The original holotype
specimen had been collected on 14 June 1880 in the vicinity of Western Port
in Victoria by a Miss M.R. Lewellin and sent by Ferdinand von Mueller
to Kalchbrenner in Budapest. It was likely destroyed in the First World War, although a watercolour of it by the collector survives and is located in the National Herbarium of Victoria
. It has been compared with collections made by E. J. H. Corner
of a Mycena rimosacuta in Borneo
and found to be the same species. It may be that Humidicutis mavis is merely a white-coloured form of this species.
3–6.5 centimetres (1⅓–2½ in) in diameter, initially conical and later flattening to almost flat. It is smooth and mauve or lilac in colour with a greyish boss. The cap is textured with radial fibres, along which it may split, with the gills dividing between the split. The lilac stipe
is 3–7 cm (1⅓–2½ in) high and 0.4–0.8 cm thick and may be tinged yellow at the base. The lilac gills are adnexed or free, and thick or distant with even margins. The spore print
is white and the hyaline
spores
are more or less oval, measuring around 5.5 x 9 μm
.
in temperate
, subtropical or tropical climates. It also appears in sandy areas. It has been recorded from southeastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales
, Victoria and Tasmania
, as well as New Zealand and from Mount Kinabalu
in Sabah
. Although not recorded from North Queensland, it is predicted to occur there.
Agaricales
The fungal order Agaricales, also known as gilled mushrooms , or euagarics, contains some of the most familiar types of mushrooms. The order has 33 extant families, 413 genera, and over 13000 described species, along with five extinct genera known only from the fossil record...
fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
of the waxcap
Hygrophoraceae
The Hygrophoraceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics , including Hygrophorus and Hygrocybe species , DNA evidence has extended the limits of the family, so that it now contains not only agarics but also...
family found in wet forests of eastern Australia and New Zealand. The small mauve- or lilac-coloured mushrooms are fairly common and appear in moss or leaf litter on the forest floor in autumn, and are saprobic. The key distinguishing feature is the splitting of the cap dividing down the middle of the individual gills.
Taxonomy
It was initially described as Hygrophorus lewelliniae by Hungarian mycologist Károly KalchbrennerKároly Kalchbrenner
Károly Kalchbrenner was a Hungarian mycologist. He trained in theology early in life and became a priest in Spišské Vlachy in Northeastern Slovakia. His contributions include the publishing of 60 papers and description of more than 400 fungi from Europe, Asia, Australia and South America...
in 1882, and later as Hygrocybe lewelliniae by Brittlebank in 1940, before being placed in the genus Humidicutis
Humidicutis
Humidicutis is a small genus of brightly coloured agarics, the majority of which are found in Eastern Australia. They were previously described as members of Hygrocybe, such as the Mauve splitting wax-cap Humidicutis lewelliniae of eastern Australia and Malaysia.The generic name derives from the...
by Australian mycologist Tony Young
Anthony M. Young
Anthony M. Young is an Australian mycologist based in Queensland, affiliated with the University of Queensland. He has published several books on fungi as well as a monograph on Australian Hygrophoraceae, resulting from his research on Hygrocybe and related genera...
in 1997. The generic
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
name derives from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
humidus "moist" and cutis "skin", referring to its moist cap. The original holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen had been collected on 14 June 1880 in the vicinity of Western Port
Western Port
Western Port, is sometimes called "Western Port Bay", is a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia opening into Bass Strait. It is the second largest bay in Victoria. Geographically, it is dominated by the two large islands; French Island and Phillip Island. Contrary to its name, it lies to...
in Victoria by a Miss M.R. Lewellin and sent by Ferdinand von Mueller
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
to Kalchbrenner in Budapest. It was likely destroyed in the First World War, although a watercolour of it by the collector survives and is located in the National Herbarium of Victoria
National Herbarium of Victoria
The National Herbarium of Victoria is one of Australia’s premier state herbaria. It was established in 1853 and is sited within the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. The present building was constructed in 1934 through a donation from philanthropist Sir Macpherson Robertson. It, along with a...
. It has been compared with collections made by E. J. H. Corner
E. J. H. Corner
Edred John Henry Corner FRS was a botanist who occupied the posts of assistant director at the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Professor of Tropical Botany at the University of Cambridge...
of a Mycena rimosacuta in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and found to be the same species. It may be that Humidicutis mavis is merely a white-coloured form of this species.
Description
The mauve splitting waxcap is a small mushroom with an umbonate capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
3–6.5 centimetres (1⅓–2½ in) in diameter, initially conical and later flattening to almost flat. It is smooth and mauve or lilac in colour with a greyish boss. The cap is textured with radial fibres, along which it may split, with the gills dividing between the split. The lilac stipe
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is 3–7 cm (1⅓–2½ in) high and 0.4–0.8 cm thick and may be tinged yellow at the base. The lilac gills are adnexed or free, and thick or distant with even margins. The spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is white and the hyaline
Hyaline
The term hyaline denotes a substance with a glass-like appearance.-Histopathology:In histopathological medical usage, a hyaline substance appears glassy and pink after being stained with haematoxylin and eosin — usually it is an acellular, proteinaceous material...
spores
Basidiospore
A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are produced by specialized fungal cells called basidia. In grills under a cap of one common species in the phylum of...
are more or less oval, measuring around 5.5 x 9 μm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
.
Distribution and habitat
Saprotrophic, this species is fairly common. Fruiting bodies appear in autumn and winter (March to August) with some records from October, in moss or among leaf litter in wet sclerophyll forest or rainforestRainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
in temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
, subtropical or tropical climates. It also appears in sandy areas. It has been recorded from southeastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Victoria and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, as well as New Zealand and from Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu is a prominent mountain on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is located in the East Malaysian state of Sabah and is protected as Kinabalu National Park, a World Heritage Site. Kinabalu is the tallest peak in Borneo's Crocker Range and is the tallest mountain in the Malay...
in Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
. Although not recorded from North Queensland, it is predicted to occur there.