Leucopholiota decorosa
Encyclopedia
Leucopholiota decorosa is a species of fungus
in the Tricholomataceae
family of mushroom
s. Commonly
known as the decorated Pholiota, it is distinguished by its fruit body
which is covered with pointed brown, curved scales on the cap
and stem
, and by its white gills. Found in the eastern United States, France, and Pakistan, it is saprobic, growing on the decaying wood of hardwood
trees. L. decorosa was first described by American mycologist Charles Horton Peck
as Agaricus decorosus in 1873, and the species has been transferred to several genera
in its history, including Tricholoma, Tricholomopsis
, Armillaria, and Floccularia
. Three American mycologists considered the species unique enough to warrant its own genus, and transferred it into the new genus Leucopholiota
in a 1996 publication. Lookalike species with similar colors and scaly fruit bodies include Pholiota squarrosoides, Phaeomarasmius erinaceellus, and Leucopholiota lignicola. L. decorosa is considered an edible mushroom
.
by Charles Peck
in 1873, based on a specimen he found in New York State; he placed it in Tricholoma, then considered a subgenus
of Agaricus
. In 1947, Alexander Smith and Walters transferred the species into the genus Armillaria, based on its apparent close relationship to Armillaria luteovirens; the presence of clamp connection
s in the hypha
e, the amyloid
spores, and the structure of the veil
and its remnants. The genus Armillaria, as it was understood at the time, would later be referred to as a "taxonomic refugium for about 270 white-spored species with attached gills and an annulus." Smith later transferred the species to the genus Tricholomopsis
; however, he neglected the amyloid spores, the recurved scales of the cap cuticle
, and the lack of cells known as pleurocystidia, features which should have ruled out a taxonomic transfer into the genus. In 1987, the species was transferred yet again, this time to the genus Floccularia
.
The appearance of a specimen at a 1994 mushroom foray
in North Carolina
resulted in a collaboration between mycologists Tom Volk, Orson K. Miller, Jr.
and Alan Bessette, who renamed the species Leucopholiota decorosa in a 1996 Mycologia
publication. Leucopholiota
was originally a subgenus
of Armillaria, but the authors raised it to generic level to accommodate L. decorosa, which would become the type species
. In 2008, Henning Knudsen considered L. decorosa to be the same species as what was then known as Amylolepiota lignicola, and considered the two names to be synonymous
. However, Finnish mycologist Harri Harmaja rejected this interpretation. Originally, Harmaja believed Lepiota lignicola sufficiently distinct from other similar taxa to deserve its own genus Amylolepiota, which he described in a 2002 publication. He changed his mind in 2010, writing "the differences between the type species of both genera are small and are thus best considered as differences at the species level"; with this he transferred the taxon to Leucopholiota, and it is now known as Leucopholiota lignicola, the second species in genus Leucopholiota
.
The genus name Leucopholiota means "white Pholiota" (from λευκός, leukós), referring to the gills and the spores; it was proposed in 1980 by Henri Romagnesi
who originally described it as a subgenus
of Armillaria. The specific epithet decorosa, though intended for "elegant" or "handsome", actually means "decent", "respectable", "modest", or "decorous". L. decorosa is commonly
known as the "decorated Pholiota".
and large subunit ribosomal RNA
sequence data have not confirmed that Leucopholiota decorosa belongs in the Tricholomataceae
family. However, the analysis does show it to be phylogenetically related to Phaeolepiota aurea, a species of unclear status in the Agaricales
, and it confirms that L. decorosa does not belong in the family Agaricaceae
. According to the species authors, L. decorosa would fit best in the Biannularieae tribe of the Tricholomataceae as described by Rolf Singer
in his comprehensive monograph
on the Agaricales. This tribe also contains the genera
Catathelasma
and Armillaria.
of L. decorosa, initially conic or hemispherical in shape, later expand to become convex or flattened in maturity. The caps are typically between 2 to 6 cm (0.78740157480315 to 2.4 in) in diameter, with surfaces covered with many small curved brown scales. The edge of the cap is typically curved inwards and may have coarse brown fibers attached. The cap is cinnamon brown, darker in the center. The gills are spaced together closely; they have a narrow (adnexed) attachment to the stem, and their edges are "finely scalloped". The stem
is 2.5 to 7 cm (0.984251968503937 to 2.8 in) tall by 0.6 to 1.2 cm (0.236220472440945 to 0.47244094488189 in) thick, and like the cap, is covered with scales from the bottom to the level of the annular zone; above this point the stipe is smooth. The partial veil
is made up of brown fibers "that flare upward as an annulus." It is roughly the same thickness throughout the length of the stem, or may be slightly thinner near the top. The flesh
is white and thick, and has a firm texture; its odor is indistinct, and the taste either mild or bitter. The spore deposit
is white.
The spores
are hyaline
(translucent), roughly elliptical in shape, have thin walls, and are amyloid, meaning they absorb iodine stain in Melzer's reagent
. Additionally, in acetocarmine stain, they appear binucleate (having two nuclei). They have dimensions of 5.5–6 (more rarely 7) by 3.5–4.0 µm. The spore-bearing cells, the basidia, are club-shaped, translucent, and four-spored. The cheilocystida (cystidia on the gill edge) are club-shaped and 19-24 by 3–5 µm. The cap cuticle
is a trichodermium—a type of tissue composed of erect, long, threadlike hypha
e of same or different lengths, and originating from an interwoven layer of hyphae that ascends gradually until terminal cells are somewhat parallel to each other. The trichodermal hyphae are thin-walled, measuring 7.6–22.0 µm, and stain yellowish in Melzer's reagent. The hyphae comprising the cap tissue are thin-walled and 5–10 µm in diameter, while those of the gill tissue are also thin-walled, and 3.5–7.0 µm, and interspersed with oleiferous cells (characterized by strongly refractive
, homogeneous contents). Clamp connection
s are present in the hyphae of all tissues.
, based on the following comment by McIlvaine and MacAdam, written in 1900: "it is of good consistency and flavor, having a decided mushroom taste." Other older sources report the edibility as unknown.
also appear similar, but can be distinguished by microscopic features, like the presence of spherical (rather than club-shaped) cells in the cuticle of the cap, and also their habitat—Cystoderma usually grows on soil, rather than wood.
The only other species of Leucopholiota, L. lignicola, may be distinguished from L. decorosa by the following characteristics: free gills in L. lignicola compared with adnexed gills in L. decorosa; L. lignicola tends to grow on the wood of Birch
, and preferably in old-growth forests; L. lignicola is restricted to boreal forest, compared to L. decorosa that grows in temperate
regions; L. lignicola has a wide distribution throughout northern coniferous forests in Eurasia
.
, particularly the rotting branches and stumps of deciduous
trees. One field guide
notes a preference for sugar maple
. It grows singly or in bunches, clustered together at the base of the stem. In Ohio, it typically fruits from late September to mid November.
In addition to its known distribution in mostly eastern North America, Leucopholiota decorosa has also been collected from France. In 2007, it was reported from the Astore District
of Pakistan
, at an altitude of about 3600 m (11,811 ft).
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...
in the Tricholomataceae
Tricholomataceae
The Tricholomataceae are a large family of mushrooms within the Agaricales. A classic "wastebasket taxon", the Tricholomataceae is inclusive of any white-, yellow-, or pink-spored genera in the Agaricales not already classified as belonging to the Amanitaceae, Lepiotaceae, Hygrophoraceae,...
family of mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s. Commonly
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as the decorated Pholiota, it is distinguished by its fruit body
Basidiocarp
In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome or basidioma , is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the hymenomycetes; rusts and smuts do not produce such structures...
which is covered with pointed brown, curved scales on the cap
Pileus (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...
and stem
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...
, and by its white gills. Found in the eastern United States, France, and Pakistan, it is saprobic, growing on the decaying wood of hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
trees. L. decorosa was first described by American mycologist Charles Horton Peck
Charles Horton Peck
Charles Horton Peck, born March 30, 1833 in Sand Lake, New York, died 1917 in Albany, New York, was an American mycologist of the 19th and early 20th centuries...
as Agaricus decorosus in 1873, and the species has been transferred to several genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
in its history, including Tricholoma, Tricholomopsis
Tricholomopsis
Tricholomopsis is a genus of fungi closely related to the large genus Tricholoma. Its best known member and type species is Tricholomopsis rutilans. The name means appearing like Tricholoma. The genus has a widespread distribution, and contains about 30 species...
, Armillaria, and Floccularia
Floccularia
Floccularia is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae. There are six species in the genus, which have a widespread distribution, especially in northern temperate regions.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
. Three American mycologists considered the species unique enough to warrant its own genus, and transferred it into the new genus Leucopholiota
Leucopholiota
Leucopholiota is a genus of fungi in the Tricholomataceae family of mushrooms. It consists of the species Leucopholiota decorosa and Leucopholiota lignicola....
in a 1996 publication. Lookalike species with similar colors and scaly fruit bodies include Pholiota squarrosoides, Phaeomarasmius erinaceellus, and Leucopholiota lignicola. L. decorosa is considered an edible mushroom
Edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
.
Taxonomy and naming
The species now known as Leucopholiota decorosa was first describedSpecies description
A species description or type description is a formal description of a newly discovered species, usually in the form of a scientific paper. Its purpose is to give a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differs from species which have been described previously, or are...
by Charles Peck
Charles Horton Peck
Charles Horton Peck, born March 30, 1833 in Sand Lake, New York, died 1917 in Albany, New York, was an American mycologist of the 19th and early 20th centuries...
in 1873, based on a specimen he found in New York State; he placed it in Tricholoma, then considered a subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
of Agaricus
Agaricus
Agaricus is a large and important genus of mushrooms containing both edible and poisonous species, with possibly over 300 members worldwide...
. In 1947, Alexander Smith and Walters transferred the species into the genus Armillaria, based on its apparent close relationship to Armillaria luteovirens; the presence of clamp connection
Clamp connection
A clamp connection is a structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is created to ensure each septum, or segment of hypha separated by crossed walls, receives a set of differing nuclei, which are obtained through mating of hyphae of differing sexual types...
s in the hypha
Hypha
A hypha is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or...
e, the amyloid
Amyloid
Amyloids are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates sharing specific structural traits. Abnormal accumulation of amyloid in organs may lead to amyloidosis, and may play a role in various neurodegenerative diseases.-Definition:...
spores, and the structure of the veil
Partial veil
thumb|150px|right|Developmental stages of [[Agaricus campestris]] showing the role and evolution of a partial veilPartial veil is a mycological term used to describe a temporary structure of tissue found on the fruiting bodies of some basidiomycete fungi, typically agarics...
and its remnants. The genus Armillaria, as it was understood at the time, would later be referred to as a "taxonomic refugium for about 270 white-spored species with attached gills and an annulus." Smith later transferred the species to the genus Tricholomopsis
Tricholomopsis
Tricholomopsis is a genus of fungi closely related to the large genus Tricholoma. Its best known member and type species is Tricholomopsis rutilans. The name means appearing like Tricholoma. The genus has a widespread distribution, and contains about 30 species...
; however, he neglected the amyloid spores, the recurved scales of the cap cuticle
Pileipellis
thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....
, and the lack of cells known as pleurocystidia, features which should have ruled out a taxonomic transfer into the genus. In 1987, the species was transferred yet again, this time to the genus Floccularia
Floccularia
Floccularia is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae. There are six species in the genus, which have a widespread distribution, especially in northern temperate regions.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
.
The appearance of a specimen at a 1994 mushroom foray
Mushroom hunting
Mushroom hunting, mushrooming, mushroom picking, and similar terms describe the activity of gathering mushrooms in the wild, typically for eating...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
resulted in a collaboration between mycologists Tom Volk, Orson K. Miller, Jr.
Orson K. Miller, Jr.
Orson Knapp Miller, Jr., born December 19, 1930, died June 9, 2006, is an American mycologist. He has published numerous papers in mycology and is responsible for the naming of many taxa, as well as being one of the authors erecting the genus Chroogomphus:...
and Alan Bessette, who renamed the species Leucopholiota decorosa in a 1996 Mycologia
Mycologia
Mycologia is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes papers on all aspects of the fungi, including lichens. It first appeared as a bimonthly journal in January of 1909, published by the New York Botanical Garden under the editorship of William Murrill. It became the official journal of...
publication. Leucopholiota
Leucopholiota
Leucopholiota is a genus of fungi in the Tricholomataceae family of mushrooms. It consists of the species Leucopholiota decorosa and Leucopholiota lignicola....
was originally a subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
of Armillaria, but the authors raised it to generic level to accommodate L. decorosa, which would become the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
. In 2008, Henning Knudsen considered L. decorosa to be the same species as what was then known as Amylolepiota lignicola, and considered the two names to be synonymous
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
. However, Finnish mycologist Harri Harmaja rejected this interpretation. Originally, Harmaja believed Lepiota lignicola sufficiently distinct from other similar taxa to deserve its own genus Amylolepiota, which he described in a 2002 publication. He changed his mind in 2010, writing "the differences between the type species of both genera are small and are thus best considered as differences at the species level"; with this he transferred the taxon to Leucopholiota, and it is now known as Leucopholiota lignicola, the second species in genus Leucopholiota
Leucopholiota
Leucopholiota is a genus of fungi in the Tricholomataceae family of mushrooms. It consists of the species Leucopholiota decorosa and Leucopholiota lignicola....
.
The genus name Leucopholiota means "white Pholiota" (from λευκός, leukós), referring to the gills and the spores; it was proposed in 1980 by Henri Romagnesi
Henri Romagnesi
Henri Charles Louis Romagnesi was a French mycologist who was notable for a thorough review and monograph of the agaric genus Entoloma , as well as extensive work on the large genus Russula, of which he described several new species.-References:...
who originally described it as a subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
of Armillaria. The specific epithet decorosa, though intended for "elegant" or "handsome", actually means "decent", "respectable", "modest", or "decorous". L. decorosa is commonly
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as the "decorated Pholiota".
Phylogenetics
Phylogenetic analysis based on evidence from ITSInternal transcribed spacer
ITS refers to a piece of non-functional RNA situated between structural ribosomal RNAs on a common precursor transcript. Read from 5' to 3', this polycistronic rRNA precursor transcript contains the 5' external transcribed sequence , 18S rRNA, ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS2, 28S rRNA and finally the 3'ETS...
and large subunit ribosomal RNA
Ribosomal RNA
Ribosomal ribonucleic acid is the RNA component of the ribosome, the enzyme that is the site of protein synthesis in all living cells. Ribosomal RNA provides a mechanism for decoding mRNA into amino acids and interacts with tRNAs during translation by providing peptidyl transferase activity...
sequence data have not confirmed that Leucopholiota decorosa belongs in the Tricholomataceae
Tricholomataceae
The Tricholomataceae are a large family of mushrooms within the Agaricales. A classic "wastebasket taxon", the Tricholomataceae is inclusive of any white-, yellow-, or pink-spored genera in the Agaricales not already classified as belonging to the Amanitaceae, Lepiotaceae, Hygrophoraceae,...
family. However, the analysis does show it to be phylogenetically related to Phaeolepiota aurea, a species of unclear status in the Agaricales
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...
, and it confirms that L. decorosa does not belong in the family Agaricaceae
Agaricaceae
The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and includes the genus Agaricus, as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. The genus contains 85 genera and 1340 species.-Genera:...
. According to the species authors, L. decorosa would fit best in the Biannularieae tribe of the Tricholomataceae as described by Rolf Singer
Rolf Singer
Rolf Singer was a German-born mycologist and one of the most important taxonomists of gilled mushrooms in the 20th century....
in his comprehensive monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on the Agaricales. This tribe also contains the genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
Catathelasma
Catathelasma
Catathelasma is a genus of fungi in the Tricholomataceae family. The genus contains four species are widespread in northern temperate regions....
and Armillaria.
Description
The capsPileus (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...
of L. decorosa, initially conic or hemispherical in shape, later expand to become convex or flattened in maturity. The caps are typically between 2 to 6 cm (0.78740157480315 to 2.4 in) in diameter, with surfaces covered with many small curved brown scales. The edge of the cap is typically curved inwards and may have coarse brown fibers attached. The cap is cinnamon brown, darker in the center. The gills are spaced together closely; they have a narrow (adnexed) attachment to the stem, and their edges are "finely scalloped". The stem
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 2.5 to 7 cm (0.984251968503937 to 2.8 in) tall by 0.6 to 1.2 cm (0.236220472440945 to 0.47244094488189 in) thick, and like the cap, is covered with scales from the bottom to the level of the annular zone; above this point the stipe is smooth. The partial veil
Partial veil
thumb|150px|right|Developmental stages of [[Agaricus campestris]] showing the role and evolution of a partial veilPartial veil is a mycological term used to describe a temporary structure of tissue found on the fruiting bodies of some basidiomycete fungi, typically agarics...
is made up of brown fibers "that flare upward as an annulus." It is roughly the same thickness throughout the length of the stem, or may be slightly thinner near the top. The flesh
Trama (mycology)
In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....
is white and thick, and has a firm texture; its odor is indistinct, and the taste either mild or bitter. The spore deposit
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.
The 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 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...
(translucent), roughly elliptical in shape, have thin walls, and are amyloid, meaning they absorb iodine stain in Melzer's reagent
Melzer's Reagent
Melzer's reagent is a chemical reagent used by mycologists to assist with the identification of fungi.-Composition:...
. Additionally, in acetocarmine stain, they appear binucleate (having two nuclei). They have dimensions of 5.5–6 (more rarely 7) by 3.5–4.0 µm. The spore-bearing cells, the basidia, are club-shaped, translucent, and four-spored. The cheilocystida (cystidia on the gill edge) are club-shaped and 19-24 by 3–5 µm. The cap cuticle
Pileipellis
thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....
is a trichodermium—a type of tissue composed of erect, long, threadlike hypha
Hypha
A hypha is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or...
e of same or different lengths, and originating from an interwoven layer of hyphae that ascends gradually until terminal cells are somewhat parallel to each other. The trichodermal hyphae are thin-walled, measuring 7.6–22.0 µm, and stain yellowish in Melzer's reagent. The hyphae comprising the cap tissue are thin-walled and 5–10 µm in diameter, while those of the gill tissue are also thin-walled, and 3.5–7.0 µm, and interspersed with oleiferous cells (characterized by strongly refractive
Refraction
Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its speed. It is essentially a surface phenomenon . The phenomenon is mainly in governance to the law of conservation of energy. The proper explanation would be that due to change of medium, the phase velocity of the wave is changed...
, homogeneous contents). Clamp connection
Clamp connection
A clamp connection is a structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is created to ensure each septum, or segment of hypha separated by crossed walls, receives a set of differing nuclei, which are obtained through mating of hyphae of differing sexual types...
s are present in the hyphae of all tissues.
Edibility
According to one field guide published in 2006, Leucopholiota decorosa is edibleEdible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
, based on the following comment by McIlvaine and MacAdam, written in 1900: "it is of good consistency and flavor, having a decided mushroom taste." Other older sources report the edibility as unknown.
Similar species
The species Pholiota squarrosoides has a similar outward appearance, but it may be distinguished by its brown spores and sticky cap surface underneath the scales. In the hedgehog pholiota (Phaeomarasmius erinaceellus), the overall size is smaller—cap diameter 1 to 4 cm (0.393700787401575 to 1.6 in)—and the spores are cinnamon-brown. Some species in the genus CystodermaCystoderma
Cystoderma is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae.The name probably comes from the Greek kýstis meaning pouch and derma meaning skin.-List of species:Below is an incomplete list of Cystoderma species....
also appear similar, but can be distinguished by microscopic features, like the presence of spherical (rather than club-shaped) cells in the cuticle of the cap, and also their habitat—Cystoderma usually grows on soil, rather than wood.
The only other species of Leucopholiota, L. lignicola, may be distinguished from L. decorosa by the following characteristics: free gills in L. lignicola compared with adnexed gills in L. decorosa; L. lignicola tends to grow on the wood of Birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, and preferably in old-growth forests; L. lignicola is restricted to boreal forest, compared to L. decorosa that grows 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...
regions; L. lignicola has a wide distribution throughout northern coniferous forests in Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
.
Habitat and distribution
Leucopholiota decorosa is a saprobic species, deriving nutrients from decaying organic matterOrganic matter
Organic matter is matter that has come from a once-living organism; is capable of decay, or the product of decay; or is composed of organic compounds...
, particularly the rotting branches and stumps of deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees. One field guide
Field guide
A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife or other objects of natural occurrence . It is generally designed to be brought into the 'field' or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects...
notes a preference for sugar maple
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
. It grows singly or in bunches, clustered together at the base of the stem. In Ohio, it typically fruits from late September to mid November.
In addition to its known distribution in mostly eastern North America, Leucopholiota decorosa has also been collected from France. In 2007, it was reported from the Astore District
Astore District
Astore is one of the six districts of the Gilgit Baltistan. The district contains the Astore Valley and is bounded to the west by Diamer District , to the north by Gilgit District, to the east by Skardu District and to the south by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Neelum District of Azad Kashmir...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, at an altitude of about 3600 m (11,811 ft).