A new variety ofCortinarius elatior from Japan

Cortinarius elatior var.albipes var. nov., found in the deciduous forest is described and illustrated. It is distinguished from the type variety by having a white stipe and longer spores. The differences betweenCortinarius elatior var.albipes and similar taxa are briefly discussed.     

A new species ofCortinarius sect.Sericeocybe from Japan

Cortinarius prunicola sp. nov., found in orchards and plantations ofPrunus mume, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by its dry and violet-white carpophores, unpleasant odor, and its close association withP. mume in spring and early summer. The differences betweenC. prunicola and similar species are briefly discussed.     

Three species ofCortinarius subgenusPhlegmacium new to Japan

Three species ofCortinarius subgenusPhlegmacium are described and illustrated for the first time in Japan:C. cumatilis var.cumatils, C. scaurus var.scaurus, C. xanthophyllus.     

A new species and a new variety of Cortinarius sect. Defibulati from Niigata,Japan

 A new species and a new variety of Cortinarius sect. Defibulati are described and illustrated from Niigata, Japan. Cortinarius rugosolilacinus sp.nov., found in deciduous forests, is most similar to Cortinarius livido-ochraceus (=C. elatior), but differs mainly in its longer basidiospores, slender basidiocarp, and pale violet lamellae in the button stage. Cortinarius pseudosalor var. niigatensis var. nov., found in deciduous forests, is distinguished from the type variety by its brown to dark brown pileus with a wrinkled surface even when young. The differences between the two taxa and similar species are briefly discussed. Received: September 5, 2001 / Accepted: May 23, 2002     

Staurastrum dilatatum var.thomassonii var. nov.

The new varietyStaurastrum dilatatum Ehr. var.thomassonii is described and illustrated.     

A new species ofCortinarius Sect.Hydrocybe from Japan

Cortinarius laccarioides sp. nov., found in deciduous forests, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by its small hygrophanous pileus, greyish red or greyish violet lamellae and stipe, and globose to subglobose basidiospores. The differences betweenC. laccarioides and similar species are briefly discussed.     

A new species ofCortinarius sectionBolares from Japan

Cortinarius reticulisporus sp. nov., found in deciduous forests, is described and illustrated. It closely resemblesCortinarius rubicundulusin its pileus color and the vivid yellowing of the context on bruising, but differs from the latter in its subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores with quotient of the length/width smaller than 1.4 and particularly fine lines connecting warts when observed under SEM. The differences betweenCortinarius reticulisporus and other similar taxa are briefly discussed.     

A new variety of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cortinarius subalboviolaceus</Emphasis> (Sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sericeocybe</Emphasis>) from Japan

Cortinarius subalboviolaceus var. niigatensis var. nov., which grows in deciduous forests, is described and illustrated from Niigata and Gunma prefectures, Japan. It differs from C. subalboviolaceus var. subalboviolaceus mainly in its more distinct violet coloration and somewhat larger size of the basidiocarp.     

Sporobolomyces salmonicolor var. fischerii,a new yeast

A new variety of Sporobolomyces salmonicolor, a basidiomycetous yeast isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a human case of meningitis has been described. The variety can be differentiated from the species primarily by its ability to assimilate D-galactose and L-arabinose.     

Materials for the fungus flora of Japan (56)Mariannaea camptospora andM. elegans var.punicea from Japan

One additional species and a variety ofMariannaea, M. camptospora andM. elegans var.punicea, were recorded for the first time in Japan.Mariannaea camptospora formed two types of conidiophores. One type was characterized by simple verticillate phialides sometimes with punctuate walls at the base, producing long oblique conidial chains, and symmetrical spindle-shaped conidia. The other type was characterized by more crowded and shorter phialides with small conidial droplets and hemispherical to concave smaller conidia.Mariannaea elegans var.punicea was characterized by distinct red purple pigmentation in agar media. (55): Udagawa, S. and Uchiyama, S., Mycoscience41: 263–267, 2000.     

First environmental isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans and var. gatti from the Gharbia Governorate,Egypt

Flowers from two Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees in the Qutur area and one tree from the Tanta area yielded three isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii. Pigeon and sparrow droppings were also investigated for the occurrence of C. neoformans within the study area. Ninety five isolates of the neoformans variety of C. neoformans were recovered from 550 samples of avian droppings. This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Two new species and one new variety of Agaricales from central Honshu, Japan

Two new species and one new variety of Agaricales are described and illustrated from central Honshu, Japan:Clitocybe trogioides var.odorifera var. nov. (subgenusCystoclitus sectionCystoclitus), forming white, infundibuliform basidiomata, was collected from leaf litter in theQuercus-Pasania forests;Gerronema nemorale sp. nov. (sectionXanthophylla), forming small, olivaceous, omphalinoid basidiomata, was found on dead fallen twigs in theQuercus-Pasania forests;Psathyrella cineraria sp. nov. (subgenusMycophylla sectionArgillosporae), forming basidiomata covered by detersile, dark grey, fibrillose-squamulose veil, was found on decayed wood ofQuercus myrsinaefolia.     

Evaluation of morphological and molecular variation in Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula, with special reference to the systematic treatment of Plantago asiatica var. yakusimensis

Morphological and molecular variations in Plantago asiatica L. var. densiuscula Pilg. were analyzed to evaluate the genetic basis for recognizing the dwarf variety P. asiatica var. yakusimensis (Masam.) Ohwi. Considerable variation in the leaf size of P. asiatica var. densiuscula was observed, and no morphological discontinuities were found between the dwarf types of P. asiatica var. densiuscula and P. asiatica var. yakusimensis. Morphological analysis of plants grown under standardized conditions revealed that both environmental plasticity and genetic differentiation contributed to the dwarfisms. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and the SUC1 locus encoding a sucrose transporter revealed that P. asiatica var. yakusimensis was genetically unique although the differentiation level was low. From the above results, we concluded that P. asiatica var. yakusimensis should be reduced to a form of P. asiatica var. densiuscula. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of the SUC1 genotype suggested multiple origins of dwarves, and possible hypotheses for the origins of dwarves are discussed.     

Mycena auricoma,a new species ofMycena sectionRadiatae from Japan,andMycena spinosissima,a new record in Japan

Two lignicolous species ofMycena (Agaricales, Basidiomycetes) are described and illustrated from eastern, Japan:Mycena auricoma sp. nov., forming ephemeral coprinoid basidiomata and belonging to sectionRadiatae, was found on a dead fallen twig ofQuercus serrata. It appears to close to a Malaysian species,“Trogia” crinipelliformis. Mycena spinosissima in sectionSacchariferae, new to Japan, was collected from dead bark ofAphananthe aspera, a dead fallen inflorescence ofCryptomeria japonica, and a dead fallen twig ofQuercus serrata.     

Comparative study of leaf carbon gain in saplings ofThujopsis dolabrata var.hondai andQuercus mongolica var.grosseserrata in a cool-temperate deciduous forest

Seasonal courses of leaf CO₂ gas exchange in a growing season were examined in saplings ofThujopsis dolabrata var.hondai andQuercus mongolica var.grosseserrata in a cool temperate deciduous forest. Between the two tree species there were no large differences in the light compensation point of leaf photosynthesis, except for the season of new leaf expansion. However, light-saturated rates of net photosynthesis were obviously high inT. dolabrata var.hondai. EvergreenT. dolabrata var.hondai saplings had large photosynthetic production in two seasons, before the emergence of new foliage and after foliage fall of the overstory deciduous trees, because of the significantly high solar radiant energy penetrating under the forest canopy during the seasons. Saplings of deciduousQ. mongolica var.grosseserrata were heavily shaded throughout the growing season by foliage of the overstory trees, which resulted in a low daily surplus production. The annual surplus production of leaves in the growing season was estimated to be 2300 mmol CO₂ m⁻² inT. dolabrata var.hondai and −100 mmol CO₂ m⁻², slightly negative, inQ. mongolica var.grosseserrata. These results supported the high survivability ofT. dolabrata var.hondai saplings and the high mortality ofQ. mongolica var.grosseserrata in the deciduous forest.     

Notes on new and noteworthy plant-inhabiting fungi from Japan (1)

Six fungi isolated from plant materials in Japan are described. The first isPseudohalonectria aomoriensis sp. nov. (Lasiosphaeriaceae). It differs from other known species of the genusPseudohalonectria in the dimensions of its asci and ascospores. The second,Monodictys abuensis, is newly added to the mycoflora of Japan. Its host,Zelkova serrata, is also newly recorded. Three others found on new host plants areDictyochaeta simplex onQuercus myrsinaefolia andBladhia crispa, Colletotrichum dematium onAucuba japonica var.borealis, andNectria mammoidea var.rubi onCercidiphyllum japonicum. The sixth,Trochophora fasciculata, aDaphniphyllum sooty leaf spot fungus renamed by Goos fromT. simplex, is reported with a full list of synonyms.     

Colonisation patterns of root tissues byPhytophthora nicotianae var.parasitica related to reduced disease in mycorrhizal tomato

Tomato plants pre-colonised by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungusGlomus mosseae showed decreased root damage by the pathogenPhytophthora nicotianae var.parasitica. In analyses of the cellular bases of their bioprotective effect, a prerequisite for cytological investigations of tissue interactions betweenG. mosseae andP. nicotianae v.parasitica was to discriminate between the hyphae of the two fungi within root tissues. We report the use of antibodies as useful tools, in the absence of an appropriate stain for distinguishing hyphae ofP. nicotianae v.parasitica from those ofG. mosseae inside roots, and present observations on the colonisation patterns by the pathogenic fungus alone or during interactions in mycorrhizal roots. Infection intensity of the pathogen, estimated using an immunoenzyme labelling technique on whole root fragments, was lower in mycorrhizal roots. Immunogold labelling ofP. nicotianae v.parasitica on cross-sections of infected tomato roots showed that inter or intracellular hyphae developed mainly in the cortex, and their presence induced necrosis of host cells, the wall and contents of which showed a strong autofluorescence in reaction to the pathogen. In dual fungal infections of tomato root systems, hyphae of the symbiont and the pathogen were in most cases in different root regions, but they could also be observed in the same root tissues. The number ofP. nicotianae v.parasitica hyphae growing in the root cortex was greatly reduced in mycorrhizal root systems, and in mycorrhizal tissues infected by the pathogen, arbuscule-containing cells surrounded by intercellularP. nicotianae v.parasitica hyphae did not necrose and only a weak autofluorescence was associated with the host cells. Results are discussed in relation to possible processes involved in the phenomenon of bioprotection in arbuscular mycorrhizal plants.