Hygrophorus rubrocarnosus Stevenson (28 D) = Hygrocybe rubrocarnosa (Stevenson) comb. nov. (Basionym: H. rubrocarnosus Stevenson, Kew Bull. 16: 379, 1962)

Holotype (K): 'Levin, N.Z.; leg. Stevenson (568), 22.V.1949'. - Herb. HK. ZT 68/644: 'Kauaeranga Valley, Coromandel Peninsula, N.Z.; leg. Horak, 5.VII.1968'. - Herb. HK. ZT 68/209: 'Ikamatua, Grey Valley, Prov. Westcoast, N.Z.; leg. Horak, 22.III.1968'.

Pileus 10-35 mm diam., hemispherical becoming plano-convex to irregularly expanded, scarlet to deep red fading to orange-yellow, glabrous or (in aged carpophores) minutely fibrillose-squamulose, dry, occasionally margin of pileus striated. Lamellae broadly adnate to decurrent, blood red when young turning pale red or cream, rather thick, distant, gill edge concolorous. Stipe 25-70 x 2-5(6) mm, cylindric, equal, sometimes attenuated below, concolorous with pileus paler towards the base, longitudinally fibrillose, silky, dry, hollow, single or in clusters. Context deep red especially in the cortex of pileus and stipe. Taste and odor not distinctive. Chemical reactions on pileus: KOH - negative. Spores 7.5-10 x 4-6 µm, pyriform to ovoid, sometimes distinctly constricted, smooth, inamyloid. Basidia 45-65 x 6-8 µm, 4- and 2-spored. Cystidia absent. Cuticle a cutis consisting of suberect ends of the hyphae (5-10 µm diam.) forming the small squamules, membrane not gelatinized, conspicuous yellowish-red pigment dissolved in the cell sap present. Clamp connections numerous.

In soil under Dacrydium, Podocarpus, Nothofagus; Cyathea, etc. New Zealand.

Stevenson 1962: Fig. 2/9; Pl 6/6(? ).

Stevenson (1962: Pl. 6/8, not 6/6 which refers to Gl: bichromus Hk.!) gives an excellent picture of this characteristic species. The painting shows well the deep red layer beneath the cuticle and the upper portion of the stipe.

SPECIMENS: NZ: NA, Waitakere Ranges: Huia, PDD 2936; Walker's Bush, ZT739; Lucy Cranwell Track, ZT 749. - SA, Coromandel Peninsula, Kauaeranga Valley, ZT 68/644. - N, Ikamatua (Grey River Valley), ZT 68/209.

Pileus -35 mm, hemispherical becoming planoconvex to irregularly expanded with flat to subdepressed centre; brilliant red (crimson, scarlet) fading to orange-yellow; dry, glabrous or velvety to minutely fibrillose-subsquamulose in aged basidiomes, margin substriate.- Lamellae 10-15 (1 -3) rather distant, broadly adnate to decurrent, occasionally subemarginate, up to 6 mm wide; concolorous with pileus at first, fading to pale red or nearly white, edges concolorous, entire. - Stipe 25-70 x 2-5 (-6) mm, cylindrical, equal, occasionally attenuated towards base; coloured like pileus, paler towards base; dry, glabrous or silky-fibrillose, hollow, brittle, single or caespitose. - Context beetroot red, changing to orange in cortex of pileus and stipe (on drying specimens). - Odour and taste not distinctive. - Chemical reactions on pileus: KOH - negative. Spores 7-9 (-10) x 4-6 um, distinctly pear-shaped, obtusely constricted. - Basidia 45-65 x 68 um, 4- (rarely 2-) spored. - Cystidia absent. - Pileipellis a cutis or trichoderm of cylindrical repent to suberect hyphae (5-14 um diam.), membrane not gelatinised, with reddish-yellowish (KOH) plasmatic pigment; clamp connections present (Pl. 1, Fig. 1).

DISTRIBUTION: NZ (NA, SA, W, N).

ECOLOGY: Common; saprobic on soil among litter under Nothofagus (N. fusca, N. menziesii) and in broadleaved-conifer forest (dominated by Dacrydium cupressinum) with tree ferns. March-September.

ICON.: Stevenson (1962: 379); Horak (1973c: 143); Dingley (1978: 5); Taylor (1981: no. 49).

This striking species with constricted spores is close to H. imazekii Hongo (1955) described from Japan.

TYPE: NZ: W, Levin, under forest, 22 v 1949, Stevenson, K 568.

[Notes from Kew Type specimen, PRJ 2010] Kew images.

Pileus 3-5 cm. diam., orange yellow, planoconvex, matt to fibrillose; flesh bright red, firm, rather thick. Gills adnate, red with white mealiness, cream on edges, distant, rather thick. Stipe 7 cm X 6 mm., bright orange yellow above, paler towards base, silky striate, twisted and splitting, hollow to stuffed, tough; flesh of stipe also bright red. Spores 10-10.5 X 5-6 µm., ovoid, hyaline, thin-walled. Basidia 45-60 X 5 µm., four-spored.

habitat: under forest, Levin, 22.5.19491 Stevenson.

Pileus 3.5 cm. diam., croceus, plano-convexus, impolitus vel subfibrillosus; came laete rubra firma subcrassa. Lamellae adnatae, rubrae, albido-pulverulentae, acie cremeae, distantes, modice crassae. Stipes 7 cm. X 6 mm., sursum laete crocatus, deorsum pallidior, sericeo-striatus, tortus fissusque, e farcto cavus, lentus; came stipitis etiam rubra. Sporae 10-10.5 X 5-6 µm., ovoideae, hyalinae, tenuiter tunicatae.

Another species with red flesh has been described, H. hyphoaemactus Corner in Trans. Brit. Myc. Soc. 20: 180 (1936). It is however, glutinous, and has dimorphous basidiospores.

Typus: Stevenson 568