Amaurodon aquicoeruleus (Thelephoraceae, Hymenomycetes, Basidiomycota), a new species from Australia with spores distinctly blue in water

Abstract

Amaurodon aquicoeruleussp. nov. from Australia is characterised by rough, subglobose, bright blue spores and blue subiculum hyphae when mounted in water or KOH. No other species of Amaurodon with blue spores in water have been reported. Amaurodon aquicoeruleus has a green hymenium and superficially resembles A. viridis.Amaurodon aquicoeruleus possesses thin rhizomorphs that are formed by runner hyphae with clamp connections and by other, simple septate hyphae. This contrasts with the consistently clamp-bearing basidia and hyphae of the trama and subiculum. Rhizomorph formation is similar to the boletoid rhizomorph type but atypical of the closely related genus Tomentella. Discrete masses of structurally undamaged, mature basidiospores on the hymenium and at the fruit body margin of A. aquicoeruleus may be deposited by grazing insects.