Observations on the type of Coprinus spelaiophilus

On the type of Coprinus spelaiophilus
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Original description

Coprinus spelaiophilus Bas & Uljé, spec. nov. in Uljé & Noordel., Persoonia 17(2): 179. 1999. Misappl. - Coprius extinctorius (Bull.) Fr. sensu Romagn., Rev. Mycol. 6: 112. 1941; Kühn. & Romagn., Fl. anal. Champ. sup.: 387. 1953; Mos., Röhrlinge Blätter-pilze. 5. Aufl.: 256. 1983; Orton & Watl., Br. Fung. Fl. 2: 39. 1979, etc., non Agaricus extinctorius Bull., Herb. France, pl. 437. 1790 non Coprinus extinctorius sensu Rick.
Selected icons. Cetto, Funghi Vero 6, 1e ed., pl. 2175. (1989) 53 (as C. extinctorius); Moreno & al., Guia Incafo Hongos Penins. Iberica I + II (1986) no. 304 (as C. extinctorius).

Pileus ad 35 mm latus, initio albus vel isabellinus, postea griseus vel griseo-brunneus, velo fibrilloso vel parce squamuliformi, albo vel argenteo postea brunneolo decoratus. Lamellae liberae, subconfertae, initio albae, mox griseo-brunneae vel subnigrae. Stipes 50--100 x 2--5 mm, basi clavatus vel subbulbosus ad 8 mm latus, albidus, cavus, fibrilloso-flocculosus, postea glabrescens, caro subtenacea.
Sporae 7.8--11.7 x 6.4--8.2 x 5.3 --7.2 mm, late fusiformes vel rhombico-ellipsoi-deae, interdum subamygdaliformes, apice leviter truncatae, poro germinativo centrali, 1.5--1.8 mm lato instructae, obscure rubro-brunneae. Basidia tetraspora. Pleurocystidia 70--150 x 25--60 mm, subglobosa vel utriformia vel subcylindrica. Cheilocystidia 50--140 x 25--50 mm, utriformia vel subcylin-drica. Pileipellis ex hyphis repentibus, 3--25 mm latis constans. Velum cellulis allantoideis, 25--150 x 10--40 mm, catenulatis constructum. Fibulae presentes. Holotypus: 'Netherlands, prov. Noord Holland, Vogelenzang, A. W. Dunes, 22 IX 1960, C. Bas 2112 (L)'.

Pileus up to 25 x 20 mm and ellipsoid to cylindric-ellipsoid when still closed, up to c. 35 mm wide when expanded, white to isabelline or pale ochraceous, becoming grey-brown with isabelline to ochre centre, radially sulcate up to centre; finally plano-concave with revolute margin, with veil in primordia smooth, mat, pure white to greyish, covering pileus entirely, but soon breaking up into scattered small, flocculose, fibrillose squamules with tips sometimes recurving and brownish. Lamellae, L = c. 45--60, l = 3--7, free, narrow, rather crowded, first white, soon greyish brown to blackish. Stipe 50--100 x 2--5 mm, whitish, somewhat tapering towards apex, up to 8 mm wide at clavate to bulbous base, hollow, hairy flocculose, and more densely so towards lower part, becoming glabrous with age. Context rather firm and somewhat tough.
Spores [100,5,5] 7.8--11.7 x 6.4--8.2 x 5.3--7.2 mm; Q = 1.20--1.50, av. Q = 1.35--1.40; av. L = 9.2--10.4, av. B = 6.5--7.6, av. W = 5.7--6.9 mm, very broadly fusiform or rhomboid-ellipsoid, sometimes somewhat amygdaliform, with (sub)conical or rounded base and slightly truncate apex, and central, c. 1.5--1.8 mm wide germ pore, dark red-brown. Basidia 18--38 x 8--10 mm, 4-spored, surrounded by 3--6 pseudoparaphy-ses. Pleuro-cystidia 70--150 x 25--60 mm, subglobose, ellipsoid to oblong, utriform or subcylindric. Cheilo-cy-stidia 50--140 x 25--50 mm, utriform,- oblong or subcylin-dric. Pileipellis a cutis, made up of more or less parallel, repent hyphae, consisting of cylindrical to fusiform elements, 40--100 x 3--25 mm. Veil made up of elongate, sausage-like elements, 25--150 x 10--40 mm, often inflated, constricted at septa; terminal elements ellipsoid, oblong or fusiform. Clamp-connections present.
Habitat & distribution --- Growing solitary or subfasciculate on wood, often in wounds of living, deciduous trees. Very rare, in the Netherlands only known from a few localities in the western and central parts of the country. In Europe under the name C. extinctorius furthermore recorded from England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Turkey.

Collections examined. NETHERLANDS, prov. Gelderland, Wageningen-Hoog, 23 June 1957, Mevr. Veth.; prov. Noord-Holland, Amsterdam, Hortus Botanicus, Jan. 1923, K.B. Boedijn; Vogelenzang, 31 Oct. 1953, A.F.M. Reijnders; idem, 22 Sept. 1960, C. Bas 2112 (holotype, L); idem, 14 Oct. 1967, C. Bas 4966.

Macroscopically Coprinus spelaiophilus is a C. domesticus-like fungus, but it belongs to subsection Lanatuli on account of the structure of the veil, which consists of chains of inflated, thin-walled hyphoid elements. It can be recognized by the C. domesticus-like appear-ance, the initially white to isabelline colours of the pileus, the fairly firm context, the 'Lanatuli'-like structure of the veil, the very broad, fusiform, 8--11 mm long spores and the habitat, viz. often growing in cavities of the trunk of living, deciduous trees (Populus, Ulmus, Aesculus, and Fagus).
It is difficult to understand that the name Coprinus extinctorius (Bull.) Fr. has been attached to the present species as Bulliard (1790: pl. 437, 1792/93: 408) described Agaricus extinctorius as very fugacious and growing on dung ('sur les fumiers'). Therefore C. extinctorius sensu auct. europ. p.p. maj. is described here as a new species.
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