Geoglossum umbratile Sacc.
black earth-tongue
Geoglossaceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
black earth-tongue
Geoglossaceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
Photograph
Species Information
Microscopic:
spores 54-85 x 6 microns, 7-septate, clavate, fuliginous, in a parallel fascicle in the ascus; asci 8-spored, up to 150-175 microns long and 18 microns wide, clavate or clavate-lanceolate, apex narrowed but rounded; "paraphyses rather longer than the asci, cylindric, septate, the cells 2-10 times as long as wide, not constricted, rarely slightly swollen below septa, pale-brown above, either only slightly thickened, or the apex of the terminal cell pyriform", usually more or less curved, (Seaver), spores (40)60-78(90) x 4.5-6.5 microns, often variable in spore length, straight or somewhat curved, dark brown; asci mostly 8-spored, rarely less (except in variety heterosporum in which 8-spored asci are most common but 4-spored asci occur in the same hymenium, sometimes other numbers of spores per ascus); asci 125-180 x 16-20 microns, clavate; paraphyses colorless to brown, longer than asci, "straight or strongly curved above, cylindric, not or slightly enlarged at apex, the terminal cell cylindric, narrowly obovoid or clavate", in var. heterosporum spores (30)42-63(80) x 5-6 microns, (Mains)
EDIBILITY
untested
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Geoglossum simile (of eastern North America) and G. glabrum, "differ in having paraphyses that are closely septate above with the cells variously enlarged and more or less constricted at the septa", (Mains). Geoglossum fallax is brown, rarely black, and has different paraphyses. Glutinoglossum glutinosum is viscid-gelatinous. Trichoglossum hirsutum and Trichoglossum velutipes are hirsute from setae.Habitat
usually single, on wet ground, banks or among leaves on rich humus, rarely on rotten ground, (Seaver), scattered or in small groups, type variety very variable in habitats, occurring among sphagnum and other mosses, on soil in well drained areas and on wet soil by streams and in bogs, var. heterosporum on conifer log, (Mains)
Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Hypomyces cesatii (Mont.) Tul. & C. Tul.
Hypomyces subaurantius Heinr.-Norm.