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Species Information
Summary: The dark brown head of the fruitbody is indistinctly lobed and fairly densely folded, the stem is short, and microscopic characters include spores 13-18 x 7.5-8.5 microns with two equal droplets 4.5-6 microns across, secondary spore walls slightly inflated toward spore ends, and paraphyses predominantly clavate, some being subcapitate. The description is derived from Harmaja(4). Abbott(1) comments about this species (with Latin names in italics), "Harmaja (1986) described G. columbiana from British Columbia, and separated it from G. infula based on the densely folded hymenium and large clavate paraphyses, and from G. esculenta based primarily on smaller ascospores. He also notes that it was not possible to determine vernal versus autumnal fruiting pattern. Although we have not examined the type, the description seems consistent with G. infula. Several collections were examined with highly convoluted apothecia which were otherwise typical of G. infula, and our observations of paraphyses were not substantially different from those described for G. columbiana. Rahm (1970) describes G. infula forma gyrosa Benedix, which is highly convoluted and similar in habit to G. esculenta. Also, given our familiarity with the Shuswap region of British Columbia, we suggest that the collection made on July 30 represents an autumnal fruiting pattern, even given the elevation of 1500 metres."
G. columbiana is known from the type which was described from BC.
Cap: fruitbody differentiated into head and stem: head indistinctly lobate, fairly densely folded; dark brown
Stem: short
Microscopic: spores 13-18 x 7.5-8.5 microns, "predominantly ellipsoid, some being subfusiform, slightly inequilateral", "secondary wall persistent, continuous, strongly cyanophilic, practically smooth, slightly inflated towards spore ends" (about 0.5 microns in cotton blue), containing two equally large oil droplets 4.5-6 microns in diameter; asci 8-spored, with inamyloid walls; paraphyses filiform, apices predominantly clavate, some being subcapitate, 6-11 microns in diameter, with brown encrustation; excipulum of thin-walled textura intricata throughout
Habitat / Range
type at 1500m altitude in "upper oroboreal zone", cut-over area in Abies lasiocarpa-Picea engelmannii forest, by temporary logging road
Similar Species
Gyromitra infula does not feature the same folded hymenium, and has longer spores and different paraphysis tips, (Harmaja(4) who refers to Harmaja(6) where spores of G. infula are (17)20-23(26) x 7.0-10 microns and paraphyses are capitate to subclavate, +/- abruptly expanding to a roundish head as much as 13 microns wide and covered with a more or less thick layer of red-brown mass). Gyromitra esculenta has larger spores with smaller oil droplets, (Harmaja(4) who refers to the description of G. esculenta in Harmaja(5) where Type 1 (probably G. esculenta s. str.) has spores ca. 18-23(25) x 10.0-12.5 microns, Type II has spores ca. 20-25 x 10.0-12.5 microns, and Type III (? G. bubacii Vel.; G. splendida Raitv.) has spores ca. 22-30 x 10.0-12.5 microns).
