Lachnellula calyciformis (Battarra) Dharne
no common name
Hyaloscyphaceae

Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.

Introduction to the Macrofungi

Photograph

© Jim Riley     (Photo ID #23522)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Lachnellula calyciformis
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Species Information

Summary:
Features include a small cup with white hairs on the exterior and the margin, a bright orange-yellow upper surface, a short stem, gregarious growth on bark and wood of conifers, and microscopic characters including paraphyses that are usually unswollen at the tip. Bingham(2) have provided means of separating this species from Lachnellula agassizii (see SIMILAR), but Seaver(2) says this, "The differences are so slight that it seems to the writer a question whether or not they should be separated." This species should not be confused with Lachnellula calycina or Lachnum calyculiforme (the latter a synonym of Brunnipila calyculiforme with brown hairs), or with Lachnum calycioides (also known as Brunnipila calycioides).
Microscopic:
spores 5-7 x 2.5-3 microns, elliptic, smooth, colorless; ascus apical pore inamyloid; "paraphyses filiform, septate"; external hairs colorless, "thin-walled to slightly thick-walled, septate, granular-incrusted" (Desjardin), spores 4.5-6.5 x 2.5-3 microns, elliptic, "with 2 oil-drops"; asci 45-63 x 4-5.5 microns, inamyloid; paraphyses filiform, 1.5 microns broad, "exceeding the asci"; hairs 3-4 microns wide, cylindric, colorless, (Hansen, L.(1)), spores 4.5-7 x 2.5-3 microns, oval, smooth, colorless; asci 8-spored, uniseriate, 45-55 x 4.5-5 microns, iodine negative; paraphyses "filiform, septate, sometimes slightly lanceolate"; hairs colorless, "multiply septate, thin-walled and finely encrusted", (Breitenbach), spores 4.0-7.5 x 1.5-3.5 microns, elliptic to oval, indistinctly biguttulate, paraphyses 45.0-77.0 x 1.0-3.0 microns, tips usually unswollen, (Bingham(2))
Notes:
Lachnellula calyciformis is found in CA (Desjardin(6)). O. Ceska has identified it from BC and deposited collections at the University of British Columbia. J. Lindgren has deposited collections from WA at the University of Washington.
EDIBILITY
unknown (Desjardin)

Habitat and Range

SIMILAR SPECIES
Lachnellula agassizii has spores 5.0-9.5 x 2.0-4.0 microns and paraphyses with tips that are usually swollen. Fruitbodies are 0.05-0.55cm across, stems are up to 0.25cm long, external hairs are lost with age (persistent in L. calyciformis), and there may be up to 12 fruitbodies from a common base (1 to a few for L. calyciformis), (Bingham(2)). Lachnellula subtilissima has also been identified by O. Ceska from British Columbia. According to Hansen, L.(1), it grows on conifer branches, spores are 6-9 x 2-2.5 microns without droplets, asci have an amyloid pore, and paraphyses are filiform. Lachnellula gallica (P. Karst. & Hariot) Dennis has also been identified from BC by O. Ceska. It grows on branches of Abies (true fir), spores are 8-10 x 5-6.5 microns, and paraphyses are filiform. Lachnellula occidentalis and Lachnellula willkommii have larger spores. Lachnellula suecica has round spores. The name Lachnellula calyciformis should not be confused with Lachnum calyculiforme which is a different species with brown hairs, or with Lachnellula calycina which has round spores 2-2.5 microns in diameter.
Habitat
gregarious "on the bark of dead conifers (fir)"; in California fruiting "from spring through summer", (Desjardin), mostly on branches of Abies (true fir), but also on Picea (spruce) and Pinus (pine), (Hansen, L.), single or gregarious to cespitose, on dead branches of Abies and Picea, spring and fall, (Breitenbach)