Image of Panaeolus semiovatus ssp. phalaenarum

Description:

Slo.: beli govnar - Habitat: grassland, pasture, northwest inclined mountain slope; shallow, skeletal, colluvial, calcareous ground; open place, partly sunny place, exposed to direct rain; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, elevation 610 m (2.000 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. - Substratum: rather old, washed-out horse dung. - Comments: Panaeolus semiovatus is considered as a mushroom with a ring on its stipe. However, some of them do not have it. In this observation there was no trace of it. Such observations are treated by different authors either on subspecies or variation level as Panaeolus semiovatus ssp./var. phalaenarum or on the species level as Panaeolus phalaenarum. Presently Index Fungorum recognizes as a valid name only Panaeolus semiovatus. How complex is the situation can be concluded by the fact that IF states 30 synonym names! - Growing in a group of four fruit bodies; the pilei diameters 52, 31, 14 and 13 mm, the largest pileus was 35 mm high; stipe firm, not hollow, without ring; stipe length/diameter 130/7 mm, 90/4.5 mm, 70/3 and 60/2.6 mm; smell slightly mushroomy; taste mild, indistinctive; SP dark warm brown, oac733 but darker. - Spores smooth, somewhat flattened. Dimensions: 14 [15.6 ; 16.3] 18 x 8.8 [10.1 ; 10.6] 11.9 microns; Q = 1.4 [1.5 ; 1.6] 1.7; N = 30; C = 95%; Me = 16 x 10.4 microns; Qe = 1.5. Olympus CH20, NEA 100x/1.25, magnification 1.000 x, oil, in water. AmScope MA500 digital camera. - Herbarium: Mycotheca and lichen herbarium (LJU-Li) of Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vena pot 2, Ljubljana, Index Herbariorum LJF. - Ref.: (1) S. Buczacki, Collins Fungi Guide, Collins (2012), p 116. (2) R. Phillips, Mushrooms, Macmillan (2006), p 261. (3) D. Arora, Mushrooms Demystified, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley (1986), p 355. (4) J. Breitenbach, F. Kraenzlin, Eds., Fungi of Switzerland, Vol.4. Verlag Mykologia (2000), p 261. (5) G.J. Krieglsteiner (Hrsg.), Die Grosspilze Baden-Wrttembergs, Band 5., Ulmer (2010), p 597. (6) M. Bon, Parey's Buch der Pilze, Kosmos (2005), p 264.