Cystodermella cinnabarina

Appearance

The cap is hemispherical in shape at first, becoming convex and finally flat with maturity, and reaching a diameter of up to 8 cm . The cap cuticle is cinnabar, brick-red or rusty orange and densely covered with fine granules. The flesh is white to pallid, with a mild fungoid taste and barely discernible smell. The gills are white to cream, dense and emarginate or adnate. A finely cottony partial veil covers the gills in immature specimens, tearing away to leave behind a delicate ring. The stem is white above the ring, and scaly below, with dark orange squamules. The stem is up to 6 cm tall and 1.5 cm in diameter, sometimes bulbous in the base and hollow.The basidiospores are oval, hyaline, and non-amyloid, with dimensions of 3.5–5 by 2.5–3.5 µm. The spore print is white. The basidia are club-shaped, and 17–24 by 4–5 µm. ''C. cinnabarina'' always has cells called cheilocystidia—cystidia that are present on the edges of gills, which in this species are spear-shaped. This microscopic feature may be used to help distinguish it from the similar-coloured ''C. adnatifolia'' and ''C. granulosa'', which also bear non-amyloid spores, but lack cystidia.

Species of ''Cystoderma'' have amyloid spores, in comparison to non-amyloid spores in ''C. cinnabarina'' and species of ''Cystodermella'' in general. This is determined by staining tissue with chemicals in the amyloid reaction—all ''Cystodermella'' species show a negative reaction .

Distribution

''Cystodermella cinnabarina'' is found fruiting in coniferous and deciduous forests, on ground among moss, grass and litter. Being a saprotrophic fungus, it decays dead organic matter. It has been recorded under pine , oak, spruce , fir and chestnut in Greece and Turkey. Fruiting bodies appear solitary or in small groups, during the summer and autumn. It is widely distributed around the world on continents including Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, though in many places it is uncommon. The preliminary red data list of threatened British fungi lists ''Cystodermella cinnabarinum'' under the IUCN "Near Threatened" status.

Habitat

''Cystodermella cinnabarina'' is found fruiting in coniferous and deciduous forests, on ground among moss, grass and litter. Being a saprotrophic fungus, it decays dead organic matter. It has been recorded under pine , oak, spruce , fir and chestnut in Greece and Turkey. Fruiting bodies appear solitary or in small groups, during the summer and autumn. It is widely distributed around the world on continents including Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, though in many places it is uncommon. The preliminary red data list of threatened British fungi lists ''Cystodermella cinnabarinum'' under the IUCN "Near Threatened" status.