Crepidotus versutus
Encyclopedia
Crepidotus versutus, commonly known as the evasive agaric, is a species of fungi in the family Crepidotaceae
. It is saprobic on wood, like other Crepidotus
species, but it can also decompose herbaceous
forest litter. The species is characterized by large, punctate, ellipsoid spores
, and the white, hairy pileus
.
The specific epithet versutus is derived from the Latin word versut (clever), which may be a reference to the ability of the fungus to correctly orient itself for growth depending on the position of its growing surface. The basionym
of this species is Agaricus versutus Peck 1878. Older, obsolete synonyms include Crepidotus bresadolae and Crepidotus pubescens.
is typically 5–14 mm in diameter, initially resupinate
, then later turned up. It is attached dorsally
or laterally to the substrate. Fan- or kidney-shaped, it is dry, white, and covered with a layer of soft hairs which may or may not be matted. The outer edge is rolled slightly inwards. The context
is thin, soft, and white. Both the odor and taste of this mushroom are mild.
The gills radiate from an eccentric or lateral point of attachment, medium broad, and tend to swell in the middle. The gill spacing is sub-distant, with many short gills (lamellulae) that do not reach the attachment point. The gills are initially white, then later tinged a rusty-brown color. The spore print is cinnamon-brown in color.
This species has no stipe
, although it may have a small tubercle
attaching it to its growing surface.
s are 7–11 x 4.5–6 µm
in size, ellipsoid in shape, marked with very small spots, and yellowish to yellowish-brown under microscopic view. Basidia are 27–32 x 6–7 µm and 4-spored. Pleurocystidia are absent. The cheilocystidia are 22–63 x 3–12 µm, cylindric, and either swelling in the middle, or bottle-shaped. The gill trama are interwoven or at times subparallel, the hypha
e 4–7 µm in diameter. The generative tissue below the hymenium (subhymenium) is arranged in a parallel fashion. The cuticle (the outer layer of the fruiting body) is made of dense interwoven hyphae, connected to a tuft of colorless, long, slender (2.5–5 µm diameter) hyphae. There are no clamp connection
s the epicuticular hyphae, but there are on the hyphae of the tomentum at the base of the pileus.
(Description adapted from Hesler & Smith, 1965)
wood in damp, shaded places. In the Pacific Northwest
, it is known to grow on Abies, Acer and Populus trees.
Crepidotaceae
The Crepidotaceae is a family of basidiomycete fungi.-Taxonomic Details:The Crepidotaceae have recently undergone a revision based on phylogenetic analyses...
. It is saprobic on wood, like other Crepidotus
Crepidotus
Crepidotus is a genus of fungi in the family Crepidotaceae. Species of Crepidotus all have small, convex to fan-shaped sessile caps and grow on wood or plant debris...
species, but it can also decompose herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
forest litter. The species is characterized by large, punctate, ellipsoid spores
Basidiospore
A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are produced by specialized fungal cells called basidia. In grills under a cap of one common species in the phylum of...
, and the white, hairy pileus
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
.
The specific epithet versutus is derived from the Latin word versut (clever), which may be a reference to the ability of the fungus to correctly orient itself for growth depending on the position of its growing surface. The basionym
Basionym
Basionym is a term used in botany, regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature...
of this species is Agaricus versutus Peck 1878. Older, obsolete synonyms include Crepidotus bresadolae and Crepidotus pubescens.
Description
The pileusPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
is typically 5–14 mm in diameter, initially resupinate
Resupination
Resupination generally means being upside-down, supine, facing upward. The word is derived from the Latin. In a biological context, the concept is commonly expressed with the adjectives "resupinate" or "non-resupinate."-Examples in green plants:...
, then later turned up. It is attached dorsally
Dorsum (biology)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
or laterally to the substrate. Fan- or kidney-shaped, it is dry, white, and covered with a layer of soft hairs which may or may not be matted. The outer edge is rolled slightly inwards. The context
Trama (mycology)
In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....
is thin, soft, and white. Both the odor and taste of this mushroom are mild.
The gills radiate from an eccentric or lateral point of attachment, medium broad, and tend to swell in the middle. The gill spacing is sub-distant, with many short gills (lamellulae) that do not reach the attachment point. The gills are initially white, then later tinged a rusty-brown color. The spore print is cinnamon-brown in color.
This species has no stipe
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
, although it may have a small tubercle
Tubercle
A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection, but it has slightly different meaning depending on which family of plants or animals it is used to refer to....
attaching it to its growing surface.
Microscopic features
The basidiosporeBasidiospore
A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are produced by specialized fungal cells called basidia. In grills under a cap of one common species in the phylum of...
s are 7–11 x 4.5–6 µm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
in size, ellipsoid in shape, marked with very small spots, and yellowish to yellowish-brown under microscopic view. Basidia are 27–32 x 6–7 µm and 4-spored. Pleurocystidia are absent. The cheilocystidia are 22–63 x 3–12 µm, cylindric, and either swelling in the middle, or bottle-shaped. The gill trama are interwoven or at times subparallel, the hypha
Hypha
A hypha is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or...
e 4–7 µm in diameter. The generative tissue below the hymenium (subhymenium) is arranged in a parallel fashion. The cuticle (the outer layer of the fruiting body) is made of dense interwoven hyphae, connected to a tuft of colorless, long, slender (2.5–5 µm diameter) hyphae. There are no clamp connection
Clamp connection
A clamp connection is a structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is created to ensure each septum, or segment of hypha separated by crossed walls, receives a set of differing nuclei, which are obtained through mating of hyphae of differing sexual types...
s the epicuticular hyphae, but there are on the hyphae of the tomentum at the base of the pileus.
(Description adapted from Hesler & Smith, 1965)
Habitat and distribution
This species may usually be found on the bark of deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
wood in damp, shaded places. In the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, it is known to grow on Abies, Acer and Populus trees.