''Cuphophyllus canescens'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. It is a type of mushroom (or toadstool) ...

(gilled mushroom) in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Hygrophoraceae The Hygrophoraceae are a family (biology), family of fungi in the order (biology), order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics (gilled mushrooms), including ''Hygrophorus'' and ''Hygrocybe'' species (th ...

, known from North America. In its wide sense (including the recently separated '' C. atlanticus'') it has been assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Taxonomy

The species was first described from

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

in 1942 by American

mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their taxonomy, genetics, biochemical properties, and use by humans. Fungi can be a source of tinder, food, traditional medicine, as well as entheogens, poison, and ...

Alexander H. Smith Alexander Hanchett Smith (December 12, 1904 – December 12, 1986) was an American mycologist known for his extensive contributions to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the higher fungi, especially the agarics. Early life Smith, born in Crandon, Wis ...

and

Lexemuel Ray Hesler Lexemuel Ray Hesler (20 February 1888 – 20 November 1977) was an American mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their taxonomy, genetics, biochemical properties, and use by humans. Fungi ...

as ''Hygrophorus canescens''. It was transferred to the genus '' Cuphophyllus'' by French mycologist

Marcel Bon Marcel Bon (17 March 1925 – 11 May 2014) was one of France's best known field mycologists. He was born in Picardy in 1925 and came to mycology through general botany, and pharmacology. He lived at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, a quaint little town ...

in 1990, at which time it was thought also to occur in northern Europe. As a result of

molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, ...

research, based on

cladistic Cladistics ( ; from Ancient Greek 'branch') is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is ...

analysis of

DNA sequences A nucleic acid sequence is a succession of bases within the nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA (using GACT) or RNA (GACU) molecule. This succession is denoted by a series of a set of five different letters that indicate the order of the ...

, ''Cuphophyllus canescens'' has, however, been found to be restricted to North America.

Similar species

'' Cuphophyllus atlanticus'' is very similar, but is said to have a pure gray to bluish gray cap and (microscopically) larger, subglobose spores.

References

Hygrophoraceae Fungi of North America Taxa named by Alexander H. Smith Taxa named by Lexemuel Ray Hesler Fungus species {{Hygrophoraceae-stub

Taxonomy

Similar species

See also

References