Entoloma Strictius

''Entoloma'' is a genus of fungi in the order Agaricales. Called pinkgills in English, basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are typically agaricoid (gilled mushrooms), though a minority are gasteroid. All have salmon-pink basidiospores which colour the gills at maturity and are angular (polyhedral) under a microscope. The genus is large, with almost 2000 species worldwide. Most species are saprotrophic, but some are ectomycorrhizal, and a few are parasitic on other fungi. The type, ''Entoloma sinuatum'', is one of several ''Entoloma'' species that are poisonous, typically causing mild to severe gastrointestinal illness.

Taxonomy

History

In 1838 the Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries classified all pink-spored, gilled fungi into "tribes" or "subtribes", placing those with a ''Tricholoma''-like shape and gills attached to the stem into tribe ''Entoloma''. The small subtribe ''Leptonia'' had convex fleshy membranaceous caps, the subtribe ''Nolanea'' were slender fungi with bell-shaped caps and hollow stems, and the subtribe ''Eccilia'' had umbilicate caps and adnate gills. In 1871 German mycologist Paul Kummer raised these tribes and subtribes to genera. Additional genera were added by subsequent authors. Following this classification system, ''Entoloma'' has a restricted meaning and has sometimes been referred to as ''Entoloma'' ''sensu stricto.''

In 1886 French mycologist Lucien Quélet united all the fungi with pinkish-red adnate or sinuate gills and angular spores into a new genus ''Rhodophyllus'' (meaning "pink gill"). Because his new genus included the earlier name ''Entoloma'', ''Rhodophyllus'' is illegitimate, as noted by Donk, and ''Entoloma'' was subsequently adopted to cover all the pink-spored agarics with angular spores. Following this classification system, ''Entoloma'' has a broad meaning and has sometimes been referred to as ''Entoloma'' ''sensu lato''. The synonyms listed here are applicable to ''Entoloma'' sensu lato.

These two classification systems continue to co-exist, with those taxonomists favouring a broad generic concept following Quélet, and the others a narrow generic concept following Kummer.

Current status

Recent molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has shown that ''Entoloma'' ''sensu lato'' is monophyletic (a natural grouping), whereas ''Entoloma'' ''sensu stricto'', as previously defined, is paraphyletic (an artificial grouping). The other genera (''Leptonia'', ''Nolanea'', etc., as previously defined) are equally artificial.

Accordingly, ''Entoloma'' is now broadly applied by most mycologists, pending further research. Some of the component genera are, however, currently being redefined by DNA sequencing. Thus ''Nolanea'', for example, has been redefined (by excluding some species and adding others) as a monophyletic grouping within ''Entoloma'' sensu lato and treated either as a subgenus or as a separate genus. A basal group of species has also been moved to the genus ''Entocybe'' based on DNA research.

Etymology

The name ''Entoloma'' is derived from the Greek ''entos'' (ἐντός) meaning ''inner'' and ''lóma'' (λῶμα) meaning ''fringe'' from the in-rolled margin.

Description

Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are typically agaricoid (mushroom-shaped with gills), occasionally secotioid or gasteroid (truffle-like). Agaricoid species are variously large and thick-set to small and delicate, but all have lamellae (gills) that are attached to the stem (not free) and become pinkish with age from the pink basidiospores. The stipe (stem) lacks an annulus (ring). A few species are pleurotoid with a small lateral stem. Secotioid and gasteroid species (previously referred to the genera ''Richoniella'' and ''Rhodogaster'') have irregularly globose fruit bodies, brownish with a distinct stipe in secotioid species (such as the European '' Entoloma calongei'') or whitish without a stipe in truffle-like species (such as '' Entoloma gasteromycetoides'' described from New Zealand). All are internally pinkish (from the spores) when mature. Microscopically, all ''Entoloma'' species have basidiospores that are angular in all views.

Ecology

Most species are saprotrophic, growing on decaying plant material or (less commonly) on dead wood. A few species are ectomycorrhizal. ''Entoloma sinuatum'', for example, has been shown to form an association with willows (''Salix'' species) and '' Entoloma nitidum'' with hornbeams (''Carpinus'' species). A similar association of '' Entoloma sepium'' with fruit trees (Rosaceae) has, however, been shown to be root parasitism, though other studies have suggested some kind of mycorrhizal partnership may exist. A very few species are parasitic on other fungi, notably '' Entoloma abortivum'' a parasite of ''Armillaria'' species, and ''Entoloma parasiticum'' which frequently grows on fruit bodies of ''Cantharellus'' species.

''Entoloma'' species are found in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands and dunes, temperate and tropical forests and woodlands, peat-bogs and moors.

Conservation

Some European ''Entoloma'' species are restricted to waxcap grassland (nutrient-poor grassland), a declining habitat as a result of changes in agricultural practice. This decline has led to four European ''Entoloma'' species, '' Entoloma bloxamii'', '' E. griseocyaneum'', '' E. porphyrophaeum'', and '' E. prunuloides'', being assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Elsewhere, several rare and localized endemic species are assessed as globally "endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They include '' Entoloma chilense'' in Chile, '' E. eugenei'' in Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East, and '' E. ravinense'' in Australia. ''Entoloma alissae'' in California and '' E. necopinatum'' in Chile are assessed as globally "vulnerable".

Toxic and edible species

Several ''Entoloma'' species are known to be poisonous, causing gastroenteric symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain). At least one poisonous species, '' E. rhodopolium'', has been found to contain significant quantities of the mycotoxin muscarine. The English naturalist Charles David Badham mistakenly ate ''Entoloma sinuatum'' and was "so continually and fearfully purged, and suffered so much from headache and swimming of the brain, that I really thought that every moment would be my last." Other species known to be poisonous include ''Entoloma mammosum'', '' E. pascuum'', '' E. strictius'', and '' E. vernum''. Additional species reported as poisonous include '' Entoloma abortivum'' (reported as edible, below), '' E. aprile'', '' E. bahusiense'', '' E. grande'', '' E. luridum'', '' E. omiense'', and '' E. quadratum''.

Fruit bodies of a number of ''Entoloma'' species are reported as being locally consumed, including '' Entoloma abortivum'' (reported as toxic, above) and '' E. clypeatum'' in Mexico, '' E. rhodopolium'' (reported as toxic, above) and ''E. clypeatum'' in Ukraine, and '' E. argyropus'' in Tanzania. It seems probable that some of these ''Entoloma'' species were misidentified and "all should be regarded as potentially dangerous".

File:2012-08-12 Entoloma murrayi (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Sacc 250134.jpg,
File:Entoloma eugenei 16579164.jpg,
File:Entoloma gasteromycetoides Co-David & Noordel 63171.jpg,
File:Entoloma parasiticum (Quél.) Kreisel 647283.jpg,
File:Entoloma_occidentale_var._metallicum.jpg,
File:Entoloma necopinatum Horak 868359.jpg,
File:2013-10-13 Entoloma abortivum (Berk. and M.A. Curtis) Donk 389687.jpg,

References

External links

Mushroom Expert - The genus ''Entoloma''

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Entolomataceae
Agaricales genera
Taxa named by Elias Magnus Fries
Taxa described in 1838