Jafnea semitosta

[ Ascomycetes > Pezizales > Pyrenemataceae > Jafnea . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Jafnea semitosta is not often treated in field guides, but is probably fairly common in eastern North America. It is a fairly large cup fungus with a pale upper surface and an outer surface covered with fine brown hairs--rather like an overgrown version of the better known Humaria hemisphaerica.

Jafnea fusicarpa is similar but smaller, and might be confused with Humaria hemisphaerica, but the latter species is more densely hairy and appears brown overall, while Jafnea species are more sparsely hairy, appearing pale (spore sizes will also help to separate these species; see the key to cup fungi).

Edibility is not known for Jafnea semitosta; do not experiment.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic, growing gregariously on the ground or from well-decayed wood; when terrestrial usually found near rotting wood, in lignin-rich soil; fond of conifer forests, but appearing under hardwoods as well; summer and fall; east of the Great Plains.

Fruiting Body: Deeply cup-shaped when young and usually retaining a cuplike shape into maturity; 2-7 cm across; upper surface smooth and whitish, darkening to brownish with age; outer surface finely and sparsely hairy with brown hairs, pale brownish underneath the hairs; pseudo-stem usually present (but often buried), with a ribbed surface, up to 2 x 2 cm; flesh pale and brittle.

Spore Print: White.

Microscopic Features: Spores 25-35 x 10-12 µ; roughened at maturity; biguttulate; fusoid-elliptical. Asci eight-spored; tips not bluing in Melzer's reagent; up to 325 x 15 µ. Paraphyses with gracefully clavate tips 7-8 µ wide.

REFERENCES: (Berkeley & Curtis) Korf, 1960. (Saccardo, 1889; Seaver, 1928; McKnight & McKnight, 1987; McNeil, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 09220604.

Paxina semitosta Seaver is a previous name, as is (reported without comment) Fuckelina semitosta Kuntze.

© MushroomExpert.Com

Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2007, May). Jafnea semitosta. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/jafnea_semitosta.html.