Lilloa 51 (1): 119–121, 2014

119

Rugolo, Maximiliano; Francisco Kuhar

Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (CIEFAP), C.C. 14, (9200) Esquel, Chubut,

Argentina. Correspondig autor: franciscokuhar@gmail.com

Recibido: 23/02/14 – Aceptado: 05/06/14

Abstract — Rugolo Maximiliano; Francisco Kuhar. 2014. “Brief notes on three gaste-

roid fungi in the Andean Patagonia”. Lilloa 51 (1). In reviewing the entire collection of the ge-

nus Geastrum of the BAFC herbarium, two samples were found containing unidentified speci-

mens from Patagonia, one from Los Alerces National Park (Argentina, Chubut) and the other

one from Mallín Ahogado (Argentina, Río Negro). Both were determined as Geastrum triplex,

resulting in the first record of the species in this region. In addition, the finding of a speci-

men of Geastrum pectinatum in Lago Puelo (Argentina, Chubut) and one of Tulostoma brumale

in Esquel (Argentina, Chubut) are reported as the first records of those species in Patagonia.

SEM images of spores are provided.

Keywords: Geastrum, G. pectinatum, G. triplex, Tulostoma, T. brumale.

Resumen — Rugolo Maximiliano; Francisco Kuhar. 2014. “Breves notas sobre tres

hongos gasteroides de la Patagonia Andina”. Lilloa 51 (1). Durante la revisión de ejemplares

del género Geastrum del herbario BAFC, se encontraron dos colecciones de Patagonia sin

identificar, la primera proveniente del Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Argentina, Chubut), y la

segunda de Mallín Ahogado (Argentina, Rio Negro). Ambos fueron determinados como Geas-

trum triplex, resultando la primer cita de la especie para la región. Además el hallazgo de

Geastrum pectinatum en Lago Puelo (Argentina, Chubut) y de Tulostoma brumale en Esquel

(Argentina, Chubut) representan nuevos reportes de dichas especies para Patagonia.

Palabras clave: Geastrum, G. pectinatum, G. triplex, Tulostoma, T. brumale.

The Andean Patagonian weather is humid

and cold, with snowfalls concentrated dur-

ing the winter, and rain and frost throughout

the year. Both deciduous and evergreen trees

compose the region. Dominant tree species

include Nothofagus antarctica (G. Forst.)

Oerst., N. pumilio (Poepp. & Endl.) Krasser,

and Austrocedrus chilensis (D. Don) Pic.

Serm. & Bizzarri. The analyzed material

was collected by M. Rajchenberg, F. Kuhar

and M. Rugolo and deposited in the BAFC

herbarium. Capillitial threads and spores

were mounted and observed under the light

microscope (LM) and scanning electron mi-

croscope (SEM EDS INCA ENERGY, Oxford

Instruments Scanning electron microscope

with Field Emission Gun (FEG) Zeiss DSM

982 GEMINI secondary electrons detector in-

lens). The keys used to identify our materials

are those published by Wright (1987), Sun-

hede (1989), Soto and Wright (2000). The

present work provides notes on new cites of

gasteroid fungi in order to contribute to the

knowledge of the Argentinean mycobiota.

Since our materials agree with the cited de-

scriptions, we briefly discus only what con-

cerns our findings.

TAXONOMY

Geastrum triplex Jungh. [as ‘Geaster’],

Tijdschr. Nat. Gesch. Physiol. 7: 287.1840.

Fig. 1A; 2A

Description.— Sunhede (1989)

Studied material.— ARGENTINA. Prov.

Río Negro, Dpto. Bariloche, Mallín Ahoga-

do, XI-1994, Mario Rajchenberg 51671

(BAFC); Prov. Chubut, Dpto. Futaleufú, Lago

Krugger, XI-1993, Mario Rajchenberg 34915

(BAFC).

Note.— All basidiomes are devoid of the

fleshy pseudoparenchymatous layer, which

Brief notes on three gasteroid fungi in the Andean Patagonia

NOTA

M. Rugolo & F. Kuhar: Brief notes on three gasteroid fungi in the Andean Patagonia

120

remains only as fragments of the character-

istic collar surrounding the endoperidial

body. Nevertheless the remaining features

allow a precise determination following

Sunhede (1989). Zamora et al. (2013) pro-

posed the use of non- traditional characters

such as macrochemical spot tests and rhizo-

morphal anatomy for a precise delimitation

of this species, but this type of information is

no longer available in our materials. This

species has recently shown to be polyphylet-

ic by Kasuya et al. (2012) by a molecular

analysis which included Argentinean materi-

al collected in the central and northern Ar-

gentina. The results suggest that those collec-

tions (nested in the «clade 3») are more

closely related to G. triplex sensu stricto

than European specimens are. Molecular

analyses of Patagonian material are needed

in order to verify their position. G. triplex

has been recorded by Soto and Wright (2000)

and Wright and Albertó (2006) in the prov-

ince of Buenos Aires and by Hernandez Caf-

fot et al. (2013) in the province of Córdoba.

This is the first record of G. triplex in the

Argentinean Patagonia.

Geastrum pectinatum Pers., Syn. meth.

fung. (Göttingen) 1: 132. 1801.

Fig. 1B; 2B

Description.— Sunhede (1989)

Studied material.— ARGENTINA. Prov.

Chubut, Dpto. Cushamen, Lago Puelo, 42º 5'

36,798"S 71º 38' 1,9386"O, 150m, 19-X-

2013, Maximiliano Rugolo 52328 (BAFC).

Note.— Sunhede (1989) indicates that in

Northern Europe G. pectinatum can mainly

Fig. 2. SEM images of the spores. A) Geastrum triplex, B) G. pectinatum, C) Tulostoma

brumale. Scale bar 1 µm.

Fig. 1. A) Geastrum triplex, showing the remnants of the fleshy pseudoparenchymatous layer

surroundig the base of the endoperidial body. B) G. pectinatum. C) Tulostoma brumale. Scale

bar = 1 cm.

Lilloa 51 (1): 119–121, 2014

121

be considered a «coniferous wood species»,

mostly growing under Picea abies (L.) H.

Karst., Pinus sylvestris L. or Juniperus com-

munis L. Our collection consists of one well-

preserved mature basidiome found on Aus-

trocedrus chilensis litter, although Soto and

Wright (2000) reported some collections of

this species growing under Eucalyptus spp.

stands in the Province of Buenos Aires. This

species has been also recorded in the prov-

ince of Buenos Aires by Spegazzini in 1955,

as Geaster sp. (Soto and Wright, 2000) and

by Spegazzini (1927 as Geaster striatus),

Dominguez de Toledo (1989, 1993) and

Hernandez Caffot et al. (2013) in Córdoba.

This is the first record of G. pectinatum in

the Argentinean Patagonia.

Tulostoma brumale Pers., Neues Mag. Bot.

1: 86. 1794.

Fig. 1C; 2C

Description.— Wright (1987)

Studied material.— ARGENTINA. Prov.

Chubut, Dpto. Futaleufú, Esquel, 42º 54'

25,9812"S 71º 18' 17,802"O, 563m, 30-VII-

2013, Maximiliano Rugolo 52329 (BAFC).

Note.— This species may be somewhat

difficult to separate from a «constellation

whose species are sometimes very difficult

to identify» (Wright, 1987). Although the

exoperidium is quite washed away in our

exemplars, the correlation of some charac-

ters allows a precise determination: the

slightly elevated tubular mouth surrounded

by a darkened peristome, the thick-walled

capillitial threads abruptly swollen at the

stirrup-looking septa, and the fructification

time in winter, to which this species owes its

name. The cristalline matter described by

Wright (1987) as generally covering the

capillitial threads was only observed in only

one basidiome. SEM images of the spores

undoubtedly confirm the identification. T.

brumale has already been cited in the prov-

ince of Buenos Aires by Wright (1987) who

regarded it as probably introduced from Eu-

rope. This would explain the fact that our

finding in an urbanized area is the first

record in the Argentinean Patagonia.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Gustavo Guajardo for kindly

proofreading our English manuscript. This

work was supported by CONICET.

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