Hygrocybe lanecovensis (an agaric fungus) - endangered species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list Hygrocybe lanecovensis A. M. Young, an agaric fungus, as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. The listing of endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Hygrocybe lanecovensis A. M. Young (Fungi, Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Hygrophoraceae) is a small, brightly-coloured gilled fungus. It is described by Young (1999): Pileus 10-23mm, brilliant scarlet (10A8 but brighter in hue), convex, viscid but soon becoming almost dry and only faintly sticky at maturity, smooth, margins crenulate and very finely edged with yellow. Lamellae pure white at first and remaining so until at least half matured, then faintly yellow tinted (4A2) especially when old, deeply decurrent, margins even and concolorous. Stipe 25-50x2-5mm, brilliant scarlet (10A8 but brighter in hue), viscid and tending to remain somewhat viscid until about half matured and then becoming sticky at most, smooth, cylindrical or tapered downwards, pith filled. Spores (6.0)6.7-8.0x3.7-5.0(-5.3)m m, mean 6.9x4.2m m, Q:1.4-1.9, mean Q:1.7, ovoid, long ellipsoid or sub-cylindrical and then often a little constricted, smooth, hyaline, non-amyloid. Basidia 32-47x(7-)8-10.5m m, mean 40x8.6m m, Q:4.0-6.2, mean Q:4.6, 2- or 4- spored basidia present in more or less equal numbers and apparently without differences in either basidial sizes or spore sizes, clamped. Cystidia absent. Hymenophoral trama regular and composed of chains of hyaline, thin walled, cylindrical or inflated ellipsoid to subglobose elements 17-58x3-20m m, clamps present. The tramal elements become increasingly subglobose to globose towards the lamellae margins. Pileipellis a loose ixocutis of repent to slightly interwoven hyaline, thin walled, cylindrical, septate hyphae 1.5-7.5m m diameter, clamps present.

2. Hygrocybe lanecovensis A. M. Young is known only from its type locality in Lane Cove Bushland Park in the Lane Cove Local Government Area in Sydney.

3. Surveys  in potentially suitable habitats elsewhere in the Sydney Basin Bioregion have failed to find  Hygrocybe lanecovensis A. M. Young . The occurrence of this species in the Lane Cove Bushland Park appears to be very limited. The species does not produce basidiomes (above-ground fruiting structures) all year, but non-reproductive hyphal structures occur below ground.

4. Hygrocybe lanecovensis A. M. Young is likely to be threatened by water-borne pollutants. Industrial pollutants occur particularly in the upper reaches of Gore Creek in Lane Cove Bushland Park, and domestic contaminants arise from residential properties on the perimeter of the Park. The species is also likely to be at risk from encroachment by exotic weeds, dumping of rubbish and garden refuse, excess pedestrian traffic in areas where hyphae or basidiomes occur, and inappropriate bush regeneration measures that disturb the forest canopy and native understorey plants.

5. In view of the above, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that  Hygrocybe lanecovensis A. M. Young is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.

Proposed Gazettal date: 06/09/02
Exhibition period: 06/09/02 - 11/10/02

Reference

Young, A.M. (1999). The Hygrocybeae (fungi, Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Hygrophoraceae) of the Lane Cove Bushland Park, New South Wales. Austrobaileya 5(3) 535-564