SPECIES FACT SHEET
Scientific Name: Dermocybe humboldtensis (Ammirati & A.H.Smith) Ammirati
1988
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Cortinariaceae
Conservation Rankings and Status:
Global: G1G2
State: OR S1, WA Not ranked
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) List 1
(Ranks from ORBIC, http://orbic.pdx.edu accessed August 16, 2013)
Technical Description: Cap 30-50 mm broad, appressed fibrillose with an
olive-yellow sheen when young, disc pale brown, margin pale yellow-tan; cap
surface dark inky violet, becoming slowly purple-brown in KOH. Gills adnate,
close, olive-yellow at first, then more or less ochre-yellow. Stem 60-120 x 4-8
mm, diameter +/- uniform, fibrillowse, dingy yellow to the base with a covering
of brown fibrils. Flesh dingy brown. Odor and Taste indistinct. Spores
ellipsoid to ovate, 7-9.2 x 4.5-5.5 um, pale brown to fulvous in KOH,
verruculose.
Dermocybe is variously regarded as a subgenus of Cortinarius, or as a freestanding genus. Species of Dermocybe are typically small, slender-stermmed,
brightly colored mushrooms with neither cap nor stalk viscid. D.
humboldtensis is characterized by a green-brown cap with an olive-yellow
sheen, olive-yellow gills, dingy yellow stem and rusty-brown spores. D.
idahoensis has rusty- to orange-ochraceous gills and slightly larger spores.
Life History: This mushroom appears to be mycorrhizal with various species
of Pinaceae. Sporocarps found in November and December.
Range, Distribution and Abundance: Known globally only from
approximately 5 locations within the Oregon and California portions of the
Northwest Forest Plan Area, from Humboldt County CA to Douglas County OR.
Includes the Oregon Klamath and Oregon Coast Range Physiographic
Provinces. There were no detections of this species during Random Grid
CVS/FIA plot surveys.
FS/BLM lands in Oregon and Washington: Documented from Roseburg District
BLM.
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Habitat Associations: Occurs in White Fir-Grand Fir vegetation zones at
elevations of 1337-1781 feet. Associated species include Douglas fir and
ponderosa pine.
Threats: As with mycorrhizal fungi in general, current literature suggests that
threats to local occurrences of this species include events and/or activities that
negatively impact either the fungal mycelium or the mycorrhizal hosts. Such
impacts can be caused by moderate to severe fire, removal of a large percentage
of host plants (and the attendant reduction in canopy cover and reduction in
moisture content of upper soil layers), removal of large woody debris, and soil
compaction. Such impacts can reduce both fungal biomass and species
diversity within communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi for periods ranging from
several years to multiple decades.
Conservation Considerations: Revisit known localities to confirm persistence
and determine extent of populations. Conduct surveys to locate new
populations. Buffer known sites from adjacent vegetation management
activities. When conducting vegetation management activities in areas with
good habitat potential, consider leaving scattered and clumped host trees and
ample coarse woody debris, while minimizing soil compaction and burn severity
of activity-related fires.
Other pertinent information (includes references to Survey Protocols,
etc): The survey protocol for sensitive fungi is located on the ISSSSP website:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents/inventories/inv-sp-fuver1-2008-12.pdf.
The survey protocol for Survey and Manage fungi is located on the Survey and
Manage website: http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/protocols/
Prepared by: Rick Dewey, Deschutes NF
Date: April, 2013
Edited by: Rob Huff, BLM/FS Portland, Oregon
Date: January, 2014
ATTACHMENTS:
(1) References
(2) Map of Species Distribution
(3) Photographs of Species
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ATTACHMENT 1: References
Arora, David. 1979. Mushrooms Demystified – A Comprehensive Guide to the
Fleshy Fungi. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California. 959 pp.
Castellano, M.A., J.E. Smith, T. O’Dell, E. Cazares, and S. Nugent. 1999.
Handbook to Strategy 1 Fungal Species in the Northwest Forest Plan. PNWGTR-476.
Cushman, Kathleen and Rob Huff. 2007. Conservation Assessment for Fungi
Included in Forest Service Regions 5 and 6 Sensitive and BLM California,
Oregon and Washington Special Status Species Programs. R6 USFS and
OR/WA BLM Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Program ISSSSP).
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/planning-tools/
Ferriel, Jenifer and Katie Grenier. 2008. Annotated Bibliography of
Information Potentially Pertaining to Management of Rare Fungi on the Special
Status Species List for California, Oregon and Washington. R6 USFS and
OR/WA BLM Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Program (ISSSSP).
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/planning-tools/
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center. 2013. Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Species of Oregon. Portland State University, Institute for Natural
Resources. 111 pp. http://orbic.pdx.edu/rte-species.html
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ATTACHMENT 2:
Map of Species Distribution in OR/WA
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ATTACHMENT 3:
Photographs of Species
Photo courtesy of M.A. Castellano
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