SPECIES FACT SHEET
Scientific Name: Thaxterogaster pavelekii Trappe, Castellano & P. Rawlinson
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Order: Agaricales
Family: Continariaceae
Conservation Status:
Global: G2
National: N2
State: OR S2, WA not ranked
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) List: 1
(Ranks from ORBIC, http://orbic.pdx.edu accessed August 16, 2013)
Type: H. Pavelek and J. Trappe 7962 (OSC) June 10, 1984, near junction of
Tierra del Mar Rd. and Haystack Rock Rd., Tillamook CO, OR.
Technical Description: Cap 7-40 x 12-35 mm, convex to turbinate, the
margin appressed against protruding base or seceded up to a mm to expose
underlying locules, surface thickly slimy-viscid when wet, shiny when dry, pale
yellow-gray to pale brown-gray on disc, towards the margin concolorous or
grading to olive-gray or brown-gray, often radially streaked. Gleba with radiatelabyrinthiform locules, dark red-brown to dark brown, with a percurrent stemcolumella that often protrudes beyond the sporocarp base. Columella
columnar and 1-2 mm broad or often greatly enlarged near the base, white to
gray, in wet weather subviscid or with a viscid zone where the cap margin is
appressed, the flesh white throughout or in age becoming brown-yellow below.
Odor faint or sometimes musty-raphanoid to sweet-medicinal. Taste indistinct.
Peridium a tangled ixotrichodermium of thin-walled, hyaline hyphae 3-4 µm in
diam, these becoming appressed to the surface on dried material. Flesh of
loosely interwoven, thin-walled, hyaline hyphae 3-10 µm in diam, the cells
mostly inflated to 5-20 (-30) µm in diam, many isodiametric. Trama of
subparallel, thin-walled, hyaline hyphae 3-6 µm in diam, some cells inflated up
to 15 µm, infrequent brown-golden laticiferous hyphae present. Subhymenium
of more or less isodiametric cells 5-15 (-20) µm in diam. Basidia hyaline to
brown-golden, 30-40 x 9-11 µm, 2-4-spored. Sterigmata
Clamp
connections absent. Spores ellipsoid, 14-18 (-21) x (8-) 9-10 (-11) µm
excluding the ornamentation of narrow lines and warts 0.1-0.5 (-1) µm tall and
broad, sometimes nearly partially reticulate, length:width ratio 1.5-2,
asymmetric appendage ±1 x 1.5 µm, spore wall ±1.5 µm thick, in KOH brown,
inamyloid.
Distinguishing Features: Characterized by the pale yellow-gray to pale browngray sporocarp, thickly slimy viscid when wet, shiny when dry. Narrow, warty,
brown spores.
Life History
This taxon is a sequestrate fungus that is mycorrhizal on the roots of Picea
sitchensis and Pinus contorta. It fruits from March through June and in
November.
Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Endemic to coastal forests in the
Pacific Northwest. Known from approximately 5 locations. Oregon, Tillamook,
Lincoln, and Lane Counties.
FS/BLM lands in Oregon and Washington: Siuslaw NF. There are old sites for
this species on Salem BLM; the District does not consider those sites to be
extant.
Habitat Associations: Ectomycorrhyzal. Endemic to mature old growth
coastal forests or forests with an old growth legacy of coarse woody debris,
usually mossy places, from sea level (17 ft) to around 588 ft in Oregon;
hypogeous under mature Picea sitchensis and Pinus contorta occurring in pure
stands of each or mixed stands of both. Associated understory species include:
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Gaultheria shallon, Rhododendron sp., Salix
hookeriana, Vaccinium sp. It always grows underground, rarely breaking the
surface of the soil. Fruits from March through June, occasionally November.
Elevation Range: 22-422 ft.
Threats: Threats to ectomycorrhizal fungi include disturbances that damage
mycelium and host, such as severe fire, removal of host plants and
consequential loss of canopy cover, loss of large woody debris and soil
compaction.
Conservation Considerations: Revisit known sites and localities to confirm
persistence and extent of populations. Buffer known sites from management
activities. When conducting vegetation management activities in area with good
habitat potential, consider leaving scattered and clumped host trees and ample
large woody debris, while minimizing soil compaction and severity of prescribed
fires, avoid broadcast burning and pile burning in prime habitat.
Other pertinent information (includes references to Survey Protocols,
etc): The survey protocol for 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: Jenifer Ferriel, Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa Whitman
National Forests
Date: April 2013
Edited by: Rob Huff, BLM/FS Portland, Oregon
Date: February 2014
ATTACHMENTS:
(1)
References
(2)
Map of Species Distribution
(3)
Photographs of Species
ATTACHMENT 1:
References
Aurora, David. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified. Ten Speed Press. Berkeley, CA.
Castellano, Michael A.; Smith, Jane E.; O’Dell, Thom; Cázares, Efrén; Nugent,
Susan. 1999. Handbook to strategy 1 fungal taxa from the Northwest Forest
Plan. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-476. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service,Pacific Northwest Research Station. 195 p.
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/
Trappe, J.M., AND Castellano, M.A. 2000. Some new Ascomycota and
Basidiomycota associated with the Northwest Forest Plan. Mycotaxon 75:153179.
Trappe, Matt, Frank Evans, and James Trappe. 2007. Field Guide to North
American Truffles. Ten Speed Press, Berkely, CA.
ATTACHMENT 2:
Maps of Species Distribution in OR/WA
ATTACHMENT 3:
Photographs of Species
Figure 1. Thaxterogaster pavelekii Photo by Michael Castellano
Figure 2. Thaxterogaster pavelekii Photo courtesy of Matt Trappe