SPECIES FACT SHEET
Common Name: elfin saddle
Scientific Name: Helvella crassitunicata N.S. Weber 1975
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Pezizomycetes
Order: Pezizales
Family: Helvellaceae
Conservation Rankings and Status:
Global: G3
State: OR S2, WA Not ranked
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) List 2
(Ranks from ORBIC, http://orbic.pdx.edu accessed August 16, 2013)
Technical Description: Sporocarps are apothecia, subsessile to short
stipitate, up to 20-30 mm tall. Apothecia bowl-shaped when young, spreading
with age, regular from above to slightly compressed, to 40 mm in diameter at
maturity. Hymenial surface brown to gray-brown. Abhymenial surface (outer
surface of cup) becoming paler toward base, lacking extensive ridges. Stem up
to 20 mm long, consisting of rounded ribs resembling soft folds, ivory to offwhite. Asci 8-spored, tips not reacting to Melzer’s reagent. Spores ellipsoid,
23-28 (-30) x 13-15 um, smooth.
Other fungi with cup-shaped apothecia include species of Peziza and a few
other species of Hevella. Generally, stems in species of Peziza are either
lacking or very reduced, and if the latter, are generally without distinct ribs or
ridges. Among Hevella species with cup-shaped caps and shorter stems (< half
the width of the cup), ribs occur on the lower portion of the cup as well as
along the stem in H. acetabulum. H. leucomelanena, which most strongly
resembles H. crassitunicatum, has smaller spores (20-24) x 10-14 um, and
produces its sporocarps in late winter and early spring.
Life History: This elfin saddle appears to be mycorrhizal with species of Abies.
Sporocarps occur scattered to gregarious, from August through October.
Range, Distribution and Abundance: Known globally from Alaska, British
Columbia, and from within Oregon and Washington portions of the Northwest
Forest Plan Area, including the Washington Eastern Cascades, Washington
Western Cascades, Washington Olympic Peninsula, Oregon Eastern Cascades,
Oregon Western Cascades and Oregon Klamath Physiographic Provinces.
Within the Northwest Forest Plan Area known from approximately 30 sites.
There were no detections of this species recorded during Random Grid
CVS/FIA plot surveys.
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FS/BLM lands in Oregon and Washington: Documented on Spokane BLM
District. Documented on Deschutes, Gifford Pinchot, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie,
Mt. Hood, Okanogan-Wenatchee and Willamette National Forests.
Although the map and BLM database show two sites on Medford BLM, there is
some question as to the identification of the vouchers associated with these two
sites. These locations are significantly lower than the other ~28 sites known in
Oregon and Washington, were collected in the spring (when all others were
found in the late summer/fall), and were the only sites found in Douglas fir
plan associations.
Habitat Associations: On soil, especially along trails, in montane regions with
Abies spp. Occurs in Mountain Hemlock (41%), Pacific Silver Fir (31%),
Parklands (10%), Douglas Fir (7%), Rock (3%), Subalpine Fir-Engelmann
Spruce (3%) and White Fir-Grand Fir (3%) vegetation zones at elevations of
1533-9673 feet.
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. Consider buffering 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/
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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
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.
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. 109 pp. http://orbic.pdx.edu/rte-species.html
Treibs, Herold A. 2001. Trial Key to the Helvellaceae in the Pacific Northwest.
Prepared for the Pacific Northwest Key Council.
http://www.svims.ca/council/Helvel.htm
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ATTACHMENT 2: Map of Species Distribution in OR/WA
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Sites on Medford BLM lands are questionable and need further follow-up.
ATTACHMENT 3: Photos of Hevella crassitunicata
Photo courtesy of S. Loring
Photo courtesy of S. Loring
Photo courtesy of S. Loring
Photo courtesy of T. O’Dell
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