Pseudosperma arenarium (Inocybaceae), a new poisonous species from Eurasia, based on morphological, ecological, molecular and biochemical evidence

Abstract

In this study, Pseudosperma arenarium is proposed as a new species, based on morphological, ecological, molecular and biochemical evidence. The new species grows on sandy ground under Populus and Pinus sylvestris in north-western China and northern Europe, respectively. It is characterised by the combination of the robust habit, nearly glabrous pileus, large cylindrical basidiospores, thin-walled cheilocystidia and ecological associations with Populus alba × P. berolinensis and Pinus sylvestris and unique phylogenetic placement. Additionally, a comprehensive toxin determination of the new species using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was conducted. Results showed that it was a muscarine-positive species. The content were approximately five times higher in the pilei [4012.2 ± 803.1–4302.3 ± 863.2 mg/kg (k = 2, p = 95%)] than in the stipes [850.4 ± 171.1–929.1 ± 184.2 mg/kg (k = 2, p = 95%)], demonstrating the severity of mushroom poisoning when patients consumed different parts of the poisonous mushroom. Amatoxins, phallotoxins, ibotenic acid, muscimol, psilocybin and psilocin were not detected.

Five new species of Pseudosperma (Inocybaceae, Agaricales) from Benin and Turkey based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic evidence

“…Currently 80 species of Pseudosperma are described worldwide (Bandini et al 2022(Bandini et al , 2023, including species recently introduced from Austria ( progress, the diversity of Pseudosperma species, particularly in tropical regions such as West Africa, remains poorly explored and documented. In addition to this, there are numerous cryptic and semi-cryptic species waiting for discovery (Ryberg et al 2008; Matheny and Bougher 2017; Yan et al 2022).…”