Fungi of Cyprus : new data on micro-and macrofungi

This report deals with 79 species of fungi, collected in Cyprus in the second fortnight of November 2011. The list is annotated with diagnostic characters given for some of the specimens. Several taxa are of special interest due to their rarity: Conferticium ochraceum, Eutypa scabrosa, Glonium lineare, Hymenoscyphus calyculus, Hypoderma incrustatum, Hyphoderma nemorale, Hysterographium mori, Myriostoma coliforme, Rectipilus cistophilus, Stictis friabilis, Stictis radiata, Thanatephorus sterigmaticus, Tomentella asperula and Vuilleminia megalospora.


INTRODUCTION
As a contribution to the inventory of the Cypriot mycota, this survey was carried out during the British Mycological Association's Overseas Meeting that was held in Platres, Cyprus in November 2011.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The materials were collected in 15 sites located mostly in central part of the island (Tab.1).
Descriptions of the main macroscopic characters were written down locally from fresh fungi specimens.All collections were dried and put into paper bags and preserved in the author's herbarium (MTH).In the laboratory, dried samples were rehydrated with the 5% sodium hydroxide solution.Herbarium specimens have been studied in distilled water under Carl Zeiss Jenaval light microscope (400-1000x) from the samples which were isolated under a Kyowa Tokyo stereo microscope (40-80x).Meltzer's reagent, Congo red dye, 3% potassium hydroxide and lactophenol cotton blue solutions were used when necessary.
Keys and monographs used for species identification, and references of the descriptions and illustrations of the species studied, have been indicated individually.
Species have been taxonomically arranged according to Kirk et al. (2008) and Latin names and authors' epithets are given according to Index Fungorum.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Twenty-five species of anamorphs, twenty-eight species of ascomycetes and twentysix species of basidomycetes have been arranged taxonomically.As the first group anamorphic fungi are listed.
The most important contribution of the current report to the knowledge of Cypriot fungi is the datailed information about the fourteen rare species:  Ellis (2001).
Site 11.Only one ascocarp on a decaying twig of Quercus alnifolia.MTH 1142.
Hymenoscyphus calyculus (Sowerby) W. Phillips Site 4. Small collection on a dead branch of Alnus orientalis.MTH 1085.The spores of this species were described by Breitenbach & Kränzlin (1984) as guttulate, but in the revision of this work, Dougoud (2000) according to Baral & Krieglsteiner (1985), the spores provided with globules of oil do not belong to this species.In the ascospores of the collection from Cyprus, droplets were not observed.In all references under the name of Hymenoscyphus conscriptus.
Incrucipulum ciliare (Schrad.)Baral Site 1.On the underside of dry leaves from a broken branch of Quercus alinifolia.MTH 1125.The shape of the spores helps to separate this species from Lachnum fuscences, a similar specimen occurring in the same habitat.For further information see Ellis & Ellis (1997), under the name of Dasyscyphus ciliaris.
Glonium lineare (Fr.)De Not.Site 8. On a dead branch of Cistus creticus.MTH 1103.For further information see plate and description in Dennis (1981).
Hysterographium mori (Schewein.)Rehm Site 1. Small collection.On decaying wood of Quercus alnifolia.MTH 1130.Further information about this rare species can be found in Checa (2004).
Pleospora helvetica Niessl Site 3. On a dead branch of Cedrus brevifolia.MTH 1082.Brown color of its ascospores helps to separate this species from Plespora herbarum, a very similar one, but with yellowish or light brown ascospores.Further information can be found in Checa (2004).
Colpoma quercinum (Pers.)Wallr.Site 1.On the underside of decaying leaves of Quercus alnifolia.MTH 1129.It seems to be a great variability in the length of the spores of this species.In the present collection the shape of septate acospores is accoding to Dennis (1981), but the length of them corresponds to the data given by Breitenbach & Kränzlin (1984).
Lophodermium pinastri (Schrad.)Chevall.Site 7. On decaying needles of Pinus brutia.MTH 1093.Black colour from dry apothecia and the size of spores helps to separate this species from other Lophodermium which live in this habitat, such as L. pini-excelsae with grey apothecia and shorter spores, or L. seditiosum with pale grey apotecia when dry and longer spores, or L. conigenum with grey apotecia on the perimetral area and black when dry on the central one, and longer spores also.There is further information about Rhytismataceae in Minter (1986).

BASIDIOMYCOTA AGARICALES
Rectipilus cistophilus Esteve-Rav.& Vila Site 13.Small but important collection.On a decaying twig of Cistus creticus.MTH 1163.External curly hairs help to identify this sample.In spite of this species is abundant in Catalonia, where was described as a new species to the science, living on decaying leaves and twigs of Cistus monspeliensis and C. salvifolius, it might be the first time that it is collected outside Catalonia.There is further information in Vila et al. (1999).

CANTHARELLALES
Thanatephorus sterigmaticus (Bourdot) P. H. B. Talbot Site 8. On a non decorticated dead stem of Cistus creticus.MTH 1096, MTH 1104.Its thick and long sterigmata is a great help to identify this rare species.Further information can be found in Bernicchia & Gorjón (2010).

Dacrymyces variisporus McNaab
Site 2. On wood from branches of Pinus nigra subsp.palliata.MTH 1131.Clamp connections and bigger basidiospores help to separate this species from Dacrymyces stillatus, a similar one, which lives in the same habitat.Further information can be found in Breitenbach & Kränzlin (1986).

GEASTRALES
Myriostoma coliforme (Dicks.)Corda Site 11.Two basidiomata, on soil very rich in humus beneath Quercus alnifolia and Platanus orientalis, close to Cyclamen cyprius.MTH 1137.It is always good news to find out this species, which is included as a candidate in the European Council for the Conservation of Fungi's red list of macomycetes.There is further information in Calonge (1998) andSarasini (2005).
POLYPORALES Hyphoderma incrustatum K. H. Larss.Site 2. On decaying wood from a log of Pinus nigra subsp.palliata.MTH 1133.The whitish to grweyish basidiomata of the studied species, grows on a dense forested area with high humidity level.Habitat and colour of basidiomata help to separate this rare species from Hyphoderma memorale a xerophytic one with whitish to cream basidiocarps.Further information can be found in Bernicchia (2010).
Hyphoderma nemorale K. H. Larss.Site 5. On decaying wood from a branch of Quercus alnifolia.MTH 1156.The whitish to cream ascocarp of the studied sample is thicker than the whitish to grweyish basidiomata of Hyphoderma incrustatum.Also, habitat and ecology are different.Because the two species have been collected in this island, this fact was the most important help to separate one to another.There is further information in Bernicchia & Gorjón (2010).
Rigidoporus sanguinolentus (Alb.& Schwein.)Donk Site 2. On decaying wood of Pinus nigra subsp.palliata.MTH 1121, MTH 1122.It is very easy to separate basidiocarps from substratum.On the other hand, its fusiform cystidia help to identify this species.Further information can be found in Bernicchia (2005) and Ryvarden & Gilbertson (1994).Under the name of Physisporinus sanguinolentus in the last one.

PUCCINIALES
Phragmidium mucronatum (Pers.)Schltdl.Site 7. On alive leaves of Rosa sp.MTH 1088.The tapered shape of its apical papilla is an important taxonomical features of this species.You can see more information in Cooke (1902) and Grove (1913) under the name of Phragmidium disciflorum.

RUSSULALES
Acanthophysium cf.minor (Pilát) Tellería Site 2. On decaying wood of Pinus nigra subsp.palliata.MTH 1123.Most of the basidiospores are in the average of the size of Acnathophysium minor, but some of them are bigger and closer to the size of Aleurodiscus cerussatus.Further information can be found in Bernicchia & Gorjón (2010) and Telleria & Melo (1995).
Peniophora meridionalis Boidin Site 13.On a decaying branch of Quercus infectoria.MTH 1170.The shape or its lamprocystidia is different from other species of this genus, of which live in the same habitat.You can get further information in Bernicchia & Gorjón (2010).
Acknowledgments.The author would like to express his thanks to all the mycologist and colleagues from British Mycological Society and Cyprus Mycological Association participants of the foray for unforgettable days.I also thank Dr Henry Beker and Dr Stuart Skeates for providing information about location of the sites.Lastly, my deep thanks go to Mr Michael Loizides, Dr Salih Gücel and Dr Stephanos Diamandis for providing Cypriot bibliography.