Hymenogaster luteus
Hymenogaster luteus Vittad.
Hymenogasteraceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(i,ii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Fruit-body subglobose, when immature 0.5–1.5 (2) cm in diameter. Peridium persistent, snow white at first, then yellowish brown, 40–45 µm thick. Gleba greenish to sulphur yellow, with sweetish odour resembling vanillin. Spores broadly ellipsoid, lacking a constant myxosporium, 18–23 × 9–12 µm, sulphur yellow, smooth. IX–XII.
Habitats and populations. Hypogeous, in conifer and hardwood forests.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Rhodopi Mts (Central – Hvoyna village).
General distribution. Europe.
Threats. Habitat loss/degradation caused by extraction (selective logging), and infrastructure development (human settlement, tourism/recreation, etc.); soil pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. The locality is situated in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the population numbers and range; interpretation of species status through better understanding of the species biology and ecology; conservation of the habitat; study of the trends through monitoring.
References. Gyosheva et al. 2006; Denchev & Assyov 2010.
Authors: Cvetomir M. Denchev, Roumyana D. Petrova & Georgi T. Stoichev
