Leotia lubrica
Leotia lubrica (Scop. : Fr.) Pers.
Leotia gelatinosa Hill.
Leotiaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(ii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Fruit-bodies (apothecia) superficial, clustered, with head, 6 mm high and 9 mm wide, slightly folded, with glutinous consistency, at first ochre-yellow, later dark brown to olive green, with cylindrical stalk 2.5 cm long and 4 mm wide, pale ochre; flesh gelatinous. Spores fusiform, (15)17.5–22.5 × 4.5–5 µm, at first unicellular with two polar oil drops, later 5–7-septate, straight or curved, hyaline. VIII–IX.
Habitats and populations. In deciduous forests on soil in wet places.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (Central – Kozyata Stena Strict Nature Reserve), Vitosha Region (Vitosha Mt – Slanchev Rid locality; Plana Mt), Rila Mts (above the village of Sestrimo).
General distribution. Europe, Asia, North America.
Threats. Habitat changes as result of wood plantations, wood extraction, tourism, drought.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. Two localities are situated in the territory of the Rila National Park and Kozyata Stena Strict Nature Reserve. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Research into the species biology and ecology; inclusion in the National biodiversity monitoring system; preservation the localities of the species.
References. Hinkova 1958a; Aleksandrov 1969, 1970; Fakirova et al. 2000, 2002; Gyosheva et al. 2006.
Author: Evtimiya Dimitrova
