Rozites caperatus
Rozites caperatus (Pers. : Fr.) P. Karst.
Cortinariaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Fruit-body at first covered by a general whitish veil. Cap semi-globose to umbonate, broadly conical to almost flat, 4–12 cm in diameter, ochre yellow, yellow pink, yellow orange, honey brown; surface at first with a violet tinge and whitish mealy coating in the centre, frosted, dry, radially furrowed, often cracked; margin in the young specimens coalescent with the stem by cortina, then wavy and deeply serrated. Gills narrow, wide, notched, whitish, yellow brown to rusty brown. Stipe cylindrical, slightly thickened at base, 5–12 × 1.5–2 cm, whitish or yellowish; with a wide, membranous pale yellowish, furrowed ring in the upper part, scaly fibrillose below. Flesh soft, white to yellowish. Spores almond-shaped, 11–14 × 7–9 μm, verrucose, ochre brown. Fruit-bodies in groups. VII–X.
Habitats and populations. On acid and sandy soils in coniferous (pines – Pinus, spruce – Picea), mixed, and deciduous (beeches – Fagus, oaks – Quercus, birch – Betula) forests.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (Central), Vitosha Region (Vitosha Mt), Sredna Gora Mts (Western), Rhodopi Mts (Western, Central).
General distribution. Europe, Asia, America.
Threats. Habitat loss/degradation caused by logging, infrastructure development (tourism/recreation, transport), fires, gathering for food.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. Several localities are situated on the territoryn of Severen Dzhendem Strict Nature Reserve, Central Balkan National Park, and Vitosha Nature Park. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the population numbers and range; better understanding of the species biology and ecology; conservation of the habitats; regular monitoring.
References. Burzakov 1933; Stoichev 1982; Stoichev & Dimcheva 1984; Fakirova et al. 2000; Gyosheva et al. 2000, 2006.
Author: Melania Gyosheva
