Michael J. Larsen

Use of syringaldazine for detection of laccase in sporophores of wood rotting fungi

Fungal laccase can be detected with the nonautooxidizable laccasespecific compound, syringaldazine, in the presence of tyrosinase and peroxidase. Data are presented from tests with the azine derivative of numerous fungous sporophores and associated decayed woody tissues from various localities in Wisconsin and Oregon. Syringaldazine is shown to be a reliable replacement and more specific reagent for the detection of extracellular fungal laccase, and in the absence of laccase and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, for peroxidase. Laccase is further implicated in fruit-body formation.

Decaying organic materials and soil quality in the Inland Northwest: A management opportunity

Organic debris, including wood residue, is important to the development and function of. forest soil. Organic matter stores nutrients and moisture plus it provides important habitats for microbes beneficial to tree growth. To protect long-term forest soil productivity, organic horizons and their parent materials should be maintained.

Phellinus sulphurascens and the closely related P. weirii in North America.

Monokaryotic isolates of Phellinus sulphur- ascens, a fungus originally described from the Primorsk Territory, Russia, are compatible with monokaryotic isolates of, what has been called in North America, the Douglas-fir form of P. weirii. Phellinus weirii, orig- inally described from Idaho as a root and stem decay fungus of western redcedar, is not compatible with monokaryotic isolates of P. sulphurascens or the Doug- las-fir form of P. weirii. Differences between P. sul- phurascens and P. weirii are noted. Observations on the behavior of P. weirii (cedar form) on western red- cedar are also reported. Both fungi are referred to the genus Inonotus, and the new combination Inonotus sulphurascens is proposed.

Dinitrogen Fixation Associated with Sporophores of Fomitopsis Pinicola, Fomes Fomentarius, and Echinodontium Tinctorium

SUMMARYFixation of atmospheric dinitrogen by bacteria associated with contextual tissues of sporophores of Fomitopsis pinicola, Fomes fomentarius, and Echinodontium tinctorium is reported. Since ni...

Nitrogenase activity associated with decayed wood of living northern Idaho conifers

Nitrogen fixation, as determined by the acetylene reduction technique, was demonstrated in decay columns of western larch and western white pine caused by Phellinus pini, western red cedar caused by Postia sericeomollis, and western hemlock and grand fir caused by Echinodontium tinctorium. Nitrogenase activity varied with tree species, fungal pathogen, wood decay stage, and seasonal moisturetemperature regimes within decaying stems. Nitrogen fixation potential in the productive forest eco? systems of northern Idaho was calculated between 0.06 kg/ha/yr and 4.91 kg/ha/yr and was primarily dependent on volume of decay in live standing trees on site.

CLAMP CONNECTIONS IN NORTH AMERICAN ARMILLARIA SPECIES: OCCURRENCE AND POTENTIAL APPLICATION FOR DELIMITING SPECIES

Clamp connections were observed in basidiospore dilutions from each of four North American biological species of Armillaria (A. gallica, A. sinapina, A. ostoyae, and A. calvescens) following spore germination and hyphal anastomosis. The occurrence of clamp connections in intrabasidioma pairings of single-germinated basidiospores and of excised margin-hyphae of Armillaria ostoyae and A. gallica was that expected of a bifactorial incompatibility system. All intraspecific pairings between basidiospores or excised margin-hyphae from actively growing haploid cultures from two different basidiomata of A. ostoyae and of A. gallica produced clamp connections. The development of the crustose colony morphology was almost fully coincident with the formation of clamp connections in compatible matings with either A. ostoyae or A. gallica. Results indicate that clamp connections occur predictably and provide an additional precise and useful criterion for recognizing biological species of Armillaria. For unexplained reasons, haploid isolates paired more than 3 mm apart failed to produce clamp connections.

HAWAIIAN FOREST FUNGI V. A NEW SPECIES OF PHELLINUS (HYMENOCHAETACEAE) CAUSING DECAY OF CASUARINA AND ACACIA

A previously undescribed species, Phellinus kawakamii, is reported to cause decay of heartwood in the butt portion of trees of Acacia koa var. koa, A. koaia, and Casuarina equisetifolia on Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. Limited surveys, based on the occurrence of basidiocarps, indicate that at least 28-33% ofthe Casuarina trees and 12% of the Acacia koa var. koa trees examined are affected by the fungus. Although the fungus causes a white pocket-rot in all species, the morphology of the rot differs noticeably between Casuarina and the two Acacia spp. The fungal flora of Hawaii associated with wood decay has received little attention. Burt (1923) reported approximately 50 taxa of wood-inhabiting fungi based on collections made by F. L. Stevens and C. N. Forbes, more than half of which were polypores. Bega (1979), while investigating deterioration of Acacia koa Gray, found the heart and root rot fungi Armillaria mellea (Vahl: Fr.) Quel., Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull. :Fr.) Bond. et Sing., Phaeolus schweinitzii (Fr.) Pat., Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Quel., and a species of Ganoderma. Ueki and Smith (1973) noted several species of Crepidotus that occur on woody substrates in Hawaii. Kennedy and Goos (1983) reported five wood-inhabiting species of the Dacrymycetaceae. Our purpose here is to describe a previously unknown species of Phellinus which causes heartwood decay of Casuarina equisetifolia L., Acacia koa var. koa, and A. koaia Hillebr.

LAZULINOSPORA, A NEW GENUS OF CORTICIACEAE, AND A NOTE ON TOMENTELLA ATROCYANEA

SUMMARY A new genus of the Corticiaceae, Lazulinospora, is proposed to accommodate Lazulinospora cyanea and Lazulinospora wakefieldii. The primary taxonomic characters of the genus are the septate, hyaline to pale yellow hyphae, without clamps, and subglobose to ovoid ornamented spores that become blue in 2% KOH. Specimens of Tomentella atrocyanea, whose spores also become blue in alkali solution, were recently found in Arizona. These specimens possess characters which adequately demonstrate the affinities of T. atrocyanea with the genus Pseudotomentella, but not with Lazulinospora, and the new combination, Pseudotomentella atrocyanea, is proposed. While collecting in central Florida in 1972, one of us (HHB) collected a specimen which resembled Hypochnus cyaneus Wakef. and Tomentella atrocyanea Wakef. in that it possessed spores whose walls became blue in aqueous 2% KOH and other strongly alkaline solutions. A comparison of the type specimens of the above two names with the material from Florida indicated that the latter was not conspecific with either of them. A search for a published description indicated that the fungus was undescribed; therefore, we propose the Florida species as new.

The status of Meripilus giganteus (Aphyllophorales, Polyporaceae) in North America

The status of the species names Meripilus giganteus, Grifola lentifondosa, and G. sumstinei is reviewed with regard to synonymy. Data from studies of nomenclatural types by light and scanning electron microscopy indicate that they represent three distinct species. Data from studies of cultures of M. giganteus and G. sumstinei also indicate that these two names represent separate taxa. Meripilus giganteus and G. sumstinei are typified. The new combinations, Meripilus sumstinei and Meripilus lentifrondosa, are proposed. We conclude that M. giganteus does not occur in North America. A key to the species of Meripilus is provided, and pathogenicity and edibility of M. giganteus and M. sumstinei are discussed.

REASSESSMENT OF THE SEXUAL IMCOMPATIBILITY SYSTEM AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BJERKANDERA FUMOSA

The sexual incompatibility system of Bjerkandera fumosa was determined to be unifactorial and not bifactorial as previously reported. Mon-mon and di-mon confrontations among and between North American and European isolates proved to be compatible. A revised cultural description of B. fumosa is provided. Bjerkandera fumosa (Pers.: Fr.) Karst. (Polyporaceae) is a well-known and easily recognized wood-rotting fungus that is widely distributed throughout temperate forested regions of the world. Although normally associated with a distinct white rot of dead or dying angiospermous substrates, B. fumosa occasionally occurs on gymnospermous wood (Overholts, 1953; Gilbertson and Ryvarden, 1986). The cultural characteristics of B. fumosa have been documented by Nobles (1948, 1965) and Stalpers (1978). The incompatibility system was reported to be bifactorial by Mounce (1935), Nobles et al. (1957), Nobles (1965), and Stalpers (1978). Some inconsistencies exist between our data on B. fumosa and those in the literature; therefore, we initiated a study to reexamine the incompatibility system of B. fumosa, to examine the compatibility between North American and European populations, and to reassess the cultural characteristics of the species.