''Cuphophyllus canescens'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
agaric (gilled mushroom) in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Hygrophoraceae
The Hygrophoraceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics (gilled mushrooms), including ''Hygrophorus'' and ''Hygrocybe'' species (the waxcaps or waxy caps), DNA evide ...
, known from North America. In its wide sense (including the recently separated ''
C. atlanticus'') it has been assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Taxonomy
The species was first described from
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
in 1942 by American
mycologist
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, fungi, including their genetics, genetic and biochemistry, biochemical properties, their Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy and ethnomycology, their use to humans, including as a so ...
s
Alexander H. Smith and
Lexemuel Ray Hesler
Lexemuel Ray Hesler (20 February 1888 – 20 November 1977) was an American mycologist. He was the son of Clinton F. Hesler and Laura Iris (née Youngblood). He obtained his B.A. degree with Wabash College in 1911 and his Ph.D. at the University ...
as ''Hygrophorus canescens''. It was transferred to the genus ''
Cuphophyllus
''Cuphophyllus'' is a genus of agaric fungi in the family Hygrophoraceae. ''Cuphophyllus'' species belong to a group known as waxcaps in English, sometimes also waxy caps in North America or waxgills in New Zealand. In Europe, ''Cuphophyllus'' s ...
'' by French mycologist
Marcel Bon
Marcel Bon (17 March 1925 – 11 May 2014)http://fmbds.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CAFAM-2014-CR-complet.pdf was one of France's best known field mycologists. He was born in Picardy in 1925 and came to mycology through general botany, and ph ...
in 1990, at which time it was thought also to occur in northern Europe.
[ As a result of ]molecular
A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...
research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, ''Cuphophyllus canescens'' has, however, been found to be restricted to North America.[
]
Similar species
''Cuphophyllus atlanticus
''Cuphophyllus atlanticus'' is a species of agaric (gilled mushroom) in the family Hygrophoraceae. Until recently (2021), the species was considered to be conspecific with the North American '' Cuphophyllus canescens'', but DNA sequencing has sh ...
'' is very similar, but is said to have a pure gray to bluish gray cap and (microscopically) larger, subglobose spores.[
]
See also
* List of fungi by conservation status
References
Hygrophoraceae
Fungi of North America
Taxa named by Alexander H. Smith
Taxa named by Lexemuel Ray Hesler
{{Hygrophoraceae-stub