''Leucocoprinus heinemannii'' is a species of

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...

producing

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

in the family

Agaricaceae The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and include the genus ''Agaricus'', as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. Taxonomy The family Agaricaceae was publishe ...

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1987 by the Italian mycologist Vincenzo Migliozzi who classified it as ''Leucocoprinus heinemannii.''

Description

''Leucocoprinus'' ''heinemannii'' is a small dapperling mushroom with thin white flesh. Cap: 16-22mm wide when mature, campanulate when young but flattening or becoming convex with age with edges which may lift upwards. The surface is pure white with a slightly

umbonate '' Cantharellula umbonata'' has an umbo. The cap of '' Psilocybe makarorae'' is acutely papillate.">papillate.html" ;"title="Psilocybe makarorae'' is acutely papillate">Psilocybe makarorae'' is acutely papillate. An umbo is a raised area in the ...

disc which has very fine grey, purple and black tones densely concentrated in the middle. These colours extend sparsely across the cap dissipating towards the edges where there are striations which extend around a quarter of the way into the cap. Gills: Free, crowded and white. Stem: Smooth, 12-35mm long, 5 cm at most and 2mm thick tapering to a slightly bulbous 5mm base where traces of white mycelium are present. The persistent stem ring is white with brown edges and located towards the middle of the stem (median). Spores: Ellipsoidal or amygdaliform without apparent germ pore. 6.3-7.4 x 3.5-4.2 μm. Smell: Indistinct/mushroomy. Taste: Indistinct.

Habitat and distribution

''L. heinemannii'' is not very well known and not often recorded. The first specimens studied were found growing individually in a greenhouse in Rome during the Autumn of 1985.

GBIF The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international organisation that focuses on making scientific data on biodiversity available via the Internet using web services. The data are provided by many institutions from around the ...

has a few dozen recorded observations from all over the world since. A 2014 study of mushroom species found in botanical gardens in Poland documented ''L. heinemannii'' growing in a group under ''

Dichondra ''Dichondra'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the Ipomoea, morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. They are prostrate, perennial plant, perennial, herbaceous plants, with creeping stems which take root readily at the leaf nodes. The flowers ...

'' and ''

Euphorbia ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...

'' plants during several months of the year. This was the first recording of the species in Poland. This species was also documented in Washington state in 2010 where it was found growing gregariously amongst soil in greenhouses.

Similar species

Leucocoprinus ianthinus ''Leucocoprinus ianthinus'' is a species of mushroom producing fungus in the family Agaricaceae. Like other ''Leucocoprinus'' species it may have originated in a tropical climate but now finds a home in plant pots, greenhouses and compost piles in ...

'' and ''

Leucocoprinus brebissonii ''Leucocoprinus brebissonii'' is a species of mushroom producing fungus in the family Agaricaceae. It is commonly called the skullcap dapperling due to its distinctive pattern on the cap. This mushroom was only thought to be found in Europe but it ...

'' have some superficially similar details and are also known to grow in plant pots and greenhouses. There are also numerous species in the ''L. heinemannii'' species complex including ''L. tephrolepis'', ''L. parvipileus'' and ''L. domingensis'' as documented from the Dominican Republican and US Virgin Islands in 2020. So identification of this species based solely on visual appearance may not be accurate. '' Lepiota atrodisca'' can appear very similar with a white cap and blackish-grey disc.

Etymology

The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''heinemannii'' is named for the Belgian mycologist

Paul Heinemann Paul Heinemann (February 16, 1916 – June 18, 1996) was a Belgian botanist and mycologist. Heinemann specialized in African mycology. In his long career, he published 435 names, including 2 families, 6 genera, 346 species, and 40 varieties. His co ...

who classified numerous ''

Leucocoprinus ''Leucocoprinus'' is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae. Its best-known member is the distinctive yellow mushroom '' Leucocoprinus birnbaumii'', which is found in plant pots and greenhouses worldwide. The type species is '' Leucocoprinus ...

'' species in 1977.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q81155797 Agaricaceae Leucocoprinus Fungi described in 1987