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Submitted 7 September 2016, Accepted 1 November 2016, Published online 28 November 2016
Corresponding Author: Rebriev Yury – e-mail – rebriev@yandex.ru 142
Bovista helenae - new puffball from Russia
Rebriev YuA and Dvadnenko KV
Institute of Arid Zones of the South Science Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, 344006, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
rebriev@yandex.ru
Rebriev YuA, Dvadnenko KV 2016 – Bovista helenae - new puffball from Russia. Studies in Fungi
1(3), 142–145, Doi 10.5943/sif/1/1/15
Abstract
A new Bovista from dry steppes of the European part of Russia is described. This species is
situated in ser. Globisporae. It has a subhypogeous basidiomes with basal incrusted “cup” like in
Disciseda, globose to subglobose asperulate spores 3.2–3.8×3.5–4.5 µm with straight not acute
pedicels 5–7 µm and Bovista-type capillitium with small, straight or funnel-shaped pores which are
rare on the main stem but usual on the ends. The key for Bovista species with basal incrusted “cup”
is provided.
Key words – Agaricaceae – Bovista tomentosa – gasteroid basidiomycetes – gasteromycetes –
Lycoperdaceae – puffballs – systematics – taxonomy
Introduction
The gasteromycetous genus Bovista Pers. comprises about 60 species in the world (Kirk et
al., 2008). There are 16 species known for Russia. One of them, Bovista tomentosa (Vittad.) De
Toni, is widely distributed and known from the Mediterranean to the Arctic-alpine zone in Europe,
in Asia and probably in N. America (as B. minor Morgan). The peculiar feature of this species is
“cup” on the base of basidiomes which incrusted by substrate patches. It may lead to
misidentifications with species of the related genus Disciseda. Some specimens in own collection
which have a similar “cup”, were identified primarily as Bovista tomentosa, but have straight
differences in micromorphology and represent a new species.
Materials & Methods
Morphology
Bovista tomentosa-like specimens from Komarov’s name Botanical Institute of RAS (LE), as
well as from own collection (YuR) with a wide geographic distribution range in Europe and Asia
were studied. The examination of microstructures under the light microscope Mikmed-6 was made
after boiling for a short time in lactophenol cotton blue. Scanning electronic microphotographs
(SEM) were taken using the Carl Zeiss EVO-40 XVP in the South Science Center RAS.
Microscopic measurements were made in the specialized program Scandium 5.0. Light
microphotographs as well as photographs of the fruitbodies were taken using equipment of the Core
Facility Center “Cell and Molecular Technologies in Plant Science” at the BIN RAS. Spore
measurements are given excluding the ornamentation. The type material is deposited in the BIN
RAS (LE). Facesoffungi number are added (Jayasiri et al. 2015).
Studies in Fungi 1 (1): 142–145 (2016) ISSN
www.studiesinfungi.org Article SIF
Copyright © 2016 Online Edition
Doi 10.5943/stif/ 1/1/15
143
Results
Bovista helenae Rebriev, sp. nov. Fig. 1
Facesoffungi Number: FoF 02641
Etymology – the species is named in honor of Elena V. Rebrieva.
Fruitbodies globose, depressed-globose or ovoid, 0.5–1.2 cm diam., subhypogeous.
Exoperidium whitish, incrusted in sands and separated from endoperidium, loosing rapidly in
maturity at upper part but saving in lower part as thick firm “cup”, without mycelial strands.
Endoperidium dark-brown to blackish but discoloring to light-brown or whitish, thin, elastic;
mouth roundish 1–3(4) mm diam. or sometimes slit-like, with recurving margins. Gleba olive- to
dark-brown. Subgleba absent. Basidiospores globose to subglobose, brown, 3.2–3.8×3.5–4.5 µm,
asperulate in LM but with small warts in SEM; pedicels straight, not acute, 5–7 µm. Eucapillitium
of Bovista-type, brown to dark-reddish-brown, branched (3–7 forks), elastic, up to 8–14 µm diam.,
without any septa; walls thin to medium, pores small, straight or funnel-shaped, rare on the main
stem but usual on the ends.
Material examined – Russia, Asrakhan region, Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky state reserve, dry
steppe with Poaceae and Artemisia, 21 Oct 2008, Y.A. Rebriev (LE 253875, holotype; isotype
YuR 1914); same place, 21 Sept. 2014 (YuR 2986).
Discussion
Bovista helenae belongs to the ser. Globisporae on the base of globose-subglobose spores
and capillitium with abundant small pores. There are 5 species reported in this series by Kreisel
(1967): Bovista brunnea Berk., B. dubiosa Speg., B. echinella Pat., B. leucoderma Kreisel, B.
verrucosa (G. Cunn.) G. Cunn. All these species have an epigeous basidiomes without any
incrusted basal “cup”. This “cup” may lead to misidentifications with the Disciseda species, but
this can be resolved by studying microscopic characters. Bovista hollosii Jeppson, Finy & E. Larss.
with Disciseda-like basidiomes was newly described from Hungarian sand steppes (Jeppson, Finy
& Larsson, 2016). The latter differs from B. helenae in having larger spores (4–4.8 μm) with longer
pedicels (up to 11 μm) and more robust capillitium up to 20 μm.
Other species with incrusted basal “cup” are Bovista tomentosa and Bovista minor Morgan.
They are placed in the ser. Ovisporae by ellipsoid spores and robust capillitium with the big funnel-
shaped pores (Kreisel, 1967).
Key to the species of Bovista with incrusted basal “cup”
1. Spores ovoid-ellipsoid ……………...…………………………………………………………….2
1a. Spores globose-subglobose ……………………………………………………….………..……3
2. Basidiomes somewhat immersed in soil; in open dry stations ……………..………B. tomentosa
2a. Basidiomes subhypogeous; in moist shady stations. North American species
…………………………………………………………………………………………Bovista minor
3. Spores with pedicel 4–11 μm long; capillitium with main stems up to 20 μm and with scattered,
small to rather large pores, particularly on thinner hyphae ………………………….…...B. hollosii
3a. Spores with pedicel 5–7 µm long; capillitium up to 14 µm diam., pores small, rare on the main
stem but usual on the ends ……………………………………………...………………...B. helenae
144
Fig. 1 – Bovista helenae (LE 253875, holotype). a. Basidiomes. b. Spores. c. Capillitium ends with
abundant pores.
References
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