Pseudombrophila crowded (Pseudombrophila aggregata) photo and description

Pseudombrophila skuchennaya (Pseudombrophila aggregata)

:

• Nanfeldia skuchennaya
• nannfeldtiella aggregat

Pseudombrophila crowded is a species with a rather complicated history.

Described as Nannfeldtiella aggregata Eckbl. (Finn-Egil Eckblad (Nor. Finn-Egil Eckblad, 1923-2000) – Norwegian mycologist, specialist in discomycetes) in 1968 as a monotypic species of Nannfeldtiella (Nannfeldtia) in the family Sarcoscyphaceae (Sarkoscyphaceae). Further research showed that the species should be placed in the Pyronemataceae.

Please note: in almost all photographs used as illustrations, there are two types of mushrooms. Bright orange small “buttons” – this is the ground Byssonectria (Byssonectria terrestris). Larger brown “cups” – this is just Pseudombrophila crowded. The fact is that these two species always grow together, apparently forming a symbiosis.

Fruit body: initially spherical, from 0,5 to 1 cm in diameter, with a pubescent surface, then slightly elongates, opens, acquiring a cup-shaped shape, light brownish, coffee with milk or brownish with a lilac tint, with a well-defined darker ribbed edge. With age, it expands to saucer-shaped, while maintaining the “ribbed” edge.

In adult fruiting bodies, the size can be up to one and a half centimeters in diameter. The color is light chestnut, brownish, brown, lilac or purple shades may be present. The inner side is darker, smooth, shiny. The outer side is lighter, retains the edge. Integumentary hairs are sparse from above, rather dense downwards, intricately curved, 0,3-0,7 microns thick.

Leg: absent or very short, mild.

Pulp: the mushroom is rather “fleshy” (in proportion to size), the flesh is dense, without much taste and smell.

Microscopy

Asci are 8-spored, all eight spores mature.

Spores 14,0-18,0 x 6,5-8,0 µm, fusiform, ornamented.

In forests of various types, on leaf litter and on small rotting twigs, in the vicinity of terrestrial Bissonectria. It is considered an “ammonia” fungus, as it grows in places where elk urine is present in the ground.

Given the small size of fruiting bodies and taking into account the specifics of growth (on elk urine), there are probably not so many people who want to experiment with edibility.

There is no data on toxicity.

Several species of Pseudombrophila are indicated growing together with some kind of Byssonectria (Byssonectria sp.) They differ at the microscopic level, the size of spores and their number in the asci and the thickness of the integumentary hairs, at the ecological level – the place of growth, namely, on the excrement of which herbivore animal they have grown. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible for an ordinary mushroom picker or photographer to distinguish between these species.

Photo: Alexander, Andrey, Sergey.