XDE's list of characters

https://mushroomobserver.org/species_lists/1417?q=1mg6c
When: 2019-04-14
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Locality: Earth [Click for map]
Who: Nolo_Mode (Nolo_Mode)

Notes:
Simple & Advanced Characters
With Taxonomic Value For Stipitate-Lamellate Mushrooms

————————————————— ◮ Features Critical For Mushroom Identification ◮

▼ To Be Developed Further▼

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Intro: Stipitate-lamellate mushrooms are fungi exhibiting a stem [=stipe/stipes], a cap [=pileus/pilei], and gills [=lamella/lamellae]. Characters (characteristics) are observable, definable attributes of mushrooms used in taxonomy (identification/classification) in order to apply a distinctive scientific name to all fungi, or to otherwise describe and categorize them. Characters are sometimes used in nomenclature (the formal naming of fungi). It is appropriate to implement characters with nomenclature. Some characters are more helpful in the identification process than others. A very small number of characters listed below may not have taxonomic value, but they still require names and definitions. The following list can be drastically improved, expanded upon, and made more effective for identification. This list can be utilized for writing descriptions, emending descriptions, and creating new digital identification keys. Participation to improve this list from eloquent contributors is absolutely welcome. It may be of assistance to have the Mushroom Observer glossary open in a different browser tab while viewing this.

❑ Glossary: https://mushroomobserver.org/glossary_terms

Characters are tricky. They can be varied in collections of the same species, and they can alter swiftly over 24-72 hours in some instances. When you are describing fungi, it is appropriate to keep characteristic variation between specimens of all ages and appearances in your literature. This needs to be done effectively. You may not know this, but your literature may be interpreted by professional mycologists, new students, and children, including people from nations who have never spoken English once in their life. Your audience needs to understand the characters (characteristics) you are presenting with complete confidence — to the highest level you can engage. This requires profound patience and noticeable effort. Your honesty level and eloquence level need to be in a state of excellence. Persistent photography and time-lapse cinema may be of far more assistance to you and your writing than past descriptions reveal. Recommendations: Be patient. Be analytical — and carefully conclusive. Be accurate. Convey your words effectively for a wide audience. Remember, you will be writing to a known audience and an unknown audience.

One other item: It would be arrogant and excessive of me to expect all of you or any of you to follow this list with regard to every collection you find, or any collection you study. I do not expect that. This list could jolt some of you into a higher level of observation, however, — if you look at these features properly. Cheers to you!

Macroscopic Characters With Taxonomic Value

↳ The Pileus [Macroscopic Characters]
❑▼ The general shape-form(s) of the pileus (Convex, Hemispherical, Spherical, Ovoid, Conical, Cylindric, Flat, Depressed, Funnel-Shaped, Companulate, Cuspidate, Umbonate, Papillate, Umbilicate, Uplifted, Parabolic, Pulvinate, Plane, Infundibuliform, etc.)
❑▼ The size (height and width) of the pileus/pilei
❑▼ Thickness of the pileus tissue
❑▼ The spectrum of colors of the pilei with thorough consideration
❑▼ Wetness of pilei surfaces (Dry, Moist, Glutinous, Gelatinous, Viscid, Subviscid, etc.)
❑▼ Hygrophanous or non-hygrophanous pileus
❑▼ Striate or not-striate pileus
❑▼ The presence of an indented, nearly perforated, or perforated pileus center
❑▼ The presence or absence of a darker/lighter colored central disc in the pileus center
❑▼ Presence of a gelatinous, separable pellicle
❑▼ Shininess or non-shininess of the pilei surfaces
❑▼ Pileus surface texture is glabrous (smooth) or non-glabrous (i.e. Downy-Wooly, Matted-Fibrillose, Furfuraceous, Granulose, Pruinose, Squamose, Squamulose, Scaly, Hairy, Shaggy, Bristled/Bristly, Strigose, Warted, Appressed, Appressed-Fibrillose, Tomentose, Virgate, Scrobiculate, Alveolate, Lacunose, Lacinate, Areolate, Atomate, Micaceous, Superficial, Innate, Venose, etc.).
❑▼ Pileus margin form (Straight, Undulating [Wavy], Appendiculate, Incurved [Encurved], Decurved, Involute [Inrolled], Ciliate [Fringed], Arched, Uplifted, Revolute [Rolled Back], Split, Exceeding Gills, Serrate, etc.)
❑▼ Pileus margin exhibiting a smooth but sudden cleft-like fold that is in-turning. This feature can range from a tight fold to a more broadly opened fold. (See https://mushroomobserver.org/species_list/show_species_list/1770?q=1l6a2)
❑▼ Veil flocks adhering to the margin of pileus
❑▼ The pilei striations length, width, depth, frequency, and countenance
❑▼ Pileus cuticle removes easily by hand or forceps
❑▼ The presence of radial furrows
❑▼ Pileus separates cleanly from the stem
❑▼ The color of any spore deposits resting on the pileus/pilei surface(s)
❑▼ Any noteworthy response to a knife streaked across the pileus
❑▼ A zonate pattern on the pilei
❑▼ The presence of an up-rolled pileus which reveals the gills curled up

↳ The Lamellae [Macroscopic Characters]
❑▼ Colors of the gills (including changes from sterile, to young, to mature lamellae)
❑▼ Gill distance/spacing (Close, Crowded, Distant, Sub-Distant, etc.)
❑▼ Gill thickness (Average, Thick, Tapering, etc.)
❑▼ Breadth of gill blades (Narrow, Broad, Ventricose, etc.)
❑▼ Gill edges exhibit (or do not exhibit) a gelatinous, pallid, and thickish thread – removable with a needle or forceps – appearing as an elastic-like strip.
❑▼ Gill atachment or non-attachment to the stipe (Adnate, Adnexed, Sinuate, Decurrent, Collared, etc.)
❑▼ Spore print color(s) and heaviness of deposit
❑▼ Permanently sterile or nearly sterile gills
❑▼ The presence or absence of anastomosing (intervenose) gills
❑▼ The presence of “false gills”
❑▼ The presence and abundance of Lamellula (Plural = Lamellulae): The short gills originating from the outer peripheral edge of the cap but not fully extending to the stem. The presence (or absence) of these gills is sometimes important in identifying gilled mushrooms (i.e. the arrangement of the short-gills (random, in tiers, only occurring near the cap margin, etc).
❑▼ Position of the gills (as seen from above thru the pileus surface)
❑▼ Forking/Branching. Whether or not the gills fork (branch off from one another)
❑▼ The presence of mottled gills
❑▼ Gill edges (gill margins) exhibit a nuanced color from the rest of the gill tissue, due to cheilocystidia cells
❑▼ Gill edges (gill margins) exhibit a nuanced texture-appearance (Serrated, Eroded, Sinuate, Wrinkled, etc.)
❑▼ The presence of wavy gills. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/species_list/show_species_list/2051?q=1mJjU
❑▼ Any noteworthy response to a knife cut across the gills
❑▼ Veil fragments adhering to the gills
❑▼ Partially or completely pigmented lamellar edges (nuanced from rest of lamellae) NOT as a result of cystidia appearance

↳ The Stipe [Macroscopic Characters]
❑▼ The presence or absence (and development) of a veil or cortina
❑▼ Presence or absence (and development) of an annulus or annular zone
❑▼ The presence of an annulus scar left behind froma once-present annulus now absent and detached
❑▼ Stipe annulus is easily removable or falls off the stem
❑▼ The presence of annulus ridges
❑▼ Size (length and width) of stipe
❑▼ Diameter amd height of the stem base if bulbous or otherwise nuanced in size in contrast with the rest of the stipe
❑▼ Colors on the stipe
❑▼ Surface texture description of the stipe (Smooth, Banded, Peronate, Fibrose, Lacunose, Longtidunally Striate, Ribbed [Costate], Scabrous, Pruinose [Powdery], Speckled, Punctate, Glandular-Dotted, Reticulate, etc.)
❑▼ Stem apex has striations
❑▼ The spectrum of color of the stipes
❑▼ Stipe is centrally solid, stuffed (w/hyphae), hollow, fistulose, broadly fistulose, partially stuffed/partially hollow, or chambered
❑▼ The presence of a vertical stipe fold. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/glossary_terms/1856 and https://mushroomobserver.org/species_list/show_species_list/2012?q=1lHmX
❑▼ Presence of rhizomorphs or mycelial threads at the stipe base
❑▼ Presence of pseudorhiza
❑▼ Stem base (shape, color, size, attachment, presence/obsence of basal disc)
❑▼ Radicating or non-radicating stipe
❑▼ The presence or absence and form of basal mycelium attached to the stipe (including color, size, density, and substrate attachment)
❑▼ Amiloidity of the basal mycelium cells
❑▼ Substrata items still attached to the base of the basiodcarp(s) upon harvesting
❑▼ Consistency in pattern and appearance of the stipe
❑▼ Stipes are distinctively flexuose, straight, or exhibit multiple forms (extremely flexuouse, somewhat flexuouse, consistently straight, etc.)
❑▼ Any stipe base nuances in contrast with the remaining stipe
❑▼ Any stipe striations present including length, width, depth, and frequency
❑▼ Stipe possesses strict or relaxed longitudinal lines
❑▼ Stipe possesses zig-zagging line patterns in various angles and directions (as seen in many Psilocybe species such as Psilocybe caerulescens). These can resemble chevron-shapes, but they can be angled toward any direction. This character is also referred to as Seismic Coda Scales (and Polygraph-Like Scales, Snakeskin Fibers). Some of the stem surface will macroscopically resemble some seismic coda and polygraph charts. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/glossary_terms/1073
❑▼ Presence or absence of volva and related transitional, observable attributes
❑▼ Height of volva in mm
❑▼ Presence of volva and its evanescence and persistence.
❑▼ Presence of pseudovolva
❑▼ The presence of a volval “sack” that is notably elongated and tubular. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/460796?q=1mlYQ
❑▼ The presence of a marginate bulb
❑▼ The presence of an ozonium
❑▼ Stipe surface tissue peeling up or down (See: https://mushroomobserver.org/species_list/show_species_list/2042)
❑▼ Veil flocks adhering to the stipe
❑▼ Stipe easily fractures when bent
❑▼ The color of any spore deposits resting on the stipe surface
❑▼ Pothole-like depressions, as seen on the stipes of some Lactarius collections
❑▼ The stipe annulus is persistent (permanently attached to the stipe) or disappearing with age
❑▼ The stipe surface exhibits a cottony (cotton-like) hyphal appearance
❑▼ Mycelium appears growing on the stipe base and up the stem far more than most species. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/487056?q=1mPN1
❑▼ Stipe is tapered upward or downward
❑▼ The presence of internal stipe necrosis. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/glossary_terms/1956?q=1mNls
❑▼ Height of annulus (or annular zone) on the stipe (in relation to the stipe)
❑▼ Any noteworthy response to a knife cut to the stipe (similar to cutting a carrot once)
❑▼ Stipe apex exhibits notweorthy, elevated striations that cease approximately one inch from the pilei

↳ More Characters [Macroscopic Characters]
❑▼ Full height of entire fruiting bodies
❑▼ Description of all growth stages (primordia to adult stage to decay) with time-lapse video
❑▼ Habitat & Ecology, including substrate or substrata (On Soil, Decaying Wood, Humus, Duff, Bryophytes, Dung, Grass, Tree Cones, Tree Needles, Leaves, etc.)
❑▼ What tree species are present in the immediate and nearby locality
❑▼ Mode Of Nutrition (Saprophytic, Parasitic, Endophytic, Ectomycorrhizal, Symbiotic, etc.)
❑▼ Mycorrhizal and plant relationships
❑▼ A change in mode of nutrition (adapting from a saprotrophic mode into a mycorrhizal mode, etc.)
❑▼ Locality & Geographic Distribution
❑▼ Latitude & longitude coordinates
❑▼ Weight of entire fruitbody at time of harvest
❑▼ Time of year of natural fruiting
❑▼ Presence or absence of sclerotia and/or pseudosclerotia
❑▼ The form and colors of the primordia if present
❑▼ General growth pattern (Gregarious, Solitary, Caespitose, Connate, Imbricate, Troops, Rings, etc)
❑▼ Field chemical reaction test (KOH, etc.) [See dedicated section further down]
❑▼ Aroma and flavor [See dedicated section further down]
❑▼ The presence of a universal veil or its remnants such as warts
❑▼ The presence or absence of deliquesence
❑▼ The presence or absence of lactiferous fluid
❑▼ Transient/morphing/ephemeral characters exhibited during growth stages
❑▼ Stature Type(s) (See MO Glossary)
❑▼ Basidiocarps are fragile, of normal build, or tough
❑▼ No – or subtle – or drastic color change upon handling specimens and the color(s)
❑▼ Photographic comparison of fresh and dried (completely dehydrated) collections
❑▼ Comparison of color spectrum of pileus and stipe when in very moist (rainy) conditions and in non-rainy conditions
❑▼ The presence of a fluorescence reaction against ultraviolet light
❑▼ Bioluminescence
❑▼ Pilei or stipes exhibiting a darkening, burn-like character. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/species_list/show_species_list/2040?q=1lwxJ
❑▼ The length of lifetime from primordia formation to decomposition of mature basidiocarps
❑▼ Elevation
❑▼ Fungi associated with surviving in a completely aquatic environment
❑▼ Fungi associated with snowpack melt in the mountains
❑▼ Fungi associated with localities that have been burned with fire (pyrophilous fungi)
❑▼ Fruiting temperature range and humidity range
❑▼ Response to various types of growing lights and UV spectrums (blue light, black light, etc.)
❑▼ Also, see the following presentation and skip to 7 minutes in: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M9joL8spvS8#fauxfullscreen
Note: Not only the first and second flushes of a fruiting species are tested, but importantly, the third and fourth flushes are compared
❑▼ Response to deep, low-sounding audio waves during weeks of growth
❑▼ The presence of albinistic or leucistic fruit bodies
❑▼ The presence of secotioid formation
❑▼ Mycelium strongly present above substrate surface (as seen with Gymnopus dryophilus and several Gymnopilus species)
❑▼ Aborts and pins present
❑▼ The presence of guttation (drops, droplets) on the pileus, stipe, and/or gills – and the color and abundance of those drops
❑▼ Agaricicolous fungi (Fungi growing on other species of fungi)
❑▼ The existence of two or more forms (morphs) within the same species
❑▼ The presence of Fungal Dysmorphias – Etc. See: https://mushroomobserver.org/species_list/show_species_list/401
❑▼ The thickness and relative strength of a veil, and the overall developments that occur during the lifespan of the veil
❑▼ Commonness or rarity
❑▼ How fleshy the freshly harvested mushrooms are
❑▼ The presence of “water-spots.” See: https://mushroomobserver.org/glossary_terms/2303?q=1nI5O

More:
https://images.mushroomobserver.org/Glossary_Vellinga.pdf
https://www.creamjournal.org/pdf/CREAM_8_5_3.pdf
https://permies.com/...

Taxonomic Characters Discoverable With Low Magnification (Using A Loupe,
Hand Lens, Magnifying Glass, Photography Analysis, Software Zoom, 100x Reading Glasses, Etc.)

❑▼ The presence of very subtle, distinguishable colors such as sky blue or emerald green
❑▼ The presence or absence of setae
❑▼ Automate and micaceous structures

Macroscopic Characters Based Upon Field Chemical Tests (Macrochemical Color Reactions):

❑▼ Ammonia Tests (NH4OH, Ammonium Hydroxide) for color change
❑▼ KOH Tests (Potassium Hydroxide) for color change
❑▼ Iron Salts Tests (FeSO4) for color change
❑▼ PDAB Tests for color change
❑▼ Phenol Tests for color change
❑▼ Schaeffer Reaction Tests for color change
❑▼ Guaiac – Test for the presence of phenol-oxidase enzymes in mycelium, and field color tests on basidiocarps.
❑▼ Weiland-Meixner Test for color change
❑▼ Sulfovanillin Test (Sulphovanillin, Sulpho-Vanillin): Made from sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and vanillin (vanilla). Used in Russula identification.

Literature For Macroscopic Chemical Tests:
https://coloradomycoflora.org/...
https://goodmushroom.weebly.com/...
https://www.tandfonline.com/...
https://www.researchgate.net/...
https://www.degruyter.com/...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/...
https://www.researchgate.net/...
https://www.mediafire.com/...

Taxonomic Characters Observable Using Aroma And Flavor In The Field

❑ The first thing that can be done after photography is an aroma test. Smell the mushroom as it is – without any other effort. Then, very briefly rub a mushroom cap and the stem. Repeat a few times and do another smell. You can also utilize a knife and cut the mushroom, and then immediately perform a smell test. Record these aromas (almond-like, bakery-like, like dark cacao chocolate, apricot-like, like frozen orange juice, “normal/common,” cucumber-like, anise-like, garlic-like, coal-tar-like, radish-like, cedar-like, bleach-like, spermatic, shrimp-like, maraschino-cherry-like, acrid, etc.). You can repeat this smell test after completely drying out your mushroom collections. Some species will only reveal profound, distinct aromas once they are dehydrated. Sometimes they also need to be dried and then stored in a ziplock bag for a few days before an aroma is obvious and striking.

❑ The next thing you can do is similar, but it involves your mouth. If you have a stomach/digestive sensitivity, I cannot ethically recommend performing this test. It does not imply that you eat (chew and swallow) any material. You should not perform this test if there is a sign of insects being present, including their larvae or boring holes. Also, avoid doing this with decayed or decomposing fungi.

❑ To conduct the test you’ll nibble off a very small piece of mushroom material, and very briefly try to get a flavor description (ie mildly bitter, acrid, gourmet, spicy, none, common, etc.). All of the material is then spit out. Hands and mouth are then thoroughly rinsed. It probably would be a good idea to then gargle for one minute with Listerine, but I doubt anyone does that. Note: I know of one mycologist who has performed taste tests on deadly Galerina and Pholiotina species without any problems. I can’t recommend anyone else trying this, though.

Tip: You can use your bare hands (rather than wearing lab gloves) when doing all of this, but wash your hands very thoroughly when an opportunity arises, especially before touching food. If you have a skin sensitivity (medical condition), particularly on the hands, lab gloves are recommendable.

Microscopic Characters With Taxonomic Value

↳ The Pileus + [Microscopic Characters]
❑▼ Pileus trama pattern
❑▼ Pileus pileipellis pattern (Cutis, Dry Cutis, Ixocutis, Pluristratous Hymeniderm, Hymeniform, Trichoderm, etc.)
❑▼ The presence or absence of pilei cystidia, and their size and form
❑▼ The presence and measurement of pileipellis end-hyphae, pileocystidia, setae & circumcystidia with a description of their form(s)
❑▼ The presence of clamp connections
❑▼ Pileipellis exhibits encrusted pigment(s)
❑▼ Broom cells and/or apical projections observed in the pileipellis
❑▼ The presence of a velipellis

↳ The Lamellae + [Microscopic Characters]
❑▼ A thorough observation of spores will include the following: Size, shape, wall thickness, color, ornamentation, the presence or absence of a pore" tabindex="0">germ pore, symmetry, attachment, the presence or absences of a membrane (perispore), a spore pigmentation test, and spore inner contents
❑▼ The presence (or absence) and measurement of cheilocystidia including shape, color, ornamentation, crystals present/absent, encrustation, wall thickness, variation between individual cystidia, and contents
❑▼ The presence (or absence) and measurement of pleurocystidia including shape, color, ornamentation, crystals, encrustation, wall thickness, variation between individual cystidia, and contents
❑▼ The presence, form, and measurement of other types of cystidia
❑▼ The width of cystidia capitula
❑▼ The size and variation in appearance of basidia, including the amount of sterigmata
❑▼ Gill trama pattern (Parallel, Subregular, Interwoven, Divergent [Bilateral], Divergent (Bilateral) & Multi-Sized, Convergent, Subcellular, etc.)
❑▼ The type of subhymenium pattern (*Note: Some mycologists do not use this feature)
❑▼ The presence and quantity of droplets (guttules) within the spores
❑▼ The presence of paracystidia
❑▼ The presence of carminophilous basidia
❑▼ The presence or absence of a color reaction to the spore wall known as metachromatic (see MO Glossary)
❑▼ The presence of coscinocystidia
❑▼ The presence of macrocystidia

↳ The Stipe + [Microscopic Characters]
❑▼ Stipe trama
❑▼ Stipitipellis form
❑▼ The presence or absence of cystidia (caulocystidia, etc.) and their size and form
❑▼ The presence of a Palisade Layer

↳ More Characters [Microscopic Characters]
❑▼ The presence, form, and measurement of other types of cystidia (pileus cystidia, caulocystidia, chrysocystidia, mycelial cystidia (allocysts), brachycystidia, lamprocystidia, etc) – or the absence of these cells
❑▼ Mycelial conidia (Often requiring separate isolation work on agar)
❑▼ Sclerotia layers and appearance of their hyphae
❑▼ Cell chemical reaction test (KOH, Lugol’s, Sulfuric Acid, Melzer’s, etc)
❑▼ The presence or absence of clamp connections
❑▼ The presence or absence of setae
❑▼ The presence of acanthocytes
❑▼ The presence of crystals in the basal mycelium (as seen in some Stropharia ambigua collections)
❑▼ Spores exhibit calyptration (See: https://mushroomobserver.org/glossary_terms/1529)
❑▼ Spore exterior exhibits any kind of covering (exosporal covering other than calyptration)
❑▼ The presence of refractive contents

Literature For Performing Microscopy:
https://images.mushroomobserver.org/microscopy.pdf
https://images.mushroomobserver.org/Fungal%20Microscopy.pdf

Microscopic Characters Based Upon Chemical Tests

❑▼ Sulfovanillin Test (Sulphovanillin, Sulpho-Vanillin): Made from sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and vanillin (vanilla). It’s used microscopically for viewing sulphidia in some Panaeolus species.
❑▼ Melzer’s reagent can be used to test whether spores are amyloid, nonamyloid, or dextrinoid. Tip: Sometimes Lugol’s Solution can be substituted if Melzer’s reagent is unavailable.

Literature For Microscopic Chemical Tests:
https://sundog.iab.uaf.edu/...

Chemosystematics And Laboratory Chemical Tests: Chemical Characters With Taxonomic Value

This generally refers to Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, or High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, but other testing methods are also useful.

Examples of chemical test results include:

❑▼ The presence or absence, and quantaties, of Psilocybin, Psilocin, Cyanescin (Baeocystin), Nor-Cyanescin (Nor-Baeocystin), and/or Aeruginascin based on HPLC, TLC, MS-GC analysis or similar methods. See: https://chemrxiv.org/... Also see: Andersson et al., 2008.
❑▼ The presence or absence – and quantaties – of 1-Methylpsilocin, 4-Chloroindole-3-Acetic Acid (4-CI-IAA), 4-Hydroxytryptophan, 4-Hydroxytryptamine, 4-Hydroxy-L-Tryptophan, 4-Hydroxyindole, 4-HO-MET, 4-HO-MiPT, 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid, 5-Hydroxytryptamine, 5-Hydroxytryptophan, 5,6-Dihydroxyindole (DHI), 7-Acetyl-4-Methy-Lazulene-1-Carbaldehyde, 7-Isopropenyl-4-Methyl-Azulene-1-Carboxylic Acid, (7-isopropenyl-4-methylazulen-1-yl) Methyl Stearate, 15-Hydroxy-3,6-Dihydrolactarazulene, 15-Hydroxy-6,7-Dihydrolactarazulene, Amatoxins and Amanitins, Azulene, β-carbolines, Baeocystin(1−), Bis-Trimethyl-Silyl-Psilocybin, Bis-Trimethyl-Silyl-Psilocin, Bufotenin, Bufotenidine, Cathinone, Chamazulene, D-Lysergic Acid, Dopa, Dopamine, Dopaminechrome, Dopamine Quinone, Guaiazulene, Gyrocyanin, Harmane, Harmine, Harmol, Hispidin, Indigoidine, Indole, Indole-3-Acetic Acid, Indole-3-Butyric Acid, Indolyl, Isatin, Leucochrome, Luciferin, Luciferase, Matricin, Melatonin, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, Muscarine, N-Methyltryptamine, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, N-Acetylserotonin (NAS, Normelatonin), Nitric Oxide, Norepinephrine, Norharmine, Norpsilocin, Oxindole (2-Indolone), Oxytocin, Phallotoxins and Phalloidins, Phenylethylamine, (Which May Increase Heart Rate), Prolactin, Psilacetin (O-Acetylpsilocin, 4-AcO-DMT), Psilocybin(1-), Pulvinic Acids, Quinone Methide, Sanguinone A, Sanguinone B, Seratonin (5-HT), Tryptamine, Tryptophan (L-Tryptophan) Variegatic Acid, Vasopressin.
❑▼ The presence or absence of known and novel MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors)
❑▼ The presence or absence of Muscarine. See: Kosentka P, Sprague SL, Ryberg M, Gartz J, May AL, et al. (2013).
❑▼ The presence or absence of Muscimol, Ibotenic Acid, Antamanide, novel Amatoxins, Phallotoxins, Phallolysin, Virotoxins, α-Amanitin, β-Amanitin, γ-Amanitin, ε-Amanitin, δ-Amanitin, Amanullin, Amanullinic acid, Amaninamide, Amanin, and Proamanullin.
❑▼ The presence of any of the following: An Anti-Bacterial Chemical, Anti-Fungal Chemical, Anti-Cancer Chemical, Anti-Mosquito Chemical, Anti-Nematode Chemical, Anti-Tick Chemical, Anti-Protozoal Chemical, or an Anti-Viral Chemical.
❑▼ The DNA sequence(s) relevant to the production of a chemical or chemical trait.
❑▼ Testing separately the caps, stems, gill tissue, and mycelium. This is prominently over-looked by some students.

See also: https://miraculix-lab.de/mir_en/psilo-qtest.html

Mating Compatibility Studies With Taxonomic Value

❑▼ Agar-filled petri dishes showing compatibility or incompatability between species can be determined (with exception) with non-wild type data.
❑▼ Mating type (MAT) locus sequence.
❑▼ Quantity of mating types.
❑▼ Mycelium growth pattern (form) description.
❑▼ Mating studies can also include mycorrhizal relationship or group of relationships
❑▼ Predictive DNA sequences based on hypothesizing (or computer/software modeling) the results of combining two or more mating types. (Honest DNA Predictions)

+ Awaiting consensus-driven, supported methods (mating studies are often considered invalid).

Mycelium Characters Used In Taxonomy (Both Microscopic And Macroscopic)

Note: Characters in this sub-list are intended for application with lab-grown myceliums, particularly clones and spore-generated myceliums.

❑▼ The presence or absence of thin or thick-walled hyphae
❑▼ The presence or absence of mycelial cystidia
❑▼ The presence or absence of aerial hyphae
❑▼ The presence or absence of vegetative hyphae
❑▼ The presence or absence of an advancing zone
❑▼ The presence or absence of conidia
❑▼ The presence or absence of chlamydospores
❑▼ The presence or absence of arthrospores
❑▼ The presence or absence of clamp connections
❑▼ The presence or absence of anastomoses
❑▼ The Shape-Form – (Circular, Filamentous, Aerial, Appressed, Cottony, Rhizomorphic, etc.)
❑▼ Size – The diameter of the colony/colonies. Tiny colonies are referred to as punctiform.
❑▼ Elevation – This describes the side view of a colony. Turn the agar petri dish on end.
❑▼ Margin/border – The edge of a colony. What is the shape of the edge of the colony when viewed macroscopically & microscopically?
❑▼ Surface – (Smooth, Glistening, Rough, Wrinkled, or Dull)
❑▼ Opacity – For example, transparent (clear), opaque, translucent (like looking through frosted glass), etc.
❑▼ Mycelium color(s)
❑▼ Observable transformations/phases during colonization on agar (i.e. some hypha starting perfectly vertical and touching top of dish cover, then collapsing into horizontal hypha upon maturation, color beginning white and transforming to light green and finally dark green upon maturation, etc)
❑▼ Reaction to sectioning (damage) including color changes and regenerative hyphal formation(s)
❑▼ Response to cold-shocking
❑▼ Hyphae exhibiting gravitropism, thigmotropism, phototropism, aerotropism, and/or galvanotropism
❑▼ The presence of hyphal coils
❑▼ Myceliums are observed in an experiment in which electromagnetic light (320-400 nanometers) is aimed using slightly nuanced distances and time durations. In contrast, (blue light 440 – 490 nm) and green light (490 – 570 nm) (see nanometer graph elsewhere) tests should be conducted with great patience in separate groups. Dextrose is added to antibiotic agar petri dishes in a separate test group (Test Group 4) in which the myceliums fully colonize, followed by repetitive exposures to light in the 320-400 nm wavelength in Test Group 1, blue light in Test Group 2, then green light in Test Group 3. Additionally, some colonized dishes are selected for cold-shocking to assist in primordia formation (Test Group 5). Another group (Test Group 6) is provided additionally with a substrate rich in soluble Nitrogen, soluble Phosphorous, and soluble Dextrose. 10 grams of Tryptamine is added to the substrate for colonization/fructification in an additional Test Group 7.
❑▼ A zonate mycelium

DNA Characters With Taxonomic Value

❑▼ A complete ITS region (the official DNA barcode) sequence
❑▼ An entire genome sequence or multiple complete genome sequences (phylogenomics)
❑▼ Exome sequencing
❑▼ Additional regions for comparative studies can be performed including CO1, COX1, TEF1, RPB1, RPB1-intron 2, RPB2, 18S, 25S, Small Subunit ribosomal RNA, and Large Subunit ribosomal RNA, β-tubulin II (TUB2), γ-actin (ACT), etc.
❑▼ A complete genome sequence of a mushroom’s sub-surface mycelium. (See: Identification of Mushroom Mycelia Using DNA Techniques, Muruke, et al.).
❑▼ Substrata sequences associated with fungal sequences
❑▼ All sequences obtained from the substrate(s) harvested with the basal mycelium of fruit bodies (i.e. non-fungal, co-existing fungal sequences, co-existing bacteria sequences, etc.).

+ Awaiting consensus-driven, supported literature to discuss error margins, missing base pairs allowance/disallowance, minimum base pair comparison, how many sequences of each species are necessary for knowledge of its variation range.
+ Additional DNA “characters” will be valuable in taxonomy in the future (supplementary barcodes, etc.).

Comparative Studies With Taxonomic Value

→ Comparison of all characters listed above with all taxa within the same genus and family selected. Comparisons to additional taxa within similar appearing genera and families will also be revealing. Comparison to additional phylogenetically related genera and families will also produce insights.