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THE HAWAIIAN FUNGUS AQARICUS ROTALIS IN AUSTRALIA By NEALE L. BOUGHER Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983 Agaricus rotalis K.R. Peterson, collections occurred in widely Desjardin, &. Hemmes is a very varied habitats and locations distinctive mushroom fungus within the greater Perth region, characterised by black including the Swan Coastal Plain marshmallow-shaped buttons, and Darling Scarp: (1) Edith and black and white radial Cowan University Campus, pattern on mature caps (see Pearson Street, Churchlands, Figure 1). The fungus was among uncut grass under an old documented in 2000 as a new exotic Eucalyptus grandis tree, species to Science from the with some trees from pre¬ Hawaiian Islands, where it occurs existing bushland nearby - Marri in woodchips and also in litter (Corymbia calophylla) and Jarrah under Casuarina equisetifolia (Eucalyptus marginata), collected (Petersen et al. 2000, Hemmes and by Neale Bougher 5 April 2005. Desjardin 2002). Until recently A. (2) FI ora land Nursery, Great rotalis had been unknown Eastern Highway, Mahogany outside the tropical Hawaiian Creek, collected by Kevn Islands. The species recently was Griffiths 5 April 2005. Growing reported from Estonia in cool- indoors in humid fernery shade temperate northern Europe (see house along floor line with wood photo by Klas Jaederfeldt at borders. (3) Kings Park, off Kings http:/ / nrm.museum/ kbo/ krypt/ Park Road, West Perth, in several svampplats/ svampplats3.html.se). massive clusters of up to 100 Agaricus rotalis also now has been fruit bodies amongst the leaf identified for the first time in litter under an exotic hardwood Australia, in the Mediterranean tree with an old Pinus tree also climatic region of Perth in nearby, collected by Neale Western Australia. Bougher 14 April 2005. (4) Cliff During 2005, the second year of Sadlier Reserve, Cunningham the Perth Urban Bushland Fungi Terrace, Daglish, in leaf litter and Project, several collections of woodchips in area of Eucalyptus a large Agaricus were identified marginata, Agonis flexuosa as A. rotalis (see woodland, collected by Neale www.fungiperth.org.au). These Bougher 26 May 2005. 244 2 4 5 Figure 1. Agaricus rotalis from Churchlands, Perth, Western Australia. Photo by Neale L. Bougher. Descriptive notes on Agaricus Flesh: white and up to 5mm rotalis from Western Australia: thick in pileus, unchanging except rapidly becoming bright Cap: up to 70mm diameter; convex, finally flat. Margin yellow when cut at and near the base. Yellow stain fades after incurved and fused to a thick veil in the button, later with a several minutes. membranous white flap, and With photographs and finally deeply split radially. descriptions of Agaricus rotalis Surface dry, very dark grey to now widely available, further almost back in young buttons, records of this distinctive fungus then paler and covered with are likely to be confirmed in minute appressed dark scales. other parts of Australia and the Remaining black and contiguous world, including tropical and at the cap centre. Then the temperate regions. surface splits radially from near centre to the margin with striking alternative radial strips ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of blackish-grey with minute This work was undertaken scales, and white where the during the Perth Urban underlying white context is Bushland project supported by exposed. Veil: white, Lotterywest - a collaborative membranous, thick, forming a project with the Urban Bushland superior, pendulous but Council, Department of collapsing ring that becomes Environment and Conservation's ragged and torn with age and WA Herbarium and the WA may disappear entirely in some Naturalists’ Club Inc. specimens. Gills: free, to 7mm deep, cream in button, then pale pink, dull pink, finally REFERENCES chocolate, crowded; edge smooth HEMMES, D.E. and DESJARDIN, entire and concolorous; D.E. 2002. Mushrooms of Haivai’i. lamellules abundant. Stem: up to Ten Speed Press, Berkeley/ 80 x 8mm, cylindrical or slightly Toronto. broadening towards base; with an abruptly swollen base to 15mm PETERSEN, K.R., DESJARDIN, D.E. broad; solid then developing a and HEMMES, D.E. 2000. narrow hollow in part. Surface Agaricales of the Hawaiian Islands. dry, smooth, shiny white below 6. Agaricaceae 1. Agariceae: Agaricus the annulus dulling especially and Melanophyllum. Sydowia 52: near the apex with age; pinkish 204-257. when young above annulus. 246