Hebeloma tomoeae - A non-current Hebeloma species

According to our data Hebeloma tomoeae is not the name of a current valid species of Hebeloma. Our database has records for the following similar names

Full name: Hebeloma tomoeae S. Imai (1938)
Published: Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido Imperila University 43 (2): 226 (1938)
Taxonomic status: This is a Pholiota.
Notes: Current name: Pholiota tomoeae (S. Imai) Beker & U. Eberh. Mycol. Prog. 21: 468 (2022).

Types: JAPAN: Hokkaido, Sapporo (approx. 43.1714°N, 141.3155°E, alt. approx. 5 m a.s.l.) on decomposed litter, wood in garden pathside, Aug. 1934, S. Imai (Lectotype. herbarium acc. no. SAPA10000031, HJB1000378). Lectotype designated by Eberhardt et al., Mycol. Prog. 21: (2022) page 468 (MBT10001755).

Note that in Eberhardt et al. (2022b) the database number is erroneously given as HJB1000379.

Original diagnosis: Caespitosum vel gregarium. Pileo 3-5 cm. lato, conico-convexo, dein plano, subumbonato, obtuso, glutinoso, levi, glabro, "Hazel color", margine pallidiore et luteo-fibrilloso; carne lutea, sapore miti; lamellis attenuato-adnexis vel attenuato-subliberis, confertis, lanceolatis, e pallidi subferrugineis; stipite 3-6 cm. longo, 5-10 mm. crasso, basi subbulboso, "citron-yellow" vel "primrose-yellow", floccoso squamuloso, apice luteo et furfuraceo, basi fulvescente, farcto-cavo; cortina "citron-yellow", primo submembranacea, fugaci; sporis in cumulo fulvis, ellipsoideis, levibus, 6.5-10 x 4.5-6 µ; cystidiis fusiformibus, ventricosis, hyalinis vel flavidulis, 30-60 x 10-15 µ.

English translation: Caespitose or gregarious. Pileus 3-5 cm broad, conical to convex, then applanate, subumbonate, obtuse, glutinous, smooth, glabrous, “Hazel-color”, paler and with yellow fibrils on the margin; context yellow, taste mild; lamellae attenuate-adnexed or attenuate-subfree, crowded, lanceolate, pale to almost rusty; stipe 3-6 cm long, 5-10 mm thick, subbulbous at base, “citron-yellow” or “primrose-yellow”, floccose-squamulose, yellow and scurfy at the apex, becoming fulvous at base, stuffed to fistulose; cortina “citron-yellow”, at first almost membranaceous, vanishing; spores fulvous in mass, ellipsoid, smooth, 6.5-10 x 4.5-6 μ¸cystidia fusiform, ventricose, hyaline or yellowish, 30-60 x 10-15 μ.

Commentary: Based on morphology and ITS sequence data (Fig. 4), the syntypes represent the same taxon. Although neither of the syntypes is in particularly good condition, of the two collections, SAPA 10000031 yielded better sequence data. The description is in good agreement with the description given by Imai (1938). Although Imai does not mention burnt ground as the habitat, morphologically and molecularly both syntypes of H. tomoeae are in good agreement with Pholiota brunnescens, which is associated with burnt soil or wood (Matheny et al. 2018). It appears likely that P. tomoeae is a later synonym of P. brunnescens; we rather leave it to Pholiota experts to synonymize the two species, also considering that the phylograms based on several loci published by Matheny et al. (2018) and Tian and Matheny (2021) suggest that P. brunnescens sl may be rather variable and is not supported by bootstrap (Tian and Matheny 2021). Japanese name: Tomoe-take (Imai 1938).