Crinipellis fuscosquamosa T. Bau & W. N. Hou 2026, sp. nov.

Crinipellis fuscosquamosa T. Bau & W. N. Hou sp. nov. Figs 14 D – F, 16 Diagnosis. This species differs from Cr. bidens T. Bau, in having a pileus with a dark brown, radially arranged, tomentose scales, stipe hairs with fusiform, ellipsoid, or subglobose swellings, and black-brown rhizomorphs at the stipe base. Etymology. “ fuscosquamosa ” refers to the brown scales densely covering the pileus and stipe surfaces. Description. Basidiomata medium-sized. Pileus 1.7–1.9 cm diam., initially subhemispherical, becoming applanate, center slightly raised; surface brown (RAL 8002), with dark brown (RAL 8011), entire scales at center and radially arranged, tomentose scales toward the margin. Context cream (RAL 9001), thin. Lamellae free, dense, cream (RAL 9001). Stipe 5.4–5.9 cm long, 1–2 mm thick, cylindrical, hollow; surface clay brown (RAL 8001), densely covered with fibrous, dark brown (RAL 8011) scales; base blackish-brown (RAL 8022), slightly enlarged; with black-brown (RAL 8022) rhizomorphs. Basidiospores (4.7) 5–6.4 (6.6) × (3) 3.1–4.15 (4.5) µm, Q = (1.11) 1.25–1.78 (2.07) [1.5 ± 0.18], ellipsoid, slightly thick-walled, nearly hyaline, inamyloid. Basidia 19–25 × 5–6.3 µm, clavate, smooth, thin-walled, hyaline, 4 - (rarely 2 -) sterigmate. Basidioles 17–24 × 5–6.6 µm, clavate, thin-walled, hyaline. Cheilocystidia abundant, thin-walled, hyaline; main body clavate, 10–22 × 3–7.5 µm, usually with two slender cylindrical, finger-like branches at apex, branches 7–14 × 1.7–3.7 µm; some cheilocystidia with three branches, base 17–21 × 5–8.2 µm, branches 4.7–15 × 1.2–3.6 µm; occasionally with four branches. Pleurocystidia not observed. Lamellar trama regular; hyphae 4.5–6.7 µm wide, with clamp connections. Pileus hairs 503–627 × 3–5 µm, setose, thick-walled, septate, dextrinoid, deep brownish-brown. Pileus trama cutis-type; hyphae 6.2–9.8 µm wide, reddish-brown, thin-walled, unchanged in 5 % KOH. Stipe hairs composed of cylindrical, dark brown, thick-walled hyphae 5–7.3 µm wide, with fusiform, ellipsoid, or subglobose swellings 35–48 × 16–30 µm; terminal hyphae subfusiform, septate, unchanged in 5 % KOH. Clamp connections present in all tissues. Typus. CHINA • Jilin Province, Jilin City, Jiaohe City, Qianjin Forest Farm, on leaf litter in coniferous forests, 6 September 2024, 43°57'21"N, 127°42'53"E, alt. 409 m, T. Bau, FJAU 69428 (ZTY 249619), holotype. Additional materials examined. CHINA • Jilin Province, Baishan City, Fusong County, Ancient Tree Park, on leaf litter in coniferous forests, 20 August 2021, 42°27'48"N, 127°52'43"E, alt. 801 m, T. Bau & Q. Q. Dong, FJAU 69452 (DQQ 21). • Jilin Province, Baishan City, Fusong County, Lushuihe National Forest Park, growing on dead branches of broad-leaved trees, 42°29'38"N, 127°52'08"E, alt. 781 m, 8 August 2024, J. L. Wei, FJAU 69460 (J 24080806). • Jilin Province, Baishan City, Fusong County, Songjianghe National Forest Park, on dead branches in coniferous forests, 42°10'23"N, 127°30'59"E, alt. 747 m, 10 August 2024, T. Y. Zhang, FJAU 69461 (ZTY 2481012). • Jilin City, Jiaohe City, Qianjin Forest Farm, on leaf litter in coniferous forests, 6 September 2024, 43°57'18"N, 127°42'44"E, alt. 408 m, Q. R. Liu, FJAU 69430 (R 24914). • Jilin City, Jiaohe City, Lafashan Mountain, on leaf litter in broad-leaved forests, 5 September 2024, 43°48'21"N, 127°23'50"E, alt. 349 m, T. Y. Zhang, FJAU 69429 (ZTY 249516). Notes. Kerekes and Desjardin (2009) indicated that the diagnostic taxonomic characteristics of Crinipellis species primarily include pileus color, the presence or absence of rhizomorphs, habitat type, cheilocystidial shape, the presence or absence of pleurocystidia, basidiospore shape and size, and color changes of pileipellis and stipitipellis hyphae in KOH solution. The key diagnostic features of the present species are as follows: a brown pileus surface covered with radially arranged dark brown tomentose scales; cream-colored lamellae; basidiospores measuring 4.7–6.4 × 3–4.5 µm; absent pleurocystidia; cheilocystidia bearing 2–4 digitate branches; and stipe hairs with fusiform or flask-shaped swellings that remain unchanged in 5 % KOH. This species is morphologically similar to Cr. rhizomaticola Antonín, Ryoo & H. D. Shin, which also possesses a chestnut-brown to brown pileus covered with tomentose scales, and white to pale cream lamellae (Antonín et al. 2009). Cr. rhizomaticola differs by producing abundant pleurocystidia, clavate cheilocystidia with irregular, coarse branches at the apex, and stipitipellis hyphae that turn bright olive-green in 5 % KOH. Phylogenetically, this species is most closely related to Cr. zonata (Peck) Pat., which has relatively small basidiospores (6.5–7.25 × 3.0–4.0 µm) within this genus. However, Cr. zonata exhibits zonate-radial pileal scale arrangement, whereas the present species has longitudinally and radially arranged scales without a zonate pattern (Patouillard 1900). Furthermore, Cr. zonata possesses clavate or subfusiform cheilocystidia with irregularly curved, rostrate apical projections, while the present species has cheilocystidia with slender bases and typically 2–4 long finger-like apical branches. In addition, the stipitipellis hyphae of the present species frequently form fusiform or flask-shaped swellings, which distinguishes it from Cr. zonata (Patouillard 1900; Antonín et al. 2009; Liu et al. 2018).