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Destuntzia saylorii Fogel & Trappe

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Scientific name
Destuntzia saylorii
Author
Fogel & Trappe
Common names
 
IUCN Specialist Group
Mushroom, Bracket and Puffball
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Gomphales
Family
Gomphaceae
Assessment status
Assessed
Preliminary Category
VU D1
Proposed by
Noah Siegel
Assessors
Noah Siegel
Comments etc.
James Westrip, Gregory Mueller

Assessment Notes

Justification

Destuntzia saylorii is a rare hypogeous fungus, known from three locations in California, USA; one in Tahoe National Forest, and two locations close to each other in San Bernardino National Forest.  Despite multiple attempts to recollect it at the Type location, it went 33 years before being recollected by M. Castellano and N. Siegel in 2019 (personal communication). Being a hypogeous fungus, its detectability is low and relatively few people search for these fungi in the suspected range.  Thus is difficult to estimate population size.  While it has a large potential distribution—southern to northern California— it has only been recorded from the extremes of this distribution.  Additionally, given the very few recorded sightings of the species over the past 30+ years, the species is considered very rare.  Taking a precautionary approach, it is conservatively estimated that the species occurs in up to 50 times the number of known locations (150), each with up to 6 mature individuals resulting in a estimated population size of up to 900 mature individuals.  It is assessed as Vulnerable. 


Taxonomic notes

Described by Fogel and Trappe (1985), based on a collection made in Tahoe National Forest, in Sierra County, California, USA.


Why suggested for a Global Red List Assessment?

Destuntzia saylorii is a rare hypogeous fungus, known from three locations in California, USA; one in Tahoe National Forest, and two locations close to each other in San Bernardino National Forest.


Geographic range

Very rare, known from only three locations in California, USA; one in the northern Sierra Nevada, and two in the San Bernardino mountains in southern California.


Population and Trends

Currently known from three locations, two in the San Bernardino mountains in southern California and the type location in the northern Sierra Nevada (Siegel et al. 2019). Six collections were made at the Type location in the early and mid 1980’s (MycoPortal.org, 2020). Despite multiple attempts to recollect it at the Type location, it went 33 years before being recollected by M. Castellano and N. Siegel in 2019 (personal communication). Destuntzia rubra is nearly identical macromorphologically, and is listed as a sensitive species by the USDA Forest Service (Castellano et al. 1999), and subjected to active surveys. Even though D. saylorii is not including on the sensitive species list, because of the similarity in the field, there is a high probability that it would have been collected if found. However, no records of D. saylorii have turned up from those surveys. While it has a large potential distribution—southern to northern California— it has only been recorded from the extremes of this distribution.  Additionally, given the very few recorded sightings of the species over the past 30+ years, the species is considered very rare.  Taking a precautionary approach, it is conservatively estimated that the species occurs in up to 50 times the number of known locations (150), each with up to 6 mature individuals resulting in a estimated population size of up to 900 mature individuals.

Population Trend: Uncertain


Habitat and Ecology

Hypogeous, scattered or in clusters in duff and soil in forests with Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia), Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), and oaks (Quercus spp). All collections were growing along stream banks. Fruiting from late spring into fall. Presumably ectomycorrhizal, but host species uncertain. This species is dependent on mycophagy (primarily eaten by small mammals) for spore dispersal.

Temperate Forest

Threats

While little is known regarding this species’ distribution and particular habitat preferences to rigorously assess possible threats, habitat loss and decline in quality likely reduced appropriate habitat for the species. .


Conservation Actions

Protect known sites from management activities, including logging, fuels reduction, or other development and disturbance. Add to USFS sensitive species list.

Site/area protection

Research needed

Surveys for this species, and revisits the historic sites in southern California are needed to see if populations can be located there. Additionally, there is a need to identify potential hosts, and habitat restrictions of this species.

Population size, distribution & trendsLife history & ecology

Use and Trade

None.


Bibliography

Castellano, M., Smith, J.E., O’Dell, T., Cázares, E. and Nugent, S. 1999. Handbook to Strategy 1 Fungal Species in the Northwest Forest Plan. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-476. United States Department of Agriculture.

Fogel, R. and Trappe, J.M. 1985. Destuntzia, a new genus in the Hymenogastraceae (Basidiomycotina). Mycologia 77:732-742.

MyCoPortal. Mycology Collections Portal. Available at: http://mycoportal.org

Siegel, N., Vellinga, E.C., Schwarz, C., Castellano, M.A. and Ikeda, D. 2019. A Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California’s National Forests. Bookmobile: Minneapolis, MN. 313 p.


Country occurrence

Regional Population and Trends

Country Trend Redlisted