Volvariella variicystidiosa Haqnawaz, Zaman, Niazi & Khalid 2023, sp. nov.

Volvariella variicystidiosa Haqnawaz, Zaman, Niazi & Khalid, sp. nov. (Figures 1, 2). MycoBank 845960 Etymology:—The specific epithet “ variicystidiosa ” (Latin) refers to variable shapes and sizes of cheilocystidia. Diagnosis:—convex to concave pileus, dull brown umbo with grayish brown striations; basidiospores broadly ellipsoid to obovoid; cheilocystidia abundant variable in shape, cymbiform to mucronate, narrowly to broadly moniliform with a broad base, broadly ellipsoid, triangular to conical; pleurocystidia moderately ellipsoid, rarely flexuous, and oblong; light yellow to gray and terminal cell broad cylindrical, apically often mucronate. Holotype:— PAKISTAN. Punjab, Muzaffargarh district, Indus Riverbed, Kot Addu, (30°14’44” N, 70°51’04” E, 134 m a.s.l.) on soil, rich in organic matter, September 03, 2020, Muhammad Haqnawaz (LAH37568). GenBank OP549026 (ITS). Description:— Basidiomata medium-sized. Pileus 15–24 mm, campanulate when young becoming convex to concave, umbonate at maturity, serrate margins, split like grayish brown (5 YR 6/2) striations toward margin on light gray (5 YR 6/2) surface, light gray (10YR 7/1) to dull brown (7.5 YR 5/3) umbo at the mature stage, wrinkled, sulcate to slightly split cap margin, soft, dry, thin and light gray (10YR 7/1) context. Lamellae dull orange (5 YR 7/3), free, narrow, medium size, 2–4 mm width, average, crowded, fimbriate edges, arid misc, branched, 1–2 tiers. Stipe 48– 25 mm, light gray (7.5 Y 8/1), central, flexuous, very slightly thickened downward, rounded, rough surface, hairy, mycelium present on the base, Volva dark grayish yellow (2.5 Y 4/2) color with three to four limbs, 3–5 mm length. Annulus absent. Taste and odor were not recorded. Basidiospores [60/2/2] (5.3–)5.8 –7.4(–7.6) × (3.7–) 4.1 –5.1(–5.5) µm, avl × avw = 6.5 × 4.7 um, Q = 1.13–1.62 µm, Qav = 1.37 µm, broadly ellipsoid to obovoid, hyaline to light brown in 5% KOH, thick-walled, guttulate. Basidia 24–33 × 77–10 µm, hyaline in 5% KOH, 2–4 spored, thick-walled, clavate, fusiform, smooth, guttulate, clamp connection absent. Cheilocystidia 24–92 × 10–37 µm, abundant, broad variation in size and shape, cymbiform to mucronate, narrowly to broadly moniliform with a broad base, and moderately knobbed lageniform, narrowly to broadly fusiform, utriform, rarely broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid with obtuse apex, triangular to conical hyaline in 5% KOH, and clamp connection absent. Pleurocystidia 42–81 × 12–28 µm, extremely variable in size and shape, moderately narrowly utriform, broadly clavate, ellipsoid, fusiform, rarely flexuous, oblong, hyaline in 5% KOH, and clamp connection absent. Pileipellis 13–35 µm diam., cutis type, terminal cell broad cylindrical, apically often mucronate, 72–136 × 12–30 µm, light yellow to gray in 5% KOH, smooth, branched, septate and clamp connections absent. Stipitipellis 9–25 µm diam., thin-walled, irregular intricate cutis type, light yellow to gray in 5% KOH, branched, clamp connections absent. rarely clavate and smooth caulocystidia present. Ecology: Scattered, terrestrial, on sandy soil rich in organic matter. Additional materials examined: Pakistan, Punjab, bed of Indus River, Kot Addu, Muzaffargarh, (30°14’44” N, 70°51’04” E, 134 m a.s.l.) on soil rich in organic matter, August 16, 2019, Muhammad Haqnawaz (LAH37569). GenBank OP549027 (ITS). Same location, August 03, 2021, Muhammad Haqnawaz (LAH37570).GenBank OP549028 (ITS). Khushab, Noorpur Thal, Peelowains (31°59’17.36”N, 71°59’25.86”E, 191 m a.s.l.), August 08, 2021, Zaman Khan (LAH37571). GenBank OP549025 (ITS).Published as part of Haqnawaz, Muhammad, Khan, Zaman, Niazi, Abdul Rehman & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2023, Volvariella variicystidiosa sp. nov. (Agaricaceae, Basidiomycota) from Punjab, Pakistan, pp. 189-198 in Phytotaxa 578 (2) on page 191, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.578.2.5, http://zenodo.org/record/751786