Rare and noteworthy lepiotaceous species (Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Agaricaceae) from Israel

Although the family Agaricaceae has been the focus of interest for many studies (e.g. Kühner 1936, Babos 1979, Wasser 1980, Bon 1981, Candusso & Lanzoni 1990, Guzmán & Guzmán-Dávalos 1992, Vellinga 2001), it has not been included in inventories of Israeli mycobiota. However, three out of the four agaricaceous tribes as delimited by Singer (1986) and Wasser (1980) are represented in Israel: Agariceae Pat., Leucocoprineae Singer, and Lepioteae Fayod. Wasser (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002) has published his reevaluations of earlier data regarding Israeli taxa in the tribe Agariceae and reported on 43 taxa representing four genera in Agariceae (Wasser 2002). Other tribes, which have not been well studied, require further study. Fragmentary data on some Leucocoprineae and Lepioteae species is available in more general publications on the higher basidiomycetes of Israel (Avizohar-Hershenzon 1967, Binyamini 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976a,b,c, 1984, 1989; Didukh et al. 2002, 2004; Reichert & Avizohar-Hershenzon 1953, 1955, 1959). Our literature review identified the following 28 lepiotaceous species: Chlorophyllum molybdites (G. Mey.) Massee, Macrolepiota excoriata (Schaeff.) M.M. Moser, M. fuligineosquarrosa Malençon, M. mastoidea (Fr.) Singer, M. procera (Scop.) Singer, M. prominens (Fr.) M.M. Moser, M. rachodes (Vittad.) Singer, Leucoagaricus carneifolius (Gillet) Wasser, La. leucothites (Vittad.) Wasser, La. littoralis (Menier) M. Bon & Boiffard, La. wichanskyi (Pilát) M. Bon & Boiffard, Chamaemyces carmelensis M. Didukh & Wasser, Ch. fracidus (Fr.) Donk, Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (Corda) Singer, Lc. cretatus Locq. ex Lanzoni, Lepiota alba (Bres.) Sacc., L. brunneoincarnata Chodat & C. Martin, L. brunneolilacea M. Bon & Boiffard, L. castanea Quél., L. clypeolaria (Bull.) P. Kumm., L. echinella Quél. & G. E. Bernard, L. helveola Bres., L. lilacina (Quél.) Boud., L. micropholis (Berk. & Broome) Sacc., L. oreadiformis Velen., L. scobinella (Fr.) Gillet, L. serena (Fr.) Sacc., and L. setulosa J.E. Lange. As a result of our investigation, four species of lepiotaceous fungi are reported from Israel for the first time: Leucoagaricus pilatianus, Lepiota apatelia, L. subgracilis and Macrolepiota konradii.