Authors: Mäkelä, Kaiho & Koponen, Hilkka
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 56-63.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.116
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Abstract:  Material of this study consists of c. 4650 grass samples gathered on leys, field borders, yard swards, and forest meadows and seashore throughout the country during 1966-1974. Collections of Department of Plant Pathology, and Botanical Museum, University of Helsinki, and Mr. Pentti Alanko’s herbarium were also examined.
Telimenella gangraena (Fr.) Petr. was found on 28 samples of six grass species: Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) PB., D. flexuosa (L .) Trin., Festuca rubra L., Melica nutans L., Poa alpina L., and P. nemoralis (L.), throughout the country (60°- 69°N, 19°- 29°E), being most common on D. flexuosa in North Finland.
Ripe perithecia of the fungus were found by the authors on two specimens of D. flexuosa (collected in Aug. 1973), just after keeping them in refrigerator for six months. Besides, mature perithecia were refound on F. rubra and D. caespitosa, collected by Karsten in 1866 and 1867 (in Herb. H) . Mature perithecia were found only in the specimens collected in early spring and late autumn.
Septogloeum oxysporum Bomm., Rouss. & Sacc. was found on 58 samples of 12 grass species: Agrostis tenuis Sibth., A. canina L., A. stolonifera L., Alopecurus pratensis L., Calamagrostis arundinacea (L.) Roth, C. epigeios (L.) Roth, C. lapponica (WG). Hartm., Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin., Festuca pratensis Huds., Melica nutans L., Poa nemoralis L., and P. pratensis L. throughout the country (60°- 69°N, 22-31 °E), being most common on A. tenuis and C. arundinacea, occurring only accidentally on the other gransses. Conidia of the fungus were found to be most abundant in June and August. The both fungi are of negligible importance.

Authors: Koponen, Hilkka & Mäkelä, Kaiho
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 46-55.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.115
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Abstract:  Material of this study consists of c. 4650 grass samples gathered on leys, field borders, and forests throughout the country during 1966-1974. Collections of Department of Plant Pathology, and Botanical Museum, University of Helsinki, and Mr. Pentti Alanko’s herbarium were also examined.
Phyllachora graminis (Pers. ex Fries) Nke. was found on 26 samples of three grass species: Agropyron caninum (L.) PB., A. repens (L.) PB., and Pleum pratense L., being most common on A. caninum in South Finland.
P. silvatica Sacc. & Speg. was found on ten samples of Festuca ovina L., throughout the country.
Epichloë typhina (Pers.) Tul. was found on 96 samples of 15 grass species: Agrostis stolonifera L., A. tenuis Sibth., Anthoxanthum odoratum L., Avena pratensis L., Calamagrostis canescens (Web.) Roth, C. epigeios (L .) Roth, C. lapponica (Wg.) Hartm., C. neglecta (Ehrh.) G., M. & Sch., C. purpurea Trin., Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca rubra L., Phleum boehmeri Wib., P. pratense L., and Poa pratensis L., throughout the country, being most common on Dactylis glomerata and Phleum pratense in Ahvenanmaa and South Finland, besides on Calamagrostis species in North Finland.
Acrospermum graminum Lib. was found on 28 specimens of eight grass species: Agropyron repens, Calamagrostis epegeios, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia caespitosa (L .) PB., Festuca rubra, F. ovina, and Phleum pratense in southern Finland, being most common on A. repens.
All these fungi were found to be rare or accidental and infrequent, usually on wild grasses on field borders, and forests. All the fungi are of negligible importance.

Authors: Mäkelä, Kaiho & Koponen, Hilkka
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 38-45.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.114
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Abstract:  “Material of this study consists of c. 4650 grass samples gathered on leys, field borders and forests throughout the country during 1966-1974. Collections of Department of Plant Pathology, and Botanical Museum, University of Helsinki, and Mr. Pentti Alanko’s herbarium were also examined. Ovularia pusilla (Ung.) Sacc. et D. Sacc. was found on 29 samples of 11 grass species: Agrostis borealis Hartm., A. tenuis Sibth., Calamagrostis canescens (Web.) Roth, C. epigeios (L.) Roth, C. purpurea Trin., Cinna latifolia (Trevir.) Griseb., Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) PB., D. flexuosa (L.) Trin., Festuca rubra L., Hierochloii odorata (L.) PB., and Poa annua L., throughout the country, being most common on P. annua. Hadrotrichum virescens Sacc. et Roum. was found on nine specimens of four grass species: Agropyron repens (L.) PB., Agrostis stolonifera L., A. tenuis, and Poa Chaixii Vill. in some places as far as Lapland. Deightoniella arundinacea (Sacc.) Hugh. was found on three specimens of three grass species: Calamagrostis purpurea, Molinia coerulea (L.) Moench, and Phragmites communis Trin. in the neighbourhood of Helsinki. Discosia artocreas (Tode) Fr. was found on two specimens of two grass species: Lolium perenne L., and Melica nutans L. in Helsinki.
All these fungi were found to be accidental and infrequent, usually on wild grasses on field borders, and forests. All fungi are of negligible importance.”

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 36-37.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.113
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Abstract:  A case of intoxication in Sweden caused by Gyromitra ambigua (Karst.) Harmaja (Ascomycetes: Pezizales), a species previously not known to be poisonous, is reported. The fresh fruit bodies were boiled but the boiling water was taken with the dish and eaten, too. Three other cases of poisoning, occurred in Alaska and Finland and caused by fruit bodies of G. infula (Fr.) Quél. coll. (i.e., either G. ambigua or G. infula) which were fresh prepared for dish without boiling and rinsing, are also discussed. On the other hand, two different cases are known when fruit bodies of G. ambigua kept in boiling water (the water not being used for the dish) did not cause any effects of intoxication. Dried or boiled and rinsed fruit bodies of G. infula coll. apparently have never been reported to have caused poisonings. The symptoms of the present cases are very similar to those known to occur in intoxications caused by the famous relative species, G. esculenta (Pers.) Fr. These facts suggest that the toxically effective substance of G. ambigua is the same as (or chemically closely related to) that in G. esculenta, i.e. gyromitrine. G. infula s. str. is apparently intoxical.

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 33-35.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.112
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Abstract:  The status of the genus Paradiscina Benedix (Pezizales) was studied by examining the holotype of the type species of that genus, Discina melaleuca Bres. The type specimen of that species has spores with four nuclei and a persistent strongly cyanophilic perisporium as well as excipulum of the Gyromitra type. It is concluded that Discina melaleuca (1) is a typical member of the family Helvellaceae Dum., (2) belongs to the genus Gyromitra Fr. sensu HARMAJA 1973 and (3) is a valid species. Consequently, Paradiscina becomes a synonym of the older generic name Gyromitra. The results of the study necessitate the transfer of D. melaleuca to Gyromitra, and the following new combination is made: Gyromitra melaleuca (Bres.) Harmaja. A note on the exc ipular anatomy of Gyro mitra is also given. The family Rhizinaceae Bon. is included in Helvellaceae.

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 29-32.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.111
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Abstract:  The following six new species of the Pezizales are described: Helvella pocillum Harmaja, Otidea tuomikoskii Harmaja, O. nannfeldtii Harmaja, O. papillata Harmaja, O. formicarum Harmaja and O. myosotis Harmaja. The following six new combinations are made: Gyromitra accumbens (Rahm) Harmaja, G. geogenia (Rahm) Harmaja, G. intermedia (Benedix) Harmaja, G. larryi (McKnight) Harmaja, Otidea microspora (Kanouse) Harmaja and O. propinquata (Karst.) Harmaja. The generic concept of Gyromitra Fr. is also discussed in brief, and a few new observations on characters of species of this genus are presented.

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 25-28.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.110
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Abstract:  The author has found the agarics Hygrophorus pacificus Smith & Hesler (one locality) and H. hyacinthinus Quél. (three localities) in Kuusamo, northern Finland. The former is new to Europe, the latter new to northern Europe. The characters of these species, especially those which separate them from their closest relatives, are presented and partly amended, and their habitat ecology and distribution are d iscussed. Both species are characterized especially through a strong fragrant odour. H. hyacinthinus occurs in forest on calcareous soil associated with Picea or Abies and possesses a boreal-montane distribution restricted to Europe. H. pacificus occurs in coniferous forest apparently always associated with Picea and has a boreal-montane distribution in North America with one locality in northern Europe.

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 23-24.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.109
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Abstract:  The author observed that the walls of the spores and basidia of all of those nine species (including the type) of the genus Tricholoma (Fr.) Staude (Agaricales) examined by him are weakly cyanophilic. In the litterature these structures have been considered cyanophobic.

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 19-22.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.108
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Abstract:  Clitocybe montana Harmaja (Agaricales) is known from subalpine grass-herb birch forest on calcareous soil in northern Norway. It is probably most closely related to C. lapponica Harmaja, from which it differs through the glabrous pileus surface, stronger odour, and different spores and basidia. Lactarius lapponicus Harmaja (Russulales) is not uncommon in grass-herb forests in northern Fennoscandia. It resembles L. mitissimus (Fr.) Fr. most, but is easily separated from that species by the rapidly and strongly yellowing milk and thicker pilocystidia.

Authors: Harmaja, Harri
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 15 (1976), pages 16-18.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.1976.107
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Abstract:  The holotypes of seven taxa, described under the generic name Clitocybe (Fr.) Staude (Agaricales) or considered as belonging to that genus, are scrutinized. All but one turned out to be referable to genera other than Clitocybe. Four of them are considered to be synonymous with other species of those genera while two are found valid. For the lastnamed species the following new combinations are therefore made: Calocybe aromatica (Murr.) Harmaja and Lyophyllum subnitens (Bigelow) Harmaja. In addition, the new combination Clitocybe dryadicola (Favre) Harmaja is made. Moreover, to the contrary of the author’s previous opinion, Agaricus clitocyboides Cooke & Massee is considered distinct from Singerella (Clitocybe) hydrogramma (Fr.) Harmaja and the resulting new combination is made: Singerella clitocyboides (Cooke & Massee) Harmaja. Notes on Pseudoclitocybe (Clitocybe) atra (Vel.) Harmaja are also presented. In addition, the carminophilic (siderophilic) granules, or vesicles connected with the endoplasmatic reticulum, of the basidia of Lyophyllum have been observed to be cyanophilic, too, a response not reported before.