Clavarioid fungi and Gasteromycetes from Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, West Africa

Abstract

Nine clavarioid-coralloid fungi and 14 gasteromycetes are reported from the islands of Sao Tome and Principe. Of these 23 species, 14 are first reports for the Republic. Minimal descriptions, color photographs and comparisons with allied taxa are provided.

Full text

Submitted 22 July 2015, Accepted 25 August 2015, Published online 12 September 2015
Corresponding Author: Dennis E. Desjardin – email – ded@sfsu.edu 515
Clavarioid fungi and Gasteromycetes from Republic of São Tomé and
Príncipe, West Africa
Desjardin DE1 and Perry BA 2
1Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, California 94132, USA;
ded@sfsu.edu
2Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward,
California 94542, USA; brian.perry@csueastbay.edu
Desjardin DE, Perry BA 2015 – Clavarioid fungi and Gasteromycetes from Republic of São Tomé
and Príncipe, West Africa. Mycosphere 6(5), 515–531, Doi 10.5943/mycosphere/6/5/2
Abstract
Nine clavarioid-coralloid fungi and 14 gasteromycetes are reported from the islands of São
Tomé and Príncipe. Of these 23 species, 14 are first reports for the Republic. Minimal descriptions,
color photographs and comparisons with allied taxa are provided.
Key words – fungal diversity – mushrooms – Gulf of Guinea
Introduction
The earliest reports of fleshy macrofungi from São Tomé and Príncipe were those of
Bresadola and Roumeguère (1890), who described collections made by Moller, Quintas and
Newton in 1885. Although the majority of species they reported were polypores, a few agarics,
clavarioid fungi, gasteromycetes, stereoid fungi, jelly fungi, ascomycetes and myxomycetes were
included. Very limited fungal biodiversity research has since focused on the island nation. In April
2006 (2 wk) and April 2008 (3 wk), expeditions led by scientists from the California Academy of
Sciences and joined by mycologists from San Francisco State University visited São Tomé and
Príncipe to document the diversity of plants, amphibians, marine invertebrates and macrofungi.
Initial accountings of the macrofungi collected during these expeditions were the publication of a
new stinkhorn, Phallus drewesii Desjardin & B.A. Perry, from São Tomé (Desjardin & Perry
2009), and a new coral fungus, Scytinopogon havencampii Desjardin & B.A. Perry, from Príncipe
(Desjardin & Perry 2015). We continue here with reports of additional clavarioid-coralloid fungi
and gasteromycetes from the region.
Materials & Methods
Specimens were dried on a Nesco food dehydrator, packed in airtight plastic bags and hand
carried back to the US. Macromorphological data were derived from fresh specimens, whereas
micromorphological data were derived from dried specimens rehydrated in ethanol followed by
distilled water, 3% KOH or Melzer's reagent. Color terms and notations are those of Kornerup and
Wanscher (1978). All cited specimens are deposited in the H.D. Thiers Herbarium, Dept. of
Biology, San Francisco State University (SFSU).
Mycosphere 6 (4): 515–531(2015) ISSN 2077 7019
www.mycosphere.org Article Mycosphere
Copyright © 2015 Online Edition
Doi 10.5943/mycosphere/6/5/2

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Taxonomy
Clavarioid Fungi
Nine species of clavarioid-coralloid fungi are reported herein from the islands. Three of
these were described originally from São Tomé island (Bresadola & Roumeguère 1890), one from
Príncipe island (Desjardin & Perry 2015), and the remaining five species are first reports for the
Republic.
Aphelaria subglobispora P. Roberts, Kew Bull. 54(3): 519. 1999.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 0106 Fig. 1, 5a
Basidiomes coralloid, 15–20  10–25 mm, erect, tough, pliant, coriaceous; branches
polychotomous, flattened, arising from near the base; surface dull, smooth to rugulose; tips off-
white to buff, upper branches grayish orange (6B3), base of branches grayish brown (7D–E3), stipe
off-white.
Basidiospores 5.0–5.7  4.5–5.2 µm, ovoid to subglobose, smooth, hyaline, with a distinct
apiculus, eguttate. Basidia 33–40  5.7–6.7 µm, subclavate, hyaline, 4-spored, clamped. Basidioles
subcylindrical to subclavate. Cystidia absent. Dichophyses absent. Hymenium thickening. Hyphae
2–4 µm diam, cylindrical, smooth, hyaline, inamyloid, non-gelatinous, non-incrusted, thick-walled.
Habitat and known distribution – Solitary, in clumps in soil in secondary forest with
coconut and rattan.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, east side of island at the base of Dois Irmãos,
N1˚34.889', E7˚25.548', 23 April 2008, coll. by D.E. Desjardin, DED8317 (SFSU).
Notes – Aphelaria subglobispora was described from Cameroon. Basidiomes are similar in
shape and pigmentation to small forms of A. dendroides (Jungh.) Corner (1950), but the latter
usually forms larger basidiomes (up to 70 mm tall) with larger basidiospores 7.5–9  7–8 µm and
clampless hyphae. Aphelaria tuberosa (Grev.) Corner is also similar, but forms subfusoid
basidiospores 14–20  5–7 µm on much larger basidia (Corner 1950). Aphelaria ceracea Corner
differs in forming white basidiomes that develop on the bark of Quercus trees in Pakistan (Corner
1970).
Fig. 1 – Basidiomes of Aphelaria subglobispora (DED8317). Scale bar = 10 mm.

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Clavaria phoenicea Zoll. & Moritzi, Natuur-Geneesk. Arch. Ned.-Indië 1: 380. 1844. Fig. 2, 5b
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01062
= Clavulinopsis miniata var. ealaensis (Beeli) Corner, Bull. Jard. Bot. État Brux. 36(3): 258.
1966.
= Clavaria phoenicea var. ealaensis Beeli, Bull. Soc. R. Bot. Belg. 58: 209. 1926.
Basidiomes simple, club-shaped or with 2–4 branches, 30–60 mm tall  2–3 mm diam,
compressed, tips acute; surface smooth to rugulose, glabrous, pale coral red (8–9A6), fading in age
to pink. Odor indistinct.
Basidiospores 5.5–6  5.5–5.7 µm, globose to subglobose, smooth, hyaline, thin-walled.
Basidia 4-spored, clamped. Hyphae hyaline, clamped.
Habitat and known distribution – Cespitose in soil in secondary upland forest. Africa (DR
Congo, Príncipe), widespread in tropical Asia.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, trail at Roca Pico Papagaio, N1˚37.182',
E7˚23.474', elev. 250 m, 21 April 2008, coll. by B.A. Perry and D.E. Desjardin, BAP643 (SFSU).
Notes – Clavaria phoenicea was reported from Cameroon (Roberts 1999) with narrower
basidiospores (4.5–5.5 µm diam), and from the DR Congo as Clavulinopsis miniata var. ealaensis
based on coral pink basidiomes with slightly larger, more ellipsoid basidiospores 6.7–7.5  5.5–6.3
µm (Corner 1966).
Fig. 2 – Basidiomes of Clavaria phoenicea. Scale bar = 10 mm.
Clavulina vanderystii (Bres.) Corner, Ann. Bot. Mem. 1: 341. 1950. Figs. 3, 5c
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01063
Basionym: Lachnocladium vanderystii Bres., Bull. Jard. Bot. État Brux. 4: 25. 1913.
Basidiomes coralloid, 50–70  40–50 mm. Stipe cespitose, connivent, 20–30  2.5–5 mm,
polychotomously branched above, solid; surface white-pruinose over dark orangish brown (5C–
D5–6) ground color. Branches 1–2 mm diam, dichotomous to polychotomous, subcompressed,
axils angular, acute; surface rugulose, glabrous to minutely pruinose, pale orangish white to grayish
white; tips 2–4-fid, sharply pointed, white. Odor sweet, wax-like.

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Basidiospores 7–8.5  6.5–7.0 µm, subglobose, smooth, hyaline, thin-walled. Basidia 2-
spored, clamped. Hyphae hyaline, clamped.
Habitat and known distribution – Scattered in rocky soil in primary coastal forest. Africa
(DR Congo, Príncipe).
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, mouth of the Rio São Tomé, N1˚38'40.45",
E7˚21'15.5", elev. 30 m, 22 April 2008, coll. by B.A. Perry, BAP647 (SFSU).
Notes – Lachnocladium vanderystii was described from the DR Congo as forming "luride
alutaceis" stems, and the material from Príncipe matches nicely. Corner (1950) made the transfer
into Clavulina, but later (Corner 1966) accepted the taxon as a synonym of the apparently invalid
epithet C. cristata var. nivea Bourd. & Galz. The latter represents a European taxon with white to
cream basidiomes with palmately divided branches and blunt to subulate tips, clearly distinct from
the African species presented here. Clavulina coffeoflava P. Roberts, described from Cameroon, is
similar but has pale yellow to café-au-lait branches and white to cream stipe, and ellipsoid
basidiospores 7–8  5–6 µm (Roberts 1999).
Fig. 3 – Basidiomes of Clavulina vanderystii (BAP647). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Clavulinopsis amoena (Zoll. & Moritzi) Corner, Ann. Bot. Mem. 1: 352. 1950. Fig. 5d
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01064
Basionym: Clavaria amoena Zoll. & Moritzi, Natuur-Geneesk. Arch. Ned.-Indië 1: 380.
1844.
Basidiomes simple, club-shaped, 12–45  0.5–1.5 mm, apex slightly broader, tapered
downward, cespitose; surface glabrous, deep orange (4–5A7–8).
Basidiospores 5.5–6  4.3–5.0 µm, subglobose to slightly angular, smooth, with a large
guttule, hyaline, thick-walled. Basidia 4-spored, clamped. Hyphae hyaline, clamped.
Habitat and known distribution – Cespitose in soil in secondary upland forest. Africa (DR
Congo, Príncipe), widespread in tropical Asia.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, trail at Roca Pico Papagaio, N1˚37.182',
E7˚23.474', elev. 250 m, 21 April 2008, coll. by B.A. Perry and D.E. Desjardin, BAP642 (SFSU).
Notes – Clavulinopsis amoena was originally described from Java, and subsequently
reported as rather widespread in tropical Asia (Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bonin Islands)
(Corner 1950). It was first reported from western Africa by Corner (1966), based on pale yellowish-
ochre basidiomes collected by M. Goossens-Fontana in the DR Congo. The Príncipe specimen is

519
more orange than yellow.
Pterulicium xylogenum (Berk. & Broome) Corner, Ann. Bot. Mem. 1: 538. 1950.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01065
Basionym: Clavaria xylogena Berk. & Broome, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14(74): 76. 1863 (1875).
Synonym: Pterula subaquatica Bres. & Roum., Rev. Mycol., Toulouse 12(45): 36. 1890.
Notes – Bresadola and Roumeguere (1890) described Pterula subaquatica from material
collected on dead aquatic plants on São Tomé. Corner (1950) accepted it as a synonym of
Pterulicium xylogenum and noted that it grows on dead wood, dead bamboo culms, and dead leaf
sheaths and trunks of palms throughout southeast Asia. No São Tomé material was examined for
this study.
Ramaria henriquesii (Bres. & Roum.) Corner, Ann. Bot. Mem. 1: 596. 1950.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01066
Basionym: Clavaria henriquesii Bres. & Roum., Rev. Mycol., Toulouse 12(45): 36. 1890.
Notes – Clavaria henriquesii was described from São Tomé in 1890, based on a single
specimen and the species has apparently not been encountered since. Corner (1950) transferred the
species to Ramaria, although the rather large (9–11  9 µm), globose to ellipsoid, smooth
basidiospores are unusual in that genus, and more characteristic of a Clavulina. No São Tomé
material was examined for this study.
Ramaria molleriana (Bres. & Roum.) Corner, Ann. Bot. Mem. 1: 606. 1950.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01067
Basionym: Lachnocladium mollerianum Bres. & Roum., Rev. Mycol., Toulouse 12(45): 36.
1890.
Notes – Ramaria molleriana was described from São Tomé in 1890, based on material
collected by Moller in 1887, and subsequently reported from the DR Congo (Corner 1966),
Cameroon (Roberts 1999) and elsewhere in tropical Africa and Asia (Corner (1950). It was
reported by Bresadola and Roumeguere (1890) and Corner (1950) to have smooth spores, although
the type specimen was indicated to have angular-roughened or rugulose basidiospores (Petersen
1975, Roberts 1999). No São Tomé material was examined for this study.
Ramaria polypus Corner, Ann. Bot. Mem. 1: 700. 1950 Figs. 4, 5e
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01068
Basidiomes coralloid, 20–30  12–30 mm, highly branched. Stipe connivent or branched
from the base, 2–10  1.5–3 mm, round or slightly compressed; branches dichotomous, 0.5–1 .5
mm diam, axils rounded; tips 1–3-fid, short, acute; surface smooth, glabrous; stipe and branches
pale yellow to cream or pale orange (4–5A3–4), tips paler; stipe base with white tomentum, arising
from thick, white rhizomorphs. Odor fruity, sweet.
Basidiospores 7–8.3  4.2–5.2 µm, ellipsoid, verrucose, yellowish brown. Basidia 4-spored,
clamped. Cystidia absent. Hyphae hyaline, non-inflated, clamped.
Habitat and known distribution – Solitary to scattered on rotten wood in secondary forests.
Africa (São Tomé), Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore.
Material examined – Africa, São Tomé island, Parque Nacional Obo, trail to Lagoa Amelia,
between N0˚17.112', E6˚35.967' and N0˚16.922', E6˚36.062', 14 April 2008, coll. by D.E.
Desjardin, DED8247 (SFSU).
Notes – Described originally from Malaysia, this is the first report of Ramaria polypus from
Africa. Lachnocladium ochraceum Bres., currently accepted as Ramaria ochracea (Bres.) Corner,
was described from the DR Congo and may represent this species, but its basidiospores are reported
as 5–5.5  3–3.5 µm. Corner (1966) reported R. flaccida (Fr.) Ricken from the DR Congo,
(accepting Ramaria ochracea as a synonym), but the latter forms more deeply pigmented,
ochraceous to brownish ochre basidiomes.

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Fig. 4 – Basidiomes of Ramaria polypus (DED8247). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Scytinopogon havencampii Desjardin & B.A. Perry, Mycosphere 6(4): 434–441. 2015.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01069
Notes – This unusual species was recently described from material collected on Príncipe
island. See the protologue for details.
Figs 5 a–e – Micromorphological features of clavarioid fungi from São Tomé and Príncipe. a.
Basidia and basidiospores of Aphelaria subglobispora (DED8317). b. Basidiospores of Clavaria
phoenicea (BAP643). c. Basidiospores of Clavulina vanderystii (BAP647). d. Basidiospores of
Clavulinopsis amoena (BAP642). e. Basidiospores of Ramaria polypus (DED8247). Scale bar = 10
µm

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Gasteromycetes
Fourteen species of gasteromycetes are reported herein from the islands. Three of these
were described originally from São Tomé island (Bresadola & Roumeguère 1890), two species
were reported earlier from São Tomé (Degreef et al. 2013), and the remaining nine species are first
reports for the Republic.
Blumenavia angolensis (Welw. & Curr.) Dring, Kew Bull. 35(1): 53. 1980. Fig. 6
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01070
Basionym: Laternea angolensis Welw. & Curr., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 26: 286. 1870.
Notes – The species was recently reported with full description and photograph from São
Tomé (Degreef et al. 2013). See there for details.
The specimen illustrated here was collected by Miko Nadel on bamboo litter, São Tomé,
along the road between São Luis and Chamico, N0˚18'23.6", E6˚36'24.5", 8 May 2013. The
specimen was not retained.
Fig 6 – An egg (left) and mature basidiome (right) of Blumenavia angolensis. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Clathrus parvulus Bres. & Roum., Revue Mycol., Toulouse 12: 37. 1890.
Notes – Clathrus parvulus was described from São Tomé in 1890, based on a single
specimen and the species has apparently not been encountered on the island since. Dring (1964)
repeated the protologue and reported a second specimen from Nigeria. No material was examined
for this study.
Cyathus limbatus Tul. & C. Tul., Annls Sci. Nat. Bot., sér. 3, 1: 78. 1844.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01071
Notes on macromorphology not taken; macro-features indistinguishable from C. poeppigii.
Basidiospores 17–23  9.5–13 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, hyaline, thick-walled.
Habitat and known distribution – Gregarious on rotten wood in primary and secondary
forests. Common and abundant throughout tropical regions of the world.
Material examined – Africa, São Tomé island, Parque Nacional Obo, trail to Lagoa Amelia,
between N0˚17.112', E6˚35.967' and N0˚16.922', E6˚36.062', 14 April 2008, coll. by D.E.
Desjardin, DED8239 (SFSU).
Notes – Cyathus limbatus is rather common in Africa, reported from the DR Congo
(Dissing & Lange 1962), Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone (Dring 1964), Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zambia and Mauritius (Dring & Rayner 1967).

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Cyathus poeppigii Tul. & C. Tul., Annls Sci. Nat. Bot., sér. 3, 1: 77. 1844. Fig. 7
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01072
Cup obconical, base not constricted, sides relatively straight or with a slightly flared lip; at
maturity 8–10 mm tall  7–10 mm diam; exterior surface tomentose with small tufts, at first
brownish orange (5C4) to brownish yellow (5C5) overall, in age brown (5E4–6) to dark brown
(5F4-5) with a dark brown basal mycelial pad; interior plicate, dark grayish brown (5–6F3–4) to
dark brown (6–7F4–6), slightly paler when young. Epiphragm initially covered with short grayish
orange hairs, glabrescent, pure white just before dehiscence. Peridioles 6–8 per cup, 1.25–1.5 mm
diam, circular, flattened, dark grayish brown (6–7F3–4) to dark brown (6–7F4–5), attached by a
dark brown funiculus.
Basidiospores 35–39  24–26 µm, broadly ellipsoid, smooth, hyaline, thick-walled.
Habitat and known distribution – Gregarious on rotten wood in primary and secondary
forests. Common and abundant throughout tropical regions of the world.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, along road to Roca Pico Papagaio, N1˚38.600',
E7˚23.827', 21 April 2008, coll. by D.E. Desjardin, DED8290 (SFSU).
Notes – Cyathus poeppigii, like C. limbatus, is common in Africa and the two species are
easily confused in the field, distinguished primarily by micromorphology—the basidiospores of C.
poeppigii are twice as large as those of C. limbatus. In Africa, C. poeppigii has been reported from
the DR Congo (Dissing & Lange 1962), Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (Annobon), Ghana, Sierra
Leone (Dring 1964), Kenya, Uganda (Dring & Rayner 1967) and South Africa (Bottomley 1948).
Fig. 7 – Basidiomes of Cyathus poeppigii (DED8290). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Geastrum fimbriatum Fr., Syst. Mycol. (Lundae) 3(1): 16. 1829. Fig. 8
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01073
Expanded basidiomes 25–35 mm diam, with 6–7 recurved rays, not hygroscopic; external
surface of exoperidium (mycelial layer) adhering debris and soil, attached to coarse white
rhizomorphs, surface tomentose, covered with tufted, cream (4A3) mycelium;
pseudoparenchymatous layer glabrous, pale brownish grey (6C3), darkening in age to brown (6E4);
endoperidium saccate, not stipitate, 14–17 mm diam, ovoid, surface finely felted, dark grayish
brown (6F3); peristome finely fibrillose, not delimited, concolorous.
Basidiospores 3.5–4.0 µm including ornamentation, globose, finely verruculose, dark
grayish brown.

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Habitat and known distribution – Scattered over soil in a coastal cacao-banana grove.
Widely distributed.
Material examined – Africa, São Tomé island, along road to Bombain, 400 m elev.,
N0˚16.615', E6˚38.942', 26 April 2008, coll. by D.E. Desjardin, DED8335 (SFSU).
Notes – We suspect that the São Tomé taxon was reported as G. rufescens Pers. emend.
Waveren by Dissing and Lange (1962) based on material from the DR Congo. The latter is
accepted as a synonym of G. fimbriatum by Sunhede (1989) (non G. rufescens Pers. sensu stricto).
The São Tomé material is readily distinguished by a well-developed mycelial layer that adheres
debris, a saccate, non-stipitate endoperidium with dark grayish brown, felted surface, a non-
delimited, fibrillose peristome, and small (3.5–4.0 µm diam), verruculose basidiospores.
Fig. 8 – Basidiomes of Geastrum fimbriatum (DED8335). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Geastrum schweinitzii (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Zeller, Mycologia 40(6): 649. 1948. Fig. 9
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01074
Basionym: Coilomyces schweinitzii Berk. & M.A. Curtis, J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., N.S. 2(6):
279. 1854 (1853).
= Geastrum mirabile Mont., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. 3: 139. 1855.
Unexpanded basidiomes 7–10 mm tall  4–10 mm diam, ovoid, seldom with a rounded
papilla, arising from a well-developed, membranous, white to cream (4A3) subiculum that covers
the substrate; expanded basidiomes 8–13 (–17) mm diam, with 5–7 recurved rays, not hygroscopic;
external surface of exoperidium (mycelial layer) not adhering debris, glabrous or with scattered
appressed-felted patches, dingy buff to pale brownish orange (5C4) or pale brownish gray (6C3);
pseudoparenchymatous layer glabrous, dingy buff to cream (4A3); endoperidium saccate, not
stipitate, 4–8 mm diam, globose to subglobose, glabrous, grayish brown (6D3); peristome
fibrillose, slightly delimited by a paler circular zone, concolorous or dark brown.

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Basidiospores 3.8–4.5 µm including ornamentation, globose, verrucose, dark brown.
Capillitia 2.2–3.8 µm diam, unbranched, cylindrical or irregular in outline, thick-walled, subhyaline
to brown.
Habitat and known distribution – Densely gregarious on a membranous subiculum that
covers rotten wood. Widely distributed in tropical habitats.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, Bom Bom resort, N1˚41.559', E7˚24.171', 20
April 2008, coll. by D.E. Desjardin, DED8273 (SFSU); São Tomé island, Macambrara radio
antenna area, 1300 m elev., N0˚16.557', E6˚36.326', 11 April 2008, coll. by D.E Desjardin,
DED8212 (SFSU).
Notes – Geastrum schweinitzii, originally described from Surinam, has been reported from
Mauritius and Uganda (Dring & Rayner 1967), and as G. mirabile (type locality Guyana) from the
DR Congo (Dissing & Lange 1962), Ghana, Nigeria (Dring 1964) and South Africa (Bottomley
1948). We suspect that G. subiculosum Cooke & Massee (type locality Australia), reported from
the DR Congo (Dissing & Lange 1962) may represent the same species varying only slightly in
subiculum color, structure and basidiospore size.
Fig. 9 – Basidiomes of Geastrum schweinitzii (DED8212). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Geastrum velutinum Morgan, J. Cincinnati Soc. Nat. Hist. 18: 38. 1895. Fig. 10
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01075
Expanded basidiomes 20–25 mm diam, with 7–8 recurved rays, not hygroscopic; external
surface of exoperidium (mycelial layer) not adhering debris, deeply felted, cream (4A3) to grayish
orange (5B4–5); pseudoparenchymatous layer glabrous, pinkish buff (5A3); endoperidium saccate,
not stipitate, 7–10 mm diam, ovoid, minutely felted to suede-like, brownish gray (6C3) to grayish
brown (6D–E3); peristome fibrillose, delimited by a paler, cream (4A3) circular zone.
Basidiospores 3.2–4.0 µm including ornamentation, globose, coarsely verrucose, brown.
Capillitia 2.5–4.2 µm diam, unbranched, cylindrical, smooth or roughened, thick-walled,
subhyaline to yellowish brown.

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Habitat and known distribution – Solitary in soil under baobob and mesquite in xerophytic
coastal habitat. Widely distributed.
Material examined – Africa, São Tomé island, along main road (EN-1) on north side of
island at 16.5 km marker, N0˚24.374', E6˚37.092', 17 April 2008, coll. by D.E. Desjardin,
DED8249 (SFSU).
Notes – Geastrum velutinum has been reported from the DR Congo (Dissing & Lange
(1962), Ghana, Nigeria (Dring 1964), Kenya, Uganda (Dring & Rayner 1967) and South Africa
(Bottomley 1948). On São Tomé, the species has been found only once in a xerophytic habitat with
mesquite and baobob trees.
Fig. 10 – Basidiomes of Geastrum velutinum (DED8249). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Lycoperdon molle Pers., Syn. Meth. Fung. (Göttingen) 1: 150. 1801. Fig. 11
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01076
Basidiome ovoid in face view, 32  26 mm diam, broadly pyriform in profile, 20 mm diam
with a subgleba 10 mm tall; ostile area with dense, dark grayish brown (7F4) spines <0.5 mm tall,
elsewhere granulose to spinose, ornamentation brown (7E4) to grayish brown (7E3) over pale
grayish white ground color. Peridium <1 mm thick, white. Gleba white when immature. Subgleba
with tiny chambers, white; diaphragm absent.
Basidiospores and capillitia not observed; single basidiome immature.
Habitat and known distribution – Solitary in soil in secondary forest. Widely distributed in
temperate regions.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, on east side of island at the base of Dois
Irmãos, N1˚34.889', E7˚25.548', 23 April 2008, coll. by D.E. Desjardin, DED8315 (SFSU).
Notes – Unfortunately, the single basidiome encountered was immature and its
identification is based on overall macromorphological similarity with this well known species. The
exoperidium features of the Príncipe specimen do not match those of any species reported from
Africa by Bottomley (1948), Dissing and Lange (1962), Dring (1964) or Dring and Rayner (1967).
Mature material is needed to confirm the identification.

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Fig. 11 – Basidiome of Lycoperdon molle (DED8315). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Mutinus bambusinus (Zoll.) E. Fisch., Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 6: 30. 1886. Fig. 12
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01077
Basionym: Phallus bambusinus Zoll., Natuur-Geneesk. Arch. Ned.-Indië 1: 11. 1854.
Eggs 18–23 mm tall  16–18 mm diam, globose to ovoid, rooting, surface furfuraceous,
grayish brown (7E3) above, white below, dehiscing by an apical slit. Receptacle 110–120 mm tall;
fertile portion conical, 22–26 mm tall  3–4 mm (apex)  10–11 mm (base), bright red (9B7–8),
pustulate-warted, coated with a dark olive brown, mucilaginous gleba, covering upper 25% of
receptacle but with a sterile tip 8–10 mm long, conical, white to cream (4A3); infertile portion
(pseudostipe) cylindrical, 80  10–11 mm, cylindrical, hollow, rubbery, chambered-pitted,
chambers opening to the exterior, dry, apex orangish white (6A2), base white. Odor strong.
Basidiospores 3.5-5.0  1.5–2.0 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, olivaceous, thin-walled.
Habitat and known distribution – Solitary in soil in secondary forests. Widely distributed in
tropical regions.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, Roca Pico Papagaio, N1˚37.182', E7˚23.474',
21 April 2008, coll. by B.A. Perry and D.E. Desjardin, DED8282 (SFSU).
Notes – Mutinus bambusinus is a widespread and variable species. The Príncipe material
has a grayish brown, furfuraceous egg, a chambered pseudostipe with chambers that open to the
exterior, and a fertile portion topped with a conical sterile tip, similar to populations from south
Asia (Petch 1926). The species has been reported in Africa from Ghana (Dring 1964; although the
specimen illustrated more closely represents M. argentinus Speg.), DR Congo (Demoulin & Dring
1975), and South Africa (Bottomley 1948).
Mutinus zenkeri (Henn.) E. Fisch., Neu Denkschr. Schwein. Naturf. Ges. 36: 47. 1900. Fig. 13
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01078
Basionym: Floccomutinus zenkeri Henn., in Engler, Bot. Jb. 22: 109. 1895.

527
Fig. 12 – Basidiomes of Mutinus bambusinus (DED8282). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Fig. 13 – Basidiomes of Mutinus zenkeri from Príncipe (top, MN0500) and unopened eggs from
São Tomé (bottom, DED8214). Scale bars = 10 mm.

528
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, Pico Mesa, N1˚34'56.2", E7˚21'04.4", 19 April
2013, coll. by Miko Nadel, MN0500 (SFSU); São Tomé island, Macambrara radio antenna area,
1300 m elev., N0˚16.557', E6˚36.326', 11 April 2008, coll. by D.E Desjardin, DED8214 (SFSU).
Notes – The species was recently reported with full description and photograph from São
Tomé (Degreef et al. 2013). See there for details. The specimen illustrated here was collected on
decomposing wood on Príncipe. The species was also encountered several times on São Tomé in
Obo National Park but material was not retained.
Phallus drewesii Desjardin & B.A. Perry, Mycologia 101(4): 545. 2009 Fig. 14
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01079
Notes – The species was described recently from material collected on the sides of fallen
logs, on the trail to Lagoa Amelia, Obo National Park, São Tomé (Desjardin & Perry 2009). See
there for details. The material reported from Tanzania as Phallus tenuis (Härkönen et al 2003) may
represent P. drewesii. A recent report of P. drewesii from Vietnam (Trierveiler-Pereira & Thao
2013) is erroneous, the material most likely representing P. flavocostatus Kreisel.
Fig. 14 – Basidiomes of Phallus drewesii (DED8227). Scale bar = 10 mm
Phallus indusiatus Vent., Mém. Inst. Nat. Sci. Arts 1: 520. 1798. Fig. 15
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01080
= Dictyophora indusiata (Vent.) Desv., J. Bot., Paris 2: 92. 1809.
Eggs 40–45 mm tall  40 mm diam, globose to obovoid, rooting, arising from copious,
coarse white rhizomorphs, surface glabrous, dark gray, areolate just before dehiscing by an apical
slit. Receptacle 140–180 mm tall. Pileus 35–40  38–40 mm, flattened-conical to campanulate,
perforate at apex, perforation 8–10 mm diam, white-rimmed; surface coarsely wrinkled, cream-
olive (4A3 with hint of olive). Gleba deep olive-grayish brown, mucilaginous. Pseudostipe 120–
140  28–33 mm, cylindrical, hollow, spongy-chambered, 5 mm thick, dry, brittle, white. Indusium
well-developed, hanging 45–50 mm or more, perforations 2–8 mm diam, angular, white.
Basidiospores 2.5–3.5  1.0–1.5 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, olivaceous, thin-walled.

529
Habitat and known distribution – Scattered on the end of a well-decayed log in secondary
forest. Widely distributed in tropical regions.
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, Bom Bom resort, N1˚41.559', E7˚24.171', 23
April 2008, coll. by B.A. Perry and D.E. Desjardin, DED8322 (SFSU).
Notes – Phallus indusiatus is one of the more commonly encountered phalloids in tropical
regions. Selected reports from Africa include DR Congo (Dissing & Lange 1962), Cameroon,
Equatorial Guinea (Fernando Po), Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone (Dring 1964), Tanzania, Uganda
(Dring & Rayner 1967), and South Africa (Bottomley 1948).
Fig. 15 – Mature basidiome and eggs of Phallus indusiatus (DED8322). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Scleroderma dictyosporum Pat., Bull. Soc. Mycol. Fr. 12(3): 135. 1896. Fig. 16
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01081
Basidiomes 7–12 mm diam, ovoid, surface covered with brown (6–7E6–8) granular,
irregular warts <0.2 mm diam, on a cream (4A3) to pale cream-brown peridium, rooted at the base
by copious, white, branched rhizomorphs. Peridium 0.5 mm thick, soft, fragile, yellowish white
(4A2), opening by several tears. Gleba dark grayish brown.
Basidiospores 7–8.5 µm diam excluding ornamentation, globose, very coarsely pustulate-
reticulate, ornamentation 1.3–2.5 µm tall, (10–13.5 µm diam including ornamentation), brown.
Habitat and known distribution – Solitary in soil in primary forest. Africa (Ghana, Guinea,
Príncipe).
Material examined – Africa, Príncipe island, south side of island at Rio São Tomé,
N1˚33'40.54", E7˚21'15.51", 22 April 2008, coll. by B.A. Perry, DED8310 (SFSU).
Notes – Scleroderma dictyosporum is readily identified by the coarsely pustulate-reticulate
basidiospores with ornamentation up to 2.5 µm tall, and small basidiomes with a thin, fragile
peridium and brown spore mass. Described originally from French Guinea, it is apparently rarely
collected in the paleotropics.

530
Tulostoma moellerianum Bres. & Roum., Revue Mycol., Toulouse 12: 37. 1890.
Facesoffungi number: FoF 01082
Notes – Tulostoma moellerianum was described from São Tomé in 1890, based on a single
specimen and the species has apparently not been encountered on the island since. No material was
examined for this study.
Fig. 16 – Basidiomes of Scleroderma dictyosporum (DED8310). Scale bar = 10 mm.
Acknowledgments
Foremost we thank Dr. Robert C. Drewes who continues to initiate, coordinate and lead
multiorganism biotic surveys on São Tomé and Príncipe. We thank Eng. Arlindo de Ceita
Carvalho, Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Victor Bonfim, Salvador Sousa Pontes
and Danilo Barbero for permission to collect and export specimens for study. We are indebted to
Société de Conservation et Développement for logistics and housing support, especially the
wonderful staffs of Omali Lodge and Bom Bom Island. We are grateful for the support and
cooperation of Bastien Loloumb of Zuntabawe and Faustino Oliviera, former Director of the
botanical garden at Bom Sucesso. We were assisted in the field by Jose Ramos Maria Vital Pires on
Príncipe and by Quintino Quade Cabral, Martinho Nascimiento and Jose Clara on São Tomé. For
continuing support, we are most grateful to Ned Seligman, Quintino Quade Cabral and Roberta dos
Santos of STePUP. We are grateful to the College of Science and Engineering at San Francisco
State University for partial funding to support travel to São Tomé and Príncipe, and to the G.
Lindsay Field Research Fund of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) for financially
supporting the expedition in 2006 and the Hagey Research Venture Fund (CAS) in 2008. We thank
Wes Eckerman (WE) and Miko Nadel (MN) for providing photographs of Cyathus poeppigii (WE),
Blumenavia angolensis, Clavaria phoenicea and Mutinus zenkeri (MN).
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