| The fleshy volva-like body from which the young fruit-body of Rhodocybe stangliana (Entolomataceae) develops is not a sclerotium. It is a derived stage of the primordial bulb. Post-primordial sections show striking analogies to similar sections of fruit-bodies of Volvariella (Pluteales). Therefore Rhodocybe stangliana is a species intermediate between two families which by appearance look widely apart. This confirms the classification proposed by Kühner, who brought these two families together in one order (Pluteales), mainly on account of a similar ultrastructure of the spore wall and a similar behaviour of the spore wall after treatment with ammonia and acetic acid, with as single intermediate Macrocystidia cucumis. |
