Three Ectomycorrhizae of Thelephoraceae on Chinese Pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) and a key to thelephoroid Ectomycorrhizae

Morphological and anatomical characters of three thelephoroid ectomycorrhizae of the family Thelephoraceae on Chinese Pine (Nuts tabulaeformis) are described in detail. They are all brown and without rhizomorphs, and show high diversity regarding the structure of outer mantle layers and shape of cystidia. Pinirhiza acuminate is plectenchymatous throughout all mantle layers and has a hyphal net and acuminate hyphae on the mantle surface; the other two ectomycorrhizae Pinirhiza heilihensis and Pinirhiza fibulocystidiata have pseudoparenchymatous outer mantles with angular cells, but they can be differentiated by cell dimensions. The most important character to distinguish both are cystidia, Pinirhiza fibulocystidiata possesses typical fibulocystidia, whereas those of Pinirhiza heilihensis are awl-shaped and without septa. A key to thelephoroid ECM of the family Thelephoraceae is presented.