Subject: Floccularia vs. Armillaria and other name changes

From: [email-masked] (Nathan J. Wilson)
Date: 18 Oct 1993 23:12:16 GMT

I have read that the group of fungi that most field guides refer to as
Armillaria (in particular the species name albolanaripes, straminea,
and luteovirens) are correctly referred to as Floccularia.  Similarly,
the genus name Armillariella is defunct and these species are
correctly referred to as Armillaria.  Also several species that were
at one time considered part of Armillaria have been moved to
Tricholoma (most notably Armillaria ponderosus is now Tricholoma
magnivelare).  My question about this is what has happened to some of
the other species.  In particular the species caligata, zelleri, and
olida.  Finally, is luteovirens a synonym for straminea or not and
which is correct.  The principle book references I'm relying on are
Arora's Mushrooms Demystified (and All the Rain Promises...),
Lincoff's Audubon Field Guide, Phillips' Mushrooms of North America
and Shaw & Kile "Armillaria Root Disease".

As long as I'm asking about name changes, what is the status of the
genus name Xercomus?  Most American books seem to ignore it and make
it part of Boletus, but most of the books I have from other countries
(Japan, and Europe) use Xercomus.  Finally, is the genus Leptonia
considered defunct and been clumped into Entoloma or not?

I hope someone out there has more info than I and can answer some of
these questions.  I would also be interesting in collecting such
questions and any answers with references.  For obvious reasons I am
particularly interested in name changes or name errors in common field
guides since they are all that most people have available to them.  I
actually heard Gary Lincoff say in a talk he gave that about 10% of
the names in his book are no longer correct.  Does anyone know if the
corrections are available anywhere?
   -------------------------    _________
         Nathan Wilson         <_________>
      [email-masked]          |_|        It is no dream!
      Co-Science Advisor          /___\    Matsutake are growing
   Minister of Local Forays        | |        On the belly of the mountain.
Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz    \_/ *83--                -Shigetaka