New report of the mycorrhizal association between Pisolithus tinctorius (Sclerodermataceae, Basidiomycota) and Quercus coccifera (Fagaceae, Angiospermae)

In this paper we described for the first time the mycorrhiza between the fungus Pisolithus tinctorius and the kermes oak Quercus coccifera, obtained by inoculation. The synthesis was performed under nursery conditions using vegetative (40 mL/plant) or sporal (108 spores/plant) inoculum of P. tinctorius basidiomata collected from two different locations and putative hosts, and containers filled with a sterile mixture of sphagnum peat/black peat/perlite+vermiculite. The mycorrhizal association is described and illustrated in detail and compared with other known P. tinctorius mycorrhiza. Mycorrhizae were monopodial-pinnate to pyramidal pinnate, cream to brown colour, mantle surface loosly woven, extramatrical mycelium abundant, rhizomorophs scarce and well differentiated, sclerotia frequent, subglobose to lemon-shaped, mantle plectenchymatous with three layers. The conditions of inoculation are also discussed. A beneficial effect of the mycorrhizal symbiosis on plant growth attributes is suggested.