Galerina atkinsoniana A. H. Smith, Mycologia 45: 894. 1953.

Pileus 5-10 mm diam, conic or obtusely conic when young, expanding in age but remaining about the same shape overall or becoming plano-campanulate; disc smooth; margin decurved, pellucid-striate; surface glabrous, moist to dry (not viscid), hygrophanous; when young brown (6E6-8) overall or with a slightly paler margin, in age disc and striae fading slightly to light brown (6D5-8) or brownish orange (6C5-7; "ochraceous tawny"), pale brownish orange (6C4) or brownish yellow (5C5-6; "clay color") elsewhere, fading to buff or pale yellowish white overall with moisture loss. Context thin, concolorous with pileus surface. Odor and taste not distinctive. Lamellae ascending-adnate, subdistant with 2 consistent series of lamellulae, straight to convex, moderately broad, brownish orange to light brown (6C-D5-6). Stipe 15-35(-50) X 0.75-1.0 mm, central, terete, equal or gradually enlarged downward, shiny, pruinose to hispidulous overall and remaining so in age, pliant, hollow; surface brownish orange overall when young, with apex remaining so in age, and base in age becoming reddish brown (8E5-7) to dark reddish brown (8F5-6); partial veil absent.
Basidiospores (10.2-)10.5-12.5(-13.0) X 6.4-7.6 µm [range of means = 11.4-11.8 X 6.9 7.1 µm, mean of means = 11.6 ± 0.2 X 7.0 ± 0.1 µm, Q = 1.5-1.9, range of Q means = 1.6-1.7, mean of Q means = 1.66 ± 0.04, n = 20-25 spores per 3 specimens], broadly amygdaliform to sublimoniform, pale rusty brown, coarsely to finely verrucose-roughened, plage absent or indistinct, thick-walled, perispore absent, germ pore absent. Basidia 20.5-30.5 X 8.0-9.5(-11.0) µm with sterigmata 5-9 X 3-4 µm, clavate, 2-spored, rarely 1- or 3-spored, clamped. Basidioles clavate. Cheilocystidia numerous, lamellar edge sterile, 45-65 X 10-14 µm (at broadest), fusoid ventricose with elongated obtuse neck 4.5-6.0 µm diam, hyaline, thin-walled. Pleurocystidia common but scattered, similar to cheilocystidia, often slightly thick-walled. Pileipellis a cutis with scattered pilocystidia; hyphae 2.5-10.0(-12.0) µm diam, radially arranged, repent, cylindric, smooth or weakly incrusted with brownish orange pigments; walls thin, pale brownish orange, nongelatinous; pilocystidia common on disc and margin, uncommon elsewhere, 30-70(-83) X 6.5 14.0(-16.0) µm, similar to hymenial cystidia, fusoid-ventricose with elongated neck or irregularly cylindric, often flexuous, suberect to erect, hyaline, nonincrusted. Tramal hyphae interwoven, 3 14 µm diam, cylindric to slightly inflated, hyaline to pale yellow, nonincrusted, nongelatinous. Stipe tissue monomitic; cortical and medullary hyphae undifferentiated, 3-8(-12) µm diam, parallel, cylindric, smooth or weakly incrusted, with pale yellow to yellowish brown thin walls, nongelatinous. Caulocystidia numerous from stipe apex to stipe base, solitary or clustered, (32 )60-115(-140) X 9-20(-26) µm (at broadest), with apical portion 4.5-8.0(-9.5) µm diam, fusoid to fusoid-ventricose, obtuse, hyaline, thin-walled. Clamp connections common in all tissues.
Habit, habitat and distribution in the Hawaiian Islands. Solitary to scattered on mosses over fallen rotting logs of ohi`a (Metrosideros polymorpha; Myrtaceae) in Montane Wet Ohi`a Forest. Nov. to Jan. Hawai`i, Kaua`i, Moloka`i.
World distribution. Widespread in temperate Northern Hemisphere.
Selected descriptions and illustrations. Smith, 1953; Smith & Singer, 1964; Gulden, 1980; Watling & Gregory, 1993.
Specimens examined. U.S.A. HAWAII: Hawai`i, Saddle Rd. at 21 mi kipuka, 9 Nov. 1993, DEH 319-A. Kaua`i, Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve, Alaka`i Swamp, Alaka`i Swamp Trail, N22°ree; 08' 51.5", W159°ree; 37' 52.5", 1180 m, 6 Jan. 1994, DED 5998. Moloka`i, Kamakou Forest Reserve, Pepe`opae Bog area, N21°ree; 07' 27.0", W156°ree; 55' 05.1", 1220 m, 11 Jan. 1994, DED 6036; Moloka`i, Kamakou Forest Preserve, Hanalilolilo trail, elev. ca 1200 m, N21°ree; 07.601', W156°ree; 54.917', 9 Jan. 1995, DED 6211. MICHIGAN: Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Upper Falls, 23 Aug. 1951, A. H. Smith 38184 (HOLOTYPE, MICH).
Commentary. The Hawaiian specimens are indistinguishable from bisporic forms of North American Galerina atkinsoniana (holotype, MICH!), one of the more common Galerina species of the northern hemisphere. The large and conspicuous hymenial cystidia and dermatocystidia in combination with bisporic basidia and broad basidiospores are diagnostic. In Hawai`i, G. atkinsoniana has been collected only in montane native forests dominated by ohi`a and hapu`u (Cibotium spp.; Dicksoniaceae), where it is often found associated with G. decipiens A. H. Smith & Singer. Growth in this habitat is unusual for G. atkinsoniana, which is more commonly found in coniferous forests dominated by Abies and Picea. Although a concerted effort was made to locate both G. atkinsoniana and G. decipiens in various alien forest-types, no populations were discovered there. Accordingly, we presume that G. atkinsoniana arrived in the Hawaiian Islands prior to human occupation and can be considered an indigenous species. In the field, it is nearly indistinguishable from G. decipiens, differing only subtly in stipe morphology. In G. atkinsoniana the stipe tends to become dark reddish brown at the base at maturity and is pruinose overall. In comparison, the stipe of G. decipiens is glabrous over most of its length and remains uniformly greyish orange to pale brownish yellow. An unpublished description of G. vittaeformis (Fr.) Singer from O`ahu by Ueki (1973) that was not supported by voucher specimens may represent G. atkinsoniana.

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