Helianthemum and some agaricales: Unusual case of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis

As reviewed recently by Malloch and Thorn (1985) ectomycorrhizae and extomycorrhizae — forming fungi are recurrently found in connection with cistaceae. Helianthemum obscurum Pers., the member of the Cistaceae on xerothermous grassland in Czechoslovakia was found not to be an exception. Various characteristic ectomycorrhiza — forming fungi are frequently found in close association with Helianthemum obscurum — shrubs in the Lounské středohoři Mts. (in Norh-West Bohemia) on the northern slope of Oblik hil (at altitude of 390 m). These fungal species seem to be identical or very similar to Amanita pantherina (DC.:Fr.) Krombh., Amanita vaginata (Bull.:Fr.) Vitt., Boletus queletii s. Schuler, Cortinarius epsomiensis Orton, Laccaria proxime (Boud.) Pat. ss. auct., Russula persicina Krombh. ss. Melz. et Zv. and Russula risigallina (Batsh) Kuyper et Vuure. As far as we know no representative of the mentioned genera have previously been reported with Helianthemum species (cf. Biber et Fellner 1987).