Melanoleuca polioleuca (Fr.) Kühner & Maire
(Common Cavalier)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesMelanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
GenusMelanoleuca (cavalier toadstools)
FamilyTRICHOLOMATACEAE (a family of toadstools)
OrderAGARICALES (mushrooms and toadstools)
SubclassAGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier) :
1: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
17 Oct 1997 OSGR: SU57 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: Cap - LS showing gill attachmentImage 3: Cap surface - close-upImage 4: FruitbodyImage 5: Fruitbody (2)Image 6: Fruitbody (3)Image 7: Fruitbody - LSImage 8: Stipe baseImage 9: Young fruitbody
2: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
14 Oct 1997 OSGR: SU57 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: Cap surface - close-upImage 3: Cap underside - close-upImage 4: Cap underside margin - close-upImage 5: Cap underside margin - close-up (2)Image 6: FruitbodyImage 7: Fruitbody - LSImage 8: Stipe - close-up
3: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
10 Oct 1985 OSGR: SU26 51° 20’ N, 1° 40’ W Vice County: North Wilts (VC 7) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: GillsImage 3: Side view - in situImage 4: Side view - laid downImage 5: Cap cuticle end cells - magnifiedImage 6: Cheilocystidia - magnifiedImage 7: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 8: DescriptionImage 9: Description - contd
4: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
25 Aug 1985 OSGR: ST88 51° 40’ N, 2° 10’ W Vice County: East Glos (VC 33) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: LSImage 3: Side view - in situImage 4: Side view - laid downImage 5: Cap cuticle end cells - magnifiedImage 6: Cheilocystidia - magnifiedImage 7: Cheilocystidium - highly magnifiedImage 8: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 9: DescriptionImage 10: Description - contd
5: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
29 Oct 1979 OSGR: SU93 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: CollectionImage 3: Side viewImage 4: Side view - laid downImage 5: Caulocystidium - highly magnifiedImage 6: Cheilocystidia - highly magnifiedImage 7: Pleurocystidium - highly magnifiedImage 8: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 9: Description
6: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
30 Sep 1979 OSGR: SU73 51° 0’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: Laid down - side viewImage 3: Side view - in situImage 4: Cheilocystidium (tip) and basidium (tip) - highly magnifiedImage 5: Cheilocystidium - highly magnifiedImage 6: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 7: Description
7: Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
23 Oct 1977 OSGR: SU94 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
Image 1: CapImage 2: GillsImage 3: Laid down - side viewImage 4: Cheilocystidia and basidia in gill edge - magnifiedImage 5: Notes and drawing

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Lanzoni, G., et al 1999 Specie interessanti dell’erbario Lanzoni Fungi Non Delineati Pars VII.

Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 3 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Melanoleuca polioleuca (Common Cavalier)

The commonest member of the genus, it is a common toadstool of woodland and grassland recognised by the dark flesh in the stem base and grey-brown hygrophanous cap. Earlier records, with those of other similar species, would have been confounded under the name of Melanoleuca melaleuca.

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