AlanRockefeller on Nostr: Ps. aztecorum from the volcanic forest of Nevado de Toluca, Mexico. This beautiful ...

Ps. aztecorum from the volcanic forest of Nevado de Toluca, Mexico.

This beautiful species was first described in 1958 by mycologists Gastón Guzmán and Roger Heim. The species name aztecorum translates to "of the Aztecs," paying homage to the ancient Aztec people, who are believed to have used this species ceremonially.

Ps. aztecorum primarily occurs in high-elevation coniferous forests of central Mexico, where it grows on woody debris often among pines, firs and Senecio cinerarioides. In Mexico it occurs at altitudes between 9,500 and 12,500 feet, occurring in cooler, alpine environments. Recently this species has been found (and verified by DNA barcoding) in California, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona and Southeastern Canada.

This species is closely related to Ps. serbica and Ps. caeruleorhiza, two other macroscopically similar woodlovers. The literature says that it is closely related to Ps. baeocystis and Ps. quebecensis - however Ps. baeocystis is a distant relative which is closer to Ps. semilanceata and Ps. quebecensis is a synonym of Ps. aztecorum.

Photographed during my September 2021 central Mexico expedition.