The Russulas Described by Charles Horton Peck

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, the authors present modern microscopical studies for 28 type specimens of Russula species described by C.H. Peck, thereby completing the revision of all 44 Russula taxa described by this author and for which type specimens were available. Our results suggest that with eventual exception of R. granulata var. lepiotoides (a likely synonym of the type variety) and R. magnifica (a likely synonym of R. polyphylla), all other Russulas described by Peck correspond to well-defined North American taxa. Having been described more than one century ago, Peck's names represent the majority of the earliest described North American Russula species and our type revisions are therefore important both for nomenclatural aspects, as well as typification and identification purposes. All studied taxa are illustrated in detail and accompanied by notes including a short recapitulation of previous type revisions, as well as our own re-evalutation of their systematic position as a result of this study.