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In 2019–2020 (for 13 months), 21 macrofungi species, both native (14) and inadvertently introduced from warmer regions (7), were found in greenhouses at the Warsaw University Botanic Garden. These included 13 species recorded for the first time in Polish greenhouses. Descriptions and photographs are given for 5 species identified, which are new to Poland (Gymnopus luxurians, Hemimycena ignobilis, Leucoagaricus meleagris, L. rubrotinctus, and Xylaria arbuscula s.l.). The highest variety of species was found in the greenhouses with the collection of tropical and succulents and cacti, with 11 and 8 species, respectively. The number of species ranged from five to four in other greenhouses. The current results increase the number of species reported from greenhouses in Poland to approximately 50. None of the identified species has a negative impact on the growth and health of plants in the greenhouses at the Warsaw University Botanic Garden and at present none of them are indicated as potentially invasive.

Byzantine philosopher Georgios Gemistos Pletho (1355–1452) is regarded as the first Philhellene who rejected Christianity and attempted to restore the pogan religion of Hellenic gods. In his last work Books of Laws (Νόμων συγγραφή) he presents his own system of theology based on ancient philosophy and Greek mythology. The aim of the paper is to outline some main features of Plethon’s theology and to show the influence of Greek tradition on it.

Buglossoporus pulvinus is widely distributed across Europe, within the range of Quercus robur. Throughout the area in which it appears, it is rare or very rare. It is listed as an endangered species in Europe and has been added to the Red Lists of fungi in a number of countries, along with awaiting inclusion in the IUCN Red List. In this study we have critically analysed the existing data about the occurrence of B. pulvinus in Poland. We have presented two new localities of the species in question in Poland, as well as new occurrences on the territory of the Białowieża National Park, the only place where this species had been previously recorded in Poland. Selected trees and logs inhabited by B. pulvinus have been characterized. We have indicated the number of observed basidiomata, their phenology, and the sizes of the largest specimens. We have identified 8 fungus species (Bisporella citrina, Daedalea quercina, Hapalopilus croceus, Hymenochaete rubiginosa, Laetiporus sulphureus, Mycena galericulata, M. inclinata, Xylobolus frustulatus) that coexist with B. pulvinus. Based on the new distribution data for B. pulvinus in Poland, according to IUCN Red List criteria this species should be classified as Endangered (EN).

This work aimed to present the diversity of fungal species in the Poznań- Radojewo park. It was characterized based on literature data, unpublished master’s theses, the authors’ data, as well as data collected during two mycological trips organized by the Mycological Section of the Polish Botanical Society. Between 1980 and 2017, as many as 333 species of macromycetes have been found within the park in Poznań-Radojewo (among them 19% are rare and endangered), including eight protected species (Mitrophora semilibera, Morchella esculenta (var. esculenta and var. umbrina), Geastrum corollinum, G. fornicatum, Hericium coralloides, and Myriostoma coliforme), as well as two species new to the Polish mycobiota: Psathyrella bipellis and P. larga. The park in Poznań-Radojewo is very important for maintaining a high species diversity of fungi within the city of Poznań. During revitalization works, it is of paramount importance to take the needs of rare, threatened, and protected species under consideration and to preserve the natural character of plant communities. It is also vital to ensure the presence of coarse woody debris at different decomposition phases, which serves as an important substratum type for rare fungi.

Continuation of the mycological study of the fire-damaged pine forest in Kampinos National Park in central Poland in 2017 produced interesting new findings. Among the taxa collected, 36 were new to the park, six had not been hitherto reported from Poland (Calycellina araneocincta, Ciliolarina aff. laetifica, Clitocybe metachroides, Galerina cerina f. longicystis, Parasola cuniculorum, Pleonectria pinicola), and the previous status of one taxon (Pleonectria cucurbitula) had been uncertain. Short descriptions based on collected specimens have been prepared for all taxa new to Poland. The current number of taxa of macromycetes identified in Kampinos National Park has reached 1,604.

Microstoma protracta (Fr.) Kanouse is a strictly protected species in Poland, which is also present on the red list with the category R (rare). In Poland, there are five known localities for the species, including four historical sites discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century and one contemporary site discovered at the end of the twentieth century. In this paper, we present two new localities for M. protracta, discovered in April 2006 in Czeszewo (Wielkopolska Lowland, Jarocin Forest District) and in April 2017 in Krakow-Tyniec (Krakow-Częstochowa Upland, Myślenice Forest District). Sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer regions of sporocarps from contemporary localities have been deposited in the GenBank database. This is the first record of the DNA barcode for this species. According to Criterion D of the IUCN recommendations, it has been suggested that M. protracta should be considered as a critically endangered species (CR: D) in Poland.

The aim of this paper is to present a case of the patient who was hospitalized in the Toxicology and Cardiology Department because of suicidal digoxin and theophylline intoxication. Both drugs have complicated mechanism of action and affect cardiovascular system differently, but both predispose to ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. In the presented patient conduction disorders, cardiac muscle repolarization disorders and ventricular arrhythmias typical to digoxin poisoning were observed. During hospitalization the patient experienced the ECG and biochemical abnormalities resulting from myocardial infarction. In our paper we have analyzed digoxin and theophylline mechanisms of action and possible impact of each of these drugs on the clinical symptoms that our patient presented.

Wild food and fungi use in the countryside has always been an important part of human-nature relationships. Due to social changes in most rural areas of Europe this part of traditional ecological knowledge is shrinking. The aim of our study was to record the use of wild foods and plants among the Ukrainian (Carpatho-Rusyns) minority in the western part of Romanian Maramureş. We carried out 64 interviews in two villages. Voucher specimens were collected and DNA barcoding was used to identify most fungi taxa. We recorded the use of 44 taxa of plants altogether (including 8 taxa used only for herbal teas) and 24 taxa of fungi. On average 7.7 species of plants and 9.7 species of fungi were listed per interview. Edible fungi are thus an important part of local cuisine and they are eagerly gathered by everyone. The use of a few woodland bracket fungi is worth pointing out. No signs of degeneration of this knowledge were observed. Wild fruits are less collected now and wild greens are rarely collected nowadays. This pattern is typical of many places in Central Europe.

The paper presents 32 species of macrofungi new to the Kampinos National Park, found during the studies on fire-damaged areas after the forest fires in 2015. Three species new to Poland were described and illustrated (Calycellina leucella, Exobasidium juelianum, and Gymnopilus decipiens). Four species from Polish red list of macrofungi have been recorded in the Kampinos National Park for the first time: Botryobasidium vagum (R), Geastrum coronatum (V), Helicogloea farinacea (E), Inonotus cuticularis (R). During the current studies 17 pyrophilous species new to the Kampinos National Park were found.

This study (conducted in western Poland) was aimed at recognizing the importance of straw heaps (SH) and manure heaps (MH) located in cultivated fields for fungal diversity in farmland. Fungi (24 species and 1 sterile form) were found in 19.1% of SH (N = 89) and 60.4% of MH (N = 169). The estimated species richness (Chao2) was 29.8 ± 12.7 and 18.1 ± 2.5 (SD), respectively. Species composition of fungal communities differed significantly between SH and MH. The studied ephemeral habitats contributed markedly to fungal diversity, both locally and on the national scale. The occurrence of fungi in SH was significantly positively related to heap size, while fungal species number in MH depended most strongly on the degree of shielding, linked with proximity of woods or shelterbelts. The results show that both the reduction of SH and MH numbers in farmlands (required by the Nitrates Directive) and landscape simplification are unfavorable for fungal diversity.

Despite the fact that only parts of the Białowieża Forest are protected as a national park and nature reserves, the forest is nevertheless as a whole considered a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, Biosphere Reserve and an integrated Natura 2000 site. In the presently ongoing debate on the conservation priorities regarding the natural value of this forest and the current bark beetle outbreak, two distinct approaches can be recognized: (1) management assumed to involve considerable interference with the forest ecosystems; (2) maintenance of ecological processes and spontaneous restoration of the forest communities. The Białowieża Forest - especially its strictly protected parts - is a “bastion” where species characteristic of ancient forests (including so-called primeval forest relicts) have survived until today. This has been achieved by maintaining the forest’s complexity in areas with considerably reduced human influence, but most of all by maintaining a full spectrum of forest communities, naturally developing forests diverse in age, species composition and spatial structure including stand dieback and breakdown. The following factors need to be taken into account in the protection of the Natural Heritage Site: (1) the internationally recognized value of the Białowieża Forest including its biodiversity, the level of preservation of forest communities and the ongoing natural processes; (2) existing documents and policies concerning nature conservation; (3) research findings from the Białowieża Forest and other natural forest complexes. The key priority is to limit any activities in this forest to an indispensable minimum, mostly concerning security close to roads and tourist tracks as well as collection of fire wood by locals. Without this strict protection, successive and slow anthropogenic transformation will result in the Białowieża Forest sharing the same fate as other forest complexes of the temperate climate zone in Europe or America and lose its globally appreciated value.

The paper presents the last part of the results of the short-term inventory of fungi species in the Biebrza National Park and synthesises all the data gathered during two surveys, including the information published by other authors. The main body of research is focused on a survey of macrofungi identified with morphology-based methods. In case of some specimens molecular technics have been applied. In total 346 macrofungal taxa (21 belonging to ascomycetes and 325 to basidiomycetes) were found during the survey, including 186 species unobserved during the previous inventory in 2012. As a result of previous and ongoing studies, the current number of macrofungi recorded from the Biebrza National Park reached 508 species. Among them eight taxa are newly reported for Poland (Conocybe velutipes var. nitrophila, Entoloma caeruleum, E. plebejoides, Inocybe rennyi, I. vulpinella, Pholiota pityrodes, Pholiotina utricystidiata, and Tomentella pilosa). The next seven species (Bovista paludosa, Fistulina hepatica, Ganoderma lucidum, Geastrum schmidelii, Inonotus obliquus, Tulostoma kotlabae, and Xerocomus parasiticus) are protected by law and 95 species belong to red-listed species. The results of two intensive, but relatively short-term survey clearly indicate the Biebrza National Park as a hot spot of macrofungi and suggest the need to undertake extended and regular inventories also in other Polish national parks.

Aim. To assess the usefulness of a DNA-based method for identifying mushroom species for application in forensic laboratory practice. METHODS. Two hundred twenty-one samples of clinical forensic material (dried mushrooms, food remains, stomach contents, feces, etc) were analyzed. ITS2 region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) was sequenced and the sequen-ces were compared with reference sequences collected from the National Center for Biotechnology Information gene bank (GenBank). Sporological identification of mushrooms was also performed for 57 samples of clinical material. RESULTS. Of 221 samples, positive sequencing results were obtained for 152 (69%). The highest percentage of positive results was obtained for samples of dried mushrooms (96%) and food remains (91%). Comparison with GenBank sequences enabled identification of all samples at least at the genus level. Most samples (90%) were identified at the level of species or a group of closely related species. Sporological and molecular identification were consistent at the level of species or genus for 30% of analyzed samples. CONCLUSION. Molecular analysis identified a larger number of species than sporological method. It proved to be suitable for analysis of evidential material (dried hallucinogenic mushrooms) in forensic genetic laboratories as well as to complement classical methods in the analysis of clinical material. Language: en