Search

The butter boletes (Boletus s.l. sect. Appendiculati) are an economically important group of ectomycorrhizal fungi whose basidiocarps have a yellow tube layer that often bruises blue, yellow reticulate stipe, mild flavor and firm yellow-tinged flesh that may or may not turn blue when exposed. Morphological characters and molecular data (ITS and LSU) place this group in a separate phylogenetic clade from Boletus sensu stricto. Here we establish a new genus, Butyriboletus, to accommodate 14 species of butter boletes that range from Asia to Europe, north Africa and North America. We recombine eight previously described butter bolete species and we describe six new species: four from western USA (Bu. persolidus, Bu. primiregius, Bu. autumnigius, Bu. querciregius) and two from Yunnan, China (Bu. yicibus, Bu. sanicibus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boletellus and Heimioporus, two genera of Boletaceae with ornamented basidiospores, are shown to be distinct genera on the basis of phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal large-subunit and translation elongation-factor 1α DNA sequences. Comparison of spore ornamentation type - longitudinally ribbed in Boletellus v. punctate, alveolate-reticulate in Heimioporus - are further evidence for distinction. Analyses of multiple accessions from the Americas, Asia and Australia support the monophyly of Heimioporus and a 'core Boletellus' clade, containing the type species, B. ananas (M.A.Curt.) Murrill, and approximately seven additional species. Tests of alternative phylogenetic topologies could not reject monophyly of a more inclusive group containing the core Boletellus clade and six other species. Heimioporus australis Fechner & Halling, H. cooloolae Fechner & Halling, Boletellus deceptivus Halling & Fechner, B. reminiscens Halling & Fechner and B. sinapipes Fechner, K.Syme, R.Rob. & Halling are described as new species. Phylogenetic analyses also support the following new combinations: Aureoboletus projectellus (Murrill) Halling, A. mirabilis (Murrill) Halling, Hemileccinum subglabripes (Peck) Halling and the new name, Xerocomus tenax Nuhn & Halling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boletus albobrunnescens and B. austroedulis are described as new species in section Boletus from Thailand and Australia respectively. The former is easily characterized by the pure white basidiomata that stain brown. Boletus austroedulis has a gray-brown, slightly rugulose pileus with hymeniform pileipellis producing pileocystidia, and the stipe is only apically reticulate if at all. These new species represent ancient lineages inferred from prior molecular phylogenetic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sutorius is described as a new genus of Boletaceae to accommodate Boletus robustus originally named illegitimately by C.C. Frost from eastern North America. The legitimate name, Boletus eximius, provided by C.H. Peck, has been used since for a dark purple to chocolate brown bolete with finely scaly stipe and reddish brown spore deposit. This iconic taxon has been documented on five continents. Despite the straightforward species identification from morphology, the interpretation of stipe macromorphology and spore color has led to equivocal generic placement. Phylogenetic analyses of genes encoding large subunit rRNA and translation elongation factor 1α confirm Sutorius as a unique generic lineage in the Boletaceae. Two species are recognized based on multiple accessions: S. eximius, represented by collections from North America, Costa Rica, Guyana, Indonesia and Japan (molecular data are lacking for only the Guyanan and Japanese material); and S. australiensis, represented by material from Queensland, Australia. Additional collections from Zambia and Thailand represent independent lineages, but sampling is insufficient to describe new species for these entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harrya is described as a new genus of Boletaceae to accommodate Boletus chromapes, a pink-capped bolete with a finely scabrous stipe adorned with pink scabers, a chrome yellow base and a reddish-brown spore deposit. Phylogenetic analyses of large-subunit rDNA and translation elongation factor 1α confirmed Harrya as a unique generic lineage with two species, one of which is newly described (H. atriceps). Some Chinese taxa were recently placed in a separate genus, Zangia, supported by both morphology and molecular data. Multiple accessions from Queensland, Australia, support the synonymy of at least three species in a separate Australian clade in the new genus, Australopilus. The truffle-like Royoungia is also supported as a separate lineage in this clade of boletes. Even though it lacks stipe characters, it possesses the deep, bright yellow to orange pigments in the peridium. Additional collections from Zambia and Thailand represent independent lineages of uncertain phylogenetic placement in the Chromapes complex, but sampling is insufficient for formal description of new species. Specimens from Java referable to Tylopilus pernanus appear to be a sister group of the Harrya lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]