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Two mycorrhizal taxa are described: Lactarius rubidus from the west coast and Leccinellum quercophilum from eastern North America. Lactarius rubidus is a new combination for Lactarius fragilis var. rubidus, here validated after a previous invalid publication. Leccinellum quercophilum is a new species. Detailed macro- and microscopic descriptions, ITS and LSU sequences, illustrations of microscopic features, and plates are presented for each species; a type study of Lactarius fragilis var. rubidus is also provided.

Although spores from most macrofungi are wind- or water-dispersed, dispersal may also occur via biotic vectors. The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a facultative mycovore that may play an important role in fungal spore dispersal although, to date, no information exists on fungi occurring in fecal samples of box turtles or on the ecological significance of box turtles as spore dispersal vectors. Consequently, a study of the potential for Eastern box turtles to act as vectors for spore dispersal was initiated by capturing wild turtles and collecting fecal samples. Serial dilutions from fecal samples were made to enumerate spores, quantify the number of spores per gram of fecal material and to isolate and identify fungi. Fungal spores were found to be extremely abundant throughout all samples. Fecal samples from 36 turtles yielded a total of 23 different fungal taxa in the Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Two yeasts that were isolated, Cryptococcus albidus and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, are reported to naturally occur on Trifolium seeds found in fecal samples. A mold previously unreported from fecal material, Aspergillus wentii, was also found in fecal samples. Data collected suggests Eastern box turtles influence fungal spore dispersal by browsing on plant materials and defecating large numbers of fungal spores within their home ranges.

Previous studies based on morphology and on ability to intercross suggested that new bio- logical and morphological species were sheltered within the genus Flammulina as well as varieties with- in E velutipes. The currently described or proposed Northern Hemisphere Flammulina species are F "mexicana, "F. populicola, F rossica, F ononidis, E elas- tica, F. fennae and F velutipes. Within E velutipes are F velutipes var. velutipes, var. " lupinicola," and var. lac- tea. The ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region was se- quenced for eighteen geographically diverse Flam- mulina collections, including the three F velutipesva- rieties. Results of neighbor-joining and parsimony analysis produced five distinct Northern Hemisphere clades, a clade consisting of F velutipes together with it's varieties, a clade consisting of F populicola and F. "mexicana", and clades representing F fennae, F. ros- sica and F elastica together with F. ononidis. Data are consistent with the hypothesis that F. populicola is a relatively old species which has diverged significantly on different continents, possibly giving rise to F "mexicana" in North America. The ITS sequence for Flammulina stratosa, an isolate from New Zealand, is highly divergent from all other Flammulina isolates and may represent an ancient endemic or the prod- uct of very rapid evolution. Species diversity is high

Recently published taxonomic circumscriptions for taxa withinFlammulina encouraged mating studies to confirm or reject these names or taxa. Three categories of pairing experiments were performed: 1) self-crosses of monokaryon isolates of examplars of various putative taxa; 2) inter-exemplar pairings among exemplar strains; and 3) pairings between examplars and 87 unidentified strains which were grouped on this basis. Mating experiments could distin-guishF. velutipes from other taxa, but not among infraspecific taxa ofF. velutipes (vars.velutipes, lactea, andlupinicola) and monokaryons of all these taxa were partially compatible with those ofF. ononidis. Likewise, isolates ofF. rossica andF. elastica were partially compatible with one another but incompatible with those of other taxa. All other taxa (F. mexicana, F. stratosa, F. populicola, F. fennae) appeared to be genetically isolated. Low levels of interspecific hybridization betweenF. velutipes andF. populicola, and betweenF. velutipes andF. rossica/elastica were also noted.

A new species, Flammulina stratosa Redhead, Petersen & Methven, sp.nov., is described from living Nothofagus from New Zealand. It is characterized by a thick, gelatinized mediopellis that virtually replaces all other pilear tramal tissues and is comparable with Flammulina similis. Cultures and mating systems are described.Key words: tetrapolar, conidia, southern hemisphere.

Mating systems in Xerula australis, Xerula furfuracea, Xerula incognita (sp.nov.), Xerula megalospora, Xerula rugosoceps, and the Xerula radicata complex are described, with notes on culture morphology and biogeographic distribution. All taxa tested were bifactorial (i.e., tetrapolar) and genetically isolated from one another. Multiple collections of X. furfuracea and X. megalospora were found to interbreed in vitro. Two collections of putative European X. radicata were found to be haploid, monokaryotic, nonmeiotic basidiomes genetically isolated from each other and from all other tested taxa, including X. radicata. Neohaploidization experiments with Xerula rufobrunnescens failed. A discussion comparing mating systems in Xerula to those in other genera of the Xerulaceae is included. Key words: mating systems, interbreeding, biological species, intersterility groups, biogeography, Xerula, basidiomycetes.

Leucochrysa pavida is a green lacewing which incorporates lichen fragments into its larval debris packets and pupal cocoons. Since only minute lichen fragments are harvested, identification of lichens utilized in debris packet and pupal cocoon construction is difficult using morphological characteristics. A comparison of the chemical profiles of epiphytic, corticolous lichens at Tower Rock Recreation Area in Hardin Country, Illinois, with lichen substances identified by thin-layer chromatographic analysis of debris packet and pupal cocoon extracts revealed that L. pavida larvae selectively harvest and use lichen thallus fragments from Lecanora strobilina, Lepraria sp. #1, and Myelochroa aurulenta in the construction of debris packets and pupal co

(1988). Reports of Cyanogenesis in Selected Basidiomycetes. Mycologia: Vol. 80, No. 6, pp. 859-860.