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Research in the South Urals has revealed 39 species of beetles from 25 genera and 13 families associated with 6 species of wood-destroying basidium fungi of the genus Trametes Fr.: T. gibbosa, T. hirsuta, T. ochracea, T. pubescens, T. suaveolens, and T. versicolor. The dominant inhabitants of these fungi are Octothemnus glabriculus, Sulcacis nitidus, Cis hispidus, C. setiger, C. boleti (Ciidae), Tritoma subbasalis (Erotylidae), and Orchesia fusiformis (Melandryidae). Patterns of colonization of the fungal fruit bodies depending on their physiological state and degree of destruction are described. Significant differences are observed in the composition of the beetle complexes inhabiting living and dead basidiomes. Such beetle species as Cerylon deplanatum, C. ferrugineum, C. histeroides (Cerylonidae), Rhizophagus dispar, Rh. parvulus (Monotomidae), Cucujus haematodes (Cucujidae), Bitoma crenata (Colydiidae), Dircaea quadriguttata, and Orchesia fasciata (Melandryidae) develop under the bark of trees, in white rot of wood, and in the mycelial layer of Trametes fungi in trophic association with these fungi and other fungal species, including ascomycetes and deuteromycetes.

A new species Tremella zhejiangensis is described from southeastern China based on phenotypic and molecular evidence. The species is characterized by soft gelatinous, yellowish brown to brownish orange, cerebriform basidioma when fresh, thin-walled, globose to subglobose or broadly ellipsoid basidia with a basal clamp connection, globose to subglobose basidiospores measuring 15.0–19.0 × 14.0–17.5 µm with obvious apiculus, and growth on rotten wood of Liquidambar formosana. The phylogeny of Tremella s.s. is constructed using methods of Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses based on the combined internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) and the large subunit (nLSU) dataset. The results indicate that T. zhejiangensis forms a lineage independent of other species of Tremella s.s. An illustrated description of the new species is provided and related species are discussed.

A new gelatinous species, Calocera tibetica, is described from southwest China based on morphological and molecular evidence. It is characterized by stipitate, tough, gelatinous, dichotomously branched, dendroid or staghorn-like basidioma with blunt tips, subclavate to clavate basidia measuring 45.0–53.0 × 4.8–6.0 µm, and hyaline, oblong-ellipsoid to navicular, 3–4-septate mature basidiospores measuring 9.0–14.0 × 5.0–6.3 μm. In the phylogeny, the new species is closely related to C. viscosa and C. cornea based on the nITS + nLSU dataset, but C. viscosa has basidioma with sharp tips, pale yellow, 1-septate mature basidiospores; C. cornea has cylindrical, subulate, slightly branched basidioma, and sub-hyaline cylindrical to slightly curved-cylindrical, 1-septate mature basidiospores measuring 7–10 × 3–4.5 μm. The new species is unique by its 3–4-septate mature basidiospores among species of Calocera.

A new species of Sistotremastrum J. Erikss. (Basidiomycota, Trechisporales) with (6-8)-spored basidia is described and supported by morphology and phylogenetic analyses based on ITS rDNA sequences.

Two new wood-inhabiting fungi, Mycorrhaphium subadustum sp. nov. and Trullella conifericola sp. nov., are proposed and described from Asia based on ITS, nrLSU and tef1 molecular phylogeny and morphological characteristics. Mycorrhaphium subadustum is characterized by a stipitate basidiocarp, velutinate pileal surface concentrically zoned, hydnoid hymenophore, a dimitic hyphal system in spine trama and monomitic in context, absence of gloeocystidia, presence of cystidioles and the non-amyloid, cylindrical to ellipsoid basidiospores. Trullella conifericola is characterized by a laterally stipitate basidiocarp with flabelliform to semicircular pileus, hirtellous pileal surface with appressed coarse hair and concentrically zoned and sulcate, tiny pores (10–12 per mm), a dimitic hyphal system, absence of any type of cystidia, short clavate basidia and thin-walled, smooth, cylindrical to allantoid basidiospores. Phylogenetic analyses based on a three-marker dataset were performed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The two new species formed isolated lineages with full support in Steccherinaceae . The distinguishing characters of the two new species as well as allied species are discussed, and a key to species of Mycorrhaphium is provided.

Seven new Entomocorticium species (Peniophoraceae) are described based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses. Along with the type species (E. dendroctoni), Entomocorticium comprises eight species of nutritional symbionts of pine bark beetles in North America. Entomocorticium cobbii is the mycangial associate of the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis, and E. parmeteri is the mycangial associate of the western pine beetle, D. brevicomis. Entomocorticium whitneyi, E. portiae, E. kirisitsii, E. oberwinkleri and the previously described E. dendroctoni have been isolated from galleries of D. ponderosae and D. jeffreyi in western North America. Entomocorticium sullivanii forms an ambrosia-like layer of basidia and basidiospores in the pupal chambers of Ips avulsus in the southeastern USA. Entomocorticium is phylogenetically placed within Peniophora, a corticioid genus of wood decay fungi with wind-dispersed basidiospores. At least four species of Entomocorticium produce basidiospores on basidia with reduced sterigmata that apparently do not forcibly discharge basidiospores. Another basidiomycete, Gloeocystidium ipidophilum, was described from Ips typographus galleries in Europe, but it is phylogenetically and taxonomically placed in another genus of wood decay fungi as Cylindrobasidium ipidophilum (Physalacriaceae). The free-living wood-decay fungus Phlebiopsis gigantea (Phanerochaetaceae) has been occasionally associated with bark beetles but is unrelated to C. ipidophilum or Entomocorticium.

Gerhardtia yunnanensis is described as a new species from southwestern China. The species is characterized by its medium to large basidiomata with a yellow-brown to reddish brown pileus with a translucent-striate pale margin, weakly curved stipe, basidia with both cyanophilic and siderophilic reactions, basidiospore walls having a cyanophilic reaction, basidiospores with minute granular or verruculose ornamentation under SEM, narrowly clavate to irregular or curved clavate cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia, and absence of clamp connections. A comparison of all taxa of the genus was performed based on morphological and ITS and LSU molecular data. Furthermore, we provide a key to the known species of Gerhardtia worldwide.

Guepinia alba sp. nov. and G. shanxiense sp. nov. are described and illustrated from Northern China in this paper. Morphologically, G. alba is distinguished from other Guepinia species by whitish basidiomata and 4-spored basidia while G. shanxiense is diagnosed by reddish orange basidiomata and ellipsoid to oblong ellipsoid basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS and nrLSU sequences support the establishment of the two new species.

Fuscoporia caymanensis sp. nov. is described from tropical America. It is characterized by perennial, extensive, resupinate to indistinctly effused-reflexed basidiomata; a very thin to almost absent subiculum; multi-layered tubes with a black line between each layer; a dimitic hyphal system with skeletal hyphae occasionally septate; absence of mycelial setae and cystidioles; abundant hymenial setae, 40–55 × 5–7 μm; urniform basidia, and cylindrical basidiospores 4.5–5 × 2–2.4 µm. It was found growing on fallen rotten angiosperm trunks in tropical America. Phylogenetically, it is related to Fuscoporia viticola and F. palomari, but the latter two species have longer basidiospores (7–9 × 1.5–2 µm in F. viticola and 8–10 × 2.7–3.5 μm in F. palomari), and occur in temperate regions.

A new species of Athelia, A. termitophila, from Japan is described and illustrated on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Basidiomes of this species are characterized by having hyphae sometimes with clamp connections at the septa, basidia without clamp connections at the basal septa, and ellipsoid to ovoid basidiospores measuring 4.5–6 × 3–4.5 μm. In culture, mycelia produce pale brown, orange-brown to brown, globose sclerotia measuring 0.24–0.41 mm diam. The sclerotia are distinctly different in shape and size from those of other Athelia species, and are occasionally found inside the woody substrate beneath basidiomes. They are identical in shape and size to those of Fibularhizoctonia sp., also known as termite balls. Phylogenetic analysis using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence data revealed that A. termitophila is the teleomorph of Fibularhizoctonia sp.

A new wood-decaying fungus, Xylobolus austrosinensis, is described and illustrated from southern China based on morphological and molecular evidence. It is characterized by the thick and pulvinate basidiomata, numerous acanthocystidia, acanthoid basidia, and ovoid to subglobose basidiospores (4–4.5 × 2.8–3.5 µm). The new species is similar to X. frustulatus, but differs in having acanthoid basidia, rounder basidiospores and a subtropical-tropical distribution. In the phylogenetic tree inferred from ITS sequence data of Stereaceae, five species of Xylobolus, including the new species, formed a clade with relatively strong supports. Xylobolus spectabilis and X. illudens are excluded from the genus based on our analyses. Xylobolus ahmadii, X. brasiliensis and X. peculiare are not accepted in the genus according to their morphological descriptions and unpublished sequence data. Xylobolus gongylodes that was not included in the phylogenetic analyses is temporarily accepted in the genus. An identification key to all six accepted species of Xylobolus is provided.

Species of Laccaria (Hydnangiaceae, Agaricales, and Basidiomycota) are well-known ectomycorrhizal symbionts of a broad range of hosts. Laccaria species are characterized by brown, orange, or purple colored basidiocarps, and globose or oblong, echinulate and multinucleate basidiospores. While some Laccaria species are easily identified at the species level using only the morphological characteristics, others are hard to distinguish at the species level due to small differences in morphology. Heretofore, ten Laccaria species have been reported in Korea. While studying the fungal diversity in the National Parks of Korea, two new Laccaria species were discovered. Species identification was done based on molecular analyses (ITS, 28S rDNA, rpb2, and tef1), then were confirmed by their corresponding morphologies. The two newly discovered Laccaria species are proposed here as Laccaria macrobasidia and Laccaria griseolilacina. The unique morphological characters of L. macrobasidia that distinguish it from its closely related species are orange-brown colored basidiocarp, long basidia and the absence of cheilocystidia. L. griseolilacina is characterized by a light grayish lavender-colored pileus and the absence of cheilocystidia. Two new species are described and illustrated in the present paper.

Species of Tricholoma are relatively well-studied in Europe and North America. On the contrary, the study of the genus in East Asia is still limited, particularly in China, although nearly 50 species were reported from the country. In this paper, we describe and illustrate two new species of T. sect. Genuina, namely T. orienticolossus and T. orientifulvum, based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic evidence. Phylogenetically, T. orienticolossus is close to T. colossus, but differs from the latter by its absence of bitter taste, unchanging context, much longer basidia, wider basidiopores, and association with Abies trees. Tricholoma orientifulvum is similar to T. fulvum, but differs from the latter by its soap odor and association with subtropical trees of Lithocarpus, Quercus and Pinus kesiya.

Laccaria fengkaiensis and L. prava, collected from Heishiding Nature Reserve, South China, are proposed here as new taxa based on morphological and molecular evidences. These two new species along with Hodophilus glaberipes Ming Zhang et al. are described with photographs and line drawings and compared against related species. Morphologically, Laccaria fengkaiensis is characterized by a medium-sized to large pinkish white to light orange, strong striate to rugulose-striate or rugulose-sulcate pileus, a strong, solid stipe of the same color, 4-spored basidia, globose to obellipsoid basidiospores with moderate echinulae, and a pileipellis with abundant pileocystidia. Laccaria prava is characterized by a moderate-sized but very thin pinkish white to light orange, strong striate to rugulose-striate or rugulose-sulcate pileus, a distorted same colored stipe, 4-spored basidia, obellipsoid to globose basidiospores with moderate echinulae, and a stipitipellis with abundant caulocystidia. Hodophilus glaberipes is characterized by a small basidioma, with a pileus and its lamellae white at first, orange white to brownish orange with age, a white stipe, subglobose to globose basidiospores, and discoloring pastel red in wounds. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region provided further evidence that Laccaria fengkaiensis and L. prava are new species which are clearly separated from all other Laccaria species with rDNA sequence data available; Hodophilus glaberipes belongs to the H. micaceus superclade, with H. indicus K.N.A. Raj et al. as a closely related sister species.

A new wood-inhabiting fungal species, Heteroradulum yunnanensis, is proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. The species is characterized by an annual growth habit, resupinate basidiomata with odontoid hymenial surface (50–100 µm long), more or less pronounced yellow stains in older basidiomata, a monomitic hyphal system with thin-walled, clamped generative hyphae and two to three-celled basidia and cylindrical, hyaline, thin-walled, smooth, IKI–, CB– basidiospores measuring as 17–24 ×5–8 µm. Sequences of ITS and LSU nrRNA gene regions of the studied samples were generated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and bayesian inference methods. The phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data of ITS+nLSU sequences showed that Heteroradulum yunnanensis formed a monophyletic lineage with a strong support (100% BS, 100% BP, 1.00 BPP) and then grouped with H. adnatum.

The Brachybasidiaceae are a family of 22 known species of plant-parasitic microfungi belonging to Exobasidiales, Basidiomycota. Within this family, species of the largest genus Kordyana develop balls of basidia on top of stomatal openings. Basidial cells originate from fungal stroma filling substomatal chambers. Species of Kordyana typically infect species of Commelinaceae. During fieldwork in the neotropics, fungi morphologically similar to Kordyana spp. were found on Goeppertia spp. (syn. Calathea spp., Marantaceae), namely on G. panamensis in Panama and on G. propinqua in Bolivia. These specimens are proposed as representatives of a genus new to science, Marantokordyana, based on the distinct host family and molecular sequence data of ITS and LSU rDNA regions. The specimens on the two host species represent two species new to science, M. oberwinkleriana on G. panamensis and M. boliviana on G. propinqua. They differ by the size and shape of their basidia, molecular sequence data of ITS and LSU rDNA regions, and host plant species. In the past, the understanding of Brachybasidiaceae at order and family level was significantly improved by investigation realized by Franz Oberwinkler and his collaborators at the University of Tübingen, Germany. On species level, however, our knowledge is still very poor due to incomplete species descriptions of several existing names in literature, scarceness of specimens, as well as sequence data lacking for many taxa and for further barcode regions. Especially species of Kordyana and species of Dicellomyces are in need of revision.

Species in the genus Tomentella are distributed throughout the temperate and tropical regions worldwide, but few studies associated with the taxonomy and phylogeny of this genus had been reported from Northwest China. In this paper, molecular phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear ribosomal ITS (internal transcribed spacer: ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and LSU (large subunit: 28S) sequences combined with morphological characteristics identified three new species from Xinjiang Autonomous Region in Northwest China, which were named T.&nbsp, aurantispora, T.&nbsp, kanasensis, and T. schrenkiana. Similar macromorphological and anatomical characteristics are shared by these new species: arachnoid basidiocarps, byssoid sterile margins, utriform basidia with a clamp connection at the base, the absence of rhizomorphs and cystidia, and slightly thick-walled, subglobose to globose basidiospores. Among these new species, the color of the hymenophoral surface, the size of the basidiospores, and some other features can be used for species delimitation. The new species and closely related species in the phylogenetic tree were discussed, and a key to the identified species of Tomentella from China was provided.

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Hymenochaete es el género con el mayor número de especies de la familia Hymenochaetaceae en México, teniendo registradas 25 especies. Se caracteriza por su basidioma principalmente resupinado, aunque puede ser pileado o estipitado, de colores pardos, con presencia de setas y reacción xantocroide. El presente estudio tiene por objetivo describir una nueva especie de Hymenochaete.Métodos: Los materiales estudiados en fresco se describieron macro y micro morfológicamente usando microscopio estereoscópico y óptico, y tomando fotos in situ. Se revisaron ejemplares de los herbarios ENCB y FCME, así como literatura especializada para su descripción.Resultados clave: Hymenochaete liliae sp. nov. se caracteriza por el basidioma resupinado, adnato, carnoso, himenóforo liso, con numerosas setas, margen determinado, abrupto, con sistema hifal monomítico, septos simples; setas subfusiformes, abundantes en el himenio, 69-80 × 6-8 µm, agudas, con cristales y basidiosporas elipsoides, de paredes delgadas, 5-8 × 2-3 µm. Aunque se asemeja a H. rhabarbarina, se diferencia por presentar setas cubiertas con cristales y esporas de 4.8-6 × 2.3-3.3 µm. También se podría confundir con H. minuscula por su color del basidioma; sin embargo, las setas son de menor tamaño (40-60 µm), así como los basidios (15-20 µm). Se separa de H. cinnamomea por no presentar un basidioma estratoso, setas con cristales, de 69-80 × 6-8 µm, basidiosporas de 5-8 × 2-3 µm, elipsoidales.Conclusiones: Se propone Hymenochaete liliae como una especie nueva, que se distribuye en el bosque tropical del estado de Oaxaca, y hasta la fecha solo reportada de la localidad tipo.

International audience; Two novel species of Russula (Russulaceae, Russulales), R. coronaspora Y.Song sp. nov.and R. minor Y.Song sp. nov. belonging to subgenus Russula crown clade, are described based onboth morphological and phylogenetic evidence. In morphology, R. coronaspora sp. nov. is mainlycharacterized by its distinct spores ornamented with sparse, cylindrical and isolated spines, whichresemble coronavirus, and gelatinized pileipellis with pileocystidia mostly septate and sometimesbranched; R. minor sp. nov. possesses a very small basidiocarp with pileus less than 2.5 cm in diameter.,small basidia, easily peeling and gelatinized pileipellis with slender terminal cells and abundant SV+pileocystidia. Positions of the two new species in both phylogenetic trees based on ITS and 5-locussequences (nLSU, mtSSU, rpb1, rpb2 and tef1) confirm their distinct taxonomic status.

Japanese bladdernut shrub, Staphylea bumalda (Staphyleaceae), was found infected by a fungus in Prefectures of Ibaraki and Tochigi, central Japan. The fungus produced telia beneath the host epidermis and basidiospores on metabasidia emerging from the sori on the abaxial leaf surface. Probasidia were single-celled, sessile, short-cylindrical, thin-walled, and laterally free. A four-celled metabasidium arose from a probasidium by apical elongation. Apparent biotrophic nature and the basidium morphology of the Staphylea fungus suggested its taxonomic affinity to the rust genus Ochropsora. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of D1/D2 region of LSU rDNA showed that two collections of the fungus were grouped with Ochropsora ariae (type species of the genus) and O. nambuana but formed an independent clade. The fungus under consideration was, therefore, classified in Ochropsora, and a new name, O. staphyleae, was proposed for it.

Amylosporus annosus sp. nov. sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Malaysia, tropical Asia. It is characterized by perennial, resupinate basidiocarps which are leathery when fresh, woody hard when dry, with white fresh pores which become cream to buff-yellow up on drying, distinct receding sterile margin, a dimitic hyphal structure with dextrinoid skeletal hyphae, generative hyphae bring simple septa only, basidia bearing eight sterigmata, and ellipsoid, fairly thick-walled, finely asperulate, strongly amyloid basidiospore measuring 3–3.7 × 2.4–3 μm. A molecular study based on the combined ITS (internal transcribed spacer region) and nLSU (the large nuclear ribosomal RNA subunit) dataset demonstrated the studied samples formed a new lineage in Amylosporus.

Cercopemyces rickenii (Bohus) Dima & L. Nagy (Agaricales: Tricholomataceae) is a rare species red-listed in Ukraine and in a number of other countries. Before now in Ukraine, the fungus was recorded in five localities, only in the steppe zone. All known localities were confined to sandy soil and plantings of Acer tataricum L. or Robinia pseudoacacia L. It is reported about sixth record of C. rickenii, located outside the steppe zone and the most northern in Ukraine. The fungus was found here in plantings formed by Caprinus betulus L. and Acer platanoides L. on forest soils. Using scanning electron microscopy, it was shown that the spore surface of C. rickenii had tuberculate ornamentation. In addition, it was shown that the basidium of the fungus could have more than four sterigmata.

Phlebiella P. Karst. (1890: 271) (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) was typified by P. vaga (Fr.) P. Karst. (1890: 271), which is a cosmopolitan genus characterized by a combination of resupinate to effused basidiocarps, hymenophore smooth to ceraceous to subgelatinous, a monomitic hyphal structure with clamped generative hyphae, basidia pleural and basidiospores hyaline, thin- to thick-walled, warted, subglobose, ellipsoid, cylindrical and acyanophilous (Karsten 1890, Bernicchia & Gorjón 2010). So far about ten species have been accepted in the genus worldwide (Karsten 1890, Bondartsev 1953, Hjortstam & Larsson 1987, Roberts 1995, Bernicchia & Gorjón 2010).

Two new species of Clavulina (Clavulinaceae, Cantharellales, Basidiomycota) from southwestern China are substantiated based on morphological evidence and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Both are consistent with the generic properties of Clavulina that include coralloid, branched basidiomata, amphigenous hymenia, basidia with two cornuted sterigmata, and postpartal septa. The first new species, Clavulina flava, is unique for Clavulina in having bright yellow basidiomata, and the second, Clavulina purpurascens, has pale purple basidiomata. The two new species are described in detail, illustrated with line drawings and photographs, and compared with similar species. Intrageneric relationships were examined with phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the second largest subunit of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (RPB2) and the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU). A key is provided for the known Clavulina species in China.

The genus Hygrophorus is poorly studied from Asia. From Pakistan, only one species has been reported so far. Two new species in the genus have been collected from Himalayan oak forests of Pakistan. Hygrophorusalboflavescens (section Pudorini, subgenus Colorati) is characterised by its pure white, centrally depressed pileus, occurrence of white stipe with yellow patches at lower half and broader (4.98 μm) basidiospores. Hygrophorusscabrellus (section Hygrophorus, subgenus Hygrophorus) is characterised by its yellowish-green stipe with white apex that has fine scales on the entire stipe, an off-white pileus with dark green and greyish fibrils, ovoid to ellipsoid basidiospores and clavate 4-spored basidia. Macro- and micromorphological descriptions have revealed that both these taxa are not yet described. Phylogenetic estimation based on DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes, is congruent with the morphological characters that help to delimit these as new species of Hygrophorus. Allied taxa are also compared.

An undescribed Nia species was recorded from intertidal decayed wood of Avicennia marina collected from Red Sea mangroves in Saudi Arabia. Nia lenicarpa sp. nov. is characterized by smooth basidiomes, growing singly or in groups of 2 to 10 confluent basidiomes, with a three-layered, thick peridium and 4-spored basidia. Nia lenicarpa differs from N. vibrissa by having smaller basidiomes without peridial hairs but with thick peridia, larger basidia and basidiospores. Phylogenetic analyses of SSU and LSU rDNA placed N. lenicarpa in a monophyletic clade with two N. vibrissa clades. There are no molecular data available for the other two Nia species; N. epidermoidea and N. globispora. The morphology of N. vibrissa from driftwood collected from a beach in Japan is illustrated. Vertical sections of basidiomes of the Japanese material showed the presence of an outer peridium that is formed by the tips of the peridial hairs which was not reported before. This supports the presence of several cryptic species in the N. vibrissa complex.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycetous encapsulated yeast that can cause life-threatening infections in immunosuppressed humans and animals. C.neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii infections are considered to be acquired via inhalation of aerosolized particles from the environment. Avian guano, decaying tree hollows and soil are known as environmental niches. In recent years, colonization of the woody structures of different trees such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Tamarix hispida, Platanus orientalis and Punica granatum has been reported in the environmental study of the western Anatolian region. Based on the results of previous studies, our country may have intensive Cryptococcus colonization niches in the western regions. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of the colonization of C.neoformans niche in chestnut (Castanea spp.) trees on higher altitudes. In the study, the colonization of C.neoformans was screened on chestnut trees (Castanea spp.) in Aydin-Odemis-Denizli geographical area. This area consists of mountainous terrain between the fertile plain formed by two major rivers.This region is one of the widespreading areas of chestnut farming in Anatolia. Two hundred and fourteen chestnut trees that had deep fissures or trunk hollows were screened during mid-summer 2017. A swabbing technique was used, and all samples were cultured on Staib agar medium containing biphenyl and antibiotics. Cultures were checked for ten days for suspicious brown colonies. Suspicious yeast colonies were tested for the identification of pathogenic Cryptococcus by conventional methods and canavanine-glycine-bromothymol agar reactions. ITS 1-4 primers were used for strain PCR tests. We determined the mating type and serotypes by PCR analysis of the STE20 genes using STE20 (Aa), STE20 (Aα), STE20 (Da), and STE20 (Dα) primers. V8 agar medium was used for mating cultivation. Only one (0.47%) strain of C.neoformans was isolated from 214 screened trees. This strain was confirmed by ITS 1-4 sequencing. The serotype A MATα mating type was observed. Basidium, basidiospores and clamp connections in hyphal structure were noted with MATα mating on V8 agar medium. In this study, the first C.neoformans isolate from a chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) was determined from Denizli region. Further studies of distribution of human pathogenic Cryptococcus will be helpful to determine the risk areas for the living organisms in our region.

The genus Cryptococcus is well known for its two species —Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gatii— that are etiological agents of cryptococcosis, an important fungal disease of mammals, including humans, and which is particularly common in immunocompromised patients. Nevertheless, Cryptococcus is a large and widely distributed genus of basidiomycetes occupying a broad range of niches, including mycoparasitism. One such mycoparasitic species is Cryptococcus depauperatus, which was firstly mistakenly described as a pathogen of scale insects under the name Aspergillus depauperatus. The “Aspergillus” conidiophores were later shown to be basidia of a Cryptococcus and the new combination C. depauperatus was proposed. Additionally, instead of an entomopathogen, the fungus was found to be a mycoparasite growing on the entomopathogen Akanthomyces (Lecanicillium) lecanii. Recently, during surveys for mycoparasites of coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in the context of a biocontrol project, white colonies covering rust pustules were observed in Cameroon. Upon close examination, instead of a member of the “white colony forming complex” of Ascomycetes, commonly collected growing on H. vastatrix, such colonies were found to represent a basidiomycete fungus with basidia-bearing chains of basidiospores, typical of the genus Cryptococcus. Morphological and molecular evidence was generated supporting the identification of the fungus on rust pustules as C. depauperatus. This is the first record of C. depauperatus from Africa and of its association with coffee leaf rust.

Gymnopilus is characterized by its ferruginous-yellow basidiomata and lamellae, ferruginous spore print, ellipsoidal basidiospores with warty and rough ornamentation, and lacking a germinative pore. Here, novel data on the Gymnopilus species of Paraguay is presented, macro and microscopic morphological characteristics, distribution, and ecology are described, and a taxonomic discussion is provided. Gymnopilus imperialis is recorded in the Alto Paraná Department, G. lepidotus in the Central Department, G. luteofolius in the Cordillera Department, G. peliolepis in the Paraguarí Department, and G. purpureosquamulosus in the Central Department and Boquerón, all as new records for Paraguay. Photographs of the fresh basidiomata and some microscopic structures such as basidia and basidiospores are attached. Resumen Gymnopilus se caracteriza por poseer basidiomas y laminillas con tonos amarillo ferrugíneos, esporada ferruginosa, basidiosporas elipsoidales con ornamentación verrugosa a rugosa, sin poro germinativo. En el presente trabajo se proporcionan datos novedosos sobre las especies de Gymnopilus de Paraguay, se describen sus características morfológicas, su distribución, ecología y se proporciona una discusión en torno a su taxonomía. Se citaron G. imperialis para el Departamento Alto Paraná, G. lepidotus para el Departamento Central, G. luteofolius para el Departamento Cordillera, G. peliolepis para el Departamento Paraguarí, y G. purpureosquamulosus para el Departamento Central y Boquerón, y todas como nuevos reportes para el Paraguay. Además, se ilustran los caracteres microscópicos distintivos. Se anexan fotografías de los basidiomas en fresco y de algunas estructuras microscópicas como basidios y basidiosporas.

Stereoid fungi are an artificial group with mostly effused-reflexed to stipitate basidiomata, smooth hymenophore, and hyaline spores. From recent surveys in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, and Cerrado, six specimens of this group had their identity tested with the nrITS and nrLSU sequences. Two of them were nested within the Lopharia s.s. clade and represent a new species L. erubescens, characterized by the dextrinoid reaction of the cystidia, and small basidia and spores. The other four were initially identified as Hjortstamia amethystea, but nested in the Phlebiopsis clade. Thus, we proposed the new combination, Phlebiopsis amethystea. We also provide keys to neotropical Lopharia s.l. and Phlebiopsis s.l. and allied species., The authors would like to thank Diogo Careli dos Santos for the donation of the collection, the Herbário Pe. Camille Torrend (URM) for the loan of the exsiccates, the Programa de Pós Graduação em Biologia de Fungos (UFPE, Brazil), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; grant SISBIOTA (563342/2010-2), PPBio Semi-Árido (457476/2012-5), PROTAX (562106/2010-3), Universal (472792/2011-3), PQ (307601/2015-3)), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pesquisa e Ensino Superior (CAPES; grant Capes-SIU 008/13) and Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE; grant ATP-0021-2.03/18, APQ-0788-2.03/12) for the financial support. CAPES is also acknowledged for the master scholarship of RSC and PhD scholarship of CRSL, and FACEPE for the PhD scholarship of RSC and post-doctorate scholarship of CRSL and VXL. We also would like to thank Nordesta Reforestation & Education for the support in the field work performed at the Biological Reserve of Pedra Talhada. This study was also partially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of the UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and the BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020-Programa Operacional Regional do Norte., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

A fungus parasitic on a fern, Dennstaedtia wilfordii (Dennstaedtiaceae), was found at the foothill of Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Its hyphae spread within host mesophyll cells and through intercellular spaces, forming coiled haustoria in the epidermal and mesophyll cells. The hyphae emerged either through stomata or by disrupting epidermal cell junctions. The hyphae spreading over the abaxial leaf surface generated one-septate, thin-walled basidia. All the morphological features observed were characteristic of the genus Herpobasidium. The species identification of the fungus as H. filicinum by morphology was supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses of the D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene.

Three new species of Aleurodiscus s.l. with corticioid basidiomata are described and illustrated from southern China based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses of ITS and nrLSU sequence data. Aleurodiscusbambusinus was collected from Jiangxi Province on bamboo and is distinct by having a compact texture, simple-septate generative hyphae, abundant acanthophyses, basidia with acanthophysoid appendages and smooth basidiospores. Aleurodiscusisabellinus was collected from Yunnan Province on both angiosperm wood and bamboo and is distinct by having soft basidiomata with yellow to yellowish-brown hymenophore, yellow acanthophyses, simple-septate generative hyphae and smooth basidiospores. Aleurodiscussubroseus was collected from Guangxi Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province on angiosperm wood and is distinct by having pinkish basidiomata when fresh, clamped generative hyphae, clavate acanthophyses and echinulate basidiospores. In the phylogenetic tree, A.bambusinus and A.isabellinus were nested within the A.cerussatus group, whilst A.subroseus was clustered with A.wakefieldiae. An identification key to 26 species of Aleurodiscus s.l. in China is provided.

Species of Coleosporium (Pucciniales) are rust fungi that typically alternate between pines and angiosperms. In North America, species of Coleosporium often infect Solidago (goldenrods), although their taxonomy on these hosts is unresolved. Joseph. C. Arthur and George B. Cummins regarded these as a single species, Coleosporium solidaginis (fide Arthur) or C. asterum (fide Cummins), but later inoculation studies demonstrated the presence of more than one species, distinguishable by their aecial hosts. A more recent taxonomic study of Coleosporium found that specimens on Solidago identified as C. asterum in North America were not conspecific with the type, which is from Japan, prompting the present study. Herein, we conducted a systematic study on ca. 60 collections of Coleosporium infecting species of Asteraceae from North America using regions of ribosomal DNA and morphology of teliospores and basidia. Our data indicate at least three species of Coleosporium occur on Solidago in North America, C. solidaginis, C. montanum comb. nov., which is proposed for the taxon that has commonly been identified as C. asterum in North America, and C. delicatulum, all of which can be differentiated by morphology of their basidia. In addition, the challenges of marker selection for molecular barcoding of rust fungi is discussed.

A corticioid fungal species found in mountainous Taiwan, and Yunnan Province of China, is described as a new genus and new species: Purpureocorticium microsporum (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota). Morphological study and phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data respectively derived from the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU nrDNA) alone and the combined dataset of LSU nrDNA and translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1-α) indicated that Purpureocorticium does not belong to any clade of the Agaricomycetes. Purpureocorticium and P. microsporum are characterized by having a resupinate basidiocarp with smooth hymenial surface which turns purple in KOH, and becomes purplish after storage, microscopically having compact texture of subiculum, nodose-septate thin-walled generative hyphae, absence of cystidia, basidia subclavate with a median constriction, or utriform, bearing ovate-ellipsoid small-sized basidiospores, which are smooth and thin-walled, inamyloid, and nondextrinoid. The new combination Rhizochaete rubescens is proposed, based on morphological and phylogenetic evidences.

The higher level phylogeny of fungi has been addressed in previous studies, but for those analyses, either taxon sampling or gene sampling was low, or some basal lineages important for the inference of basidiomycete phylogeny were lacking. Here, a phylogenomic analysis based on highly conserved genes and including the enigmatic species Bartheletia paradoxa from Ginkgo biloba is presented. While phylogenetic analyses including also less conserved parts of core eukaryotic genes yielded a basal position for the extremophile genus Wallemia with low support, an exclusion of highly variable parts of these genes suggested Bartheletia paradoxa as the most basal member of the Agaricomycotina, but again with low support. Network analyses suggest a network-like evolution at the base of the Basidiomycota, supported by phylogenies based on single genes and gene clusters with shared topology. When further removing noise by removing poorly resolving genes, strong but not maximum support was obtained for Bartheletia paradoxa being the sister lineage to all other Agaricomycotina. We speculate that the lack of support for the early splits in Agaricomycotina and Basidiomycota can probably be explained by rapid radiation, linked to major evolutionary developments, such as, in the case of Basidiomycota, the advent of basidia in the last common ancestor.

Repeated macrofungal forays to the east district of Sikkim followed by morphological and phylogenetic studies of collected wild mushrooms revealed an undescribed species, proposed here as Gyroporus paramjitii. This species is characterized by hemispheric to plane dark brown to brownish orange pileus, concolorous or darker stipe, snow white to pale yellow pore surface which is immutable when bruised, 2- to 4-spored basidia, reniform to elliptic basidiospores, presence of pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia, absence of caulocystidia, trichoderm pattern of pileipellis and stipitipellis with encrusted erect hyphal elements and occurrence under Castanopsis sp. Macro- and micro-morphological details coupled with molecular phylogenetic analyses (based on nrITS and nrLSU data) are presented for this taxon.

Molecular studies have shown the type collection of Omphalina oreades to be conspecific with a small brown basidiolichen from the Appalachian range in Newfoundland, both with 4-spored basidia. Two sequences deposited in GenBank, originally identified as O. grisella, fell in the same clade. Sequences of the type collection of Omphalia grisella, with 2-spored basidia, formed a sister clade together with two GenBank deposits, one identified as O. grisella and the other as Omphalina velutina. Omphalina oreades is recombined here as Lichenomphalia oreades comb. nov., and the species redescribed and illustrated. Sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS rDNA) from the algae associated with two collections of L. oreades fell within a highly supported clade with members of an undetermined species of Coccomyxa. The most abundant algal ribosomal large subunit sequence from granules at the base of a different collection matched GenBank sequences identified as Chloroidium ellipsoideum, which is probably either a free-living algal species or a partner to a species of Trapeliopsis. The second most abundant sequence matched Coccomyxa subellipsoidea and is the most likely photobiont of L. oreades. Further studies are required to elucidate the relationship of L. velutina to these taxa.

A new coprinoid fungus, Coprinopsis rugosomagnispora, is described from Poland (Central Europe). Its macromorphological characters are similar to species belonging to the subsection Nivei of Coprinus s.l. However, C. rugosomagnispora has unique micromorphological characters: very large, ornamented spores, voluminous basidia and cystidia, and smooth veil elements. The large spores and pattern of spore ornamentation (densely pitted) make this species unique within all coprinoid species described so far. The structure (arrangement and shape) of veil elements in C. rugosomagnispora is intermediate between members of the subsections Nivei and Lanatuli of Coprinus s.l. Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on single-locus (ITS) maximum likelihood and Bayesian evolutionary trees recovered C. rugosomagnispora within a lineage containing species having morphological characters of the subsection Lanatuli (though within the so-called Atramentarii clade) that contradicts its morphological similarity to members of the subsection Nivei.

A new monotypic polypore genus, Caudicicola Miettinen, Kotir. & Kulju, is described for the new species C. gracilis Kotir., Kulju & Miettinen. The species was collected in central Finland from Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris stumps, where it grew on undersides of stumps and roots. Caudicicola gracilis is characterized by very fragile basidiocarps, monomitic hyphal structure with clamps, short and wide tramal cells, smooth ellipsoid spores, basidia with long sterigmata and conidiogenous areas in the margins of the basidiocarp producing verrucose, slightly thick-walled conidia. The genus belongs to the residual polyporoid clade of the Polyporales in the vicinity of Steccherinaceae, but has no known close relatives.

Morphological and DNA data show that effused representatives of the Auriculariales (Basidiomycota) with sphaeropedunculate basidia belong to eleven genera of which seven are dealt with in this study. Among them, Myxarium is the largest genus containing 21 accepted species of which nine are reintroduced below and five are described as new. Protodontia is limited to three species only, P. subgelatinosa (the generic type) and two newly described species from Africa. Protoacia is a new monotypic genus for P. delicata, sp. nov., widely distributed on coniferous hosts in Eurasia. Myxariellum is erected for two new species with smooth hymenophore from northwestern North America while Gelacantha is introduced for G. pura, a new species with hydnoid hymenophore from Caucasus. Our data do not confirm the present synonymy of Sebacina sphaerospora with Tremella glaira, and these species are placed in two separate genera - Hydrophana, gen. nov., and Ofella, gen. nov., respectively. A key to European Myxarium and similar-looking species is included.

Four species of Haploporus, H.angustisporus, H.crassus, H.gilbertsonii and H.microsporus are described as new and H.pirongia is proposed as a new combination, based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses inferred from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU) sequences. Haploporusangustisporus, H.crassus and H.microsporus occur in China, H.gilbertsonii occurs in the USA, and the distribution of H.pirongia is extended from New Zealand to Australia. Haploporusangustisporus is characterized by the distinct narrow oblong basidiospores measuring 10.5–13.5 × 3.9–5 µm. Haploporuscrassus is characterized by the presence of ventricose cystidioles occasionally with a simple septum, dissepimental hyphae usually with a simple septum, unique thick-walled basidia and distinctly wide oblong basidiospores measuring 13.5–16.5 × 7.5–9.5 µm. Haploporusgilbertsonii is characterized by its large pores (2–3 per mm), a dimitic hyphal structure with non-dextrinoid skeletal hyphae and wide oblong basidiospores measuring 12–15 × 6–8 µm. Haploporusmicrosporus is characterized by distinctly small pores (7–9 per mm), the presence of dendrohyphidia, and distinctly small ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 5.3–6.7 × 3–4.1 µm. Haploporuspirongia is proposed as a new combination. Haploporusamarus is shown to be a synonym of H.odorus and Pachykytosporawasseri is considered a synonym of H.subtrameteus.

Ten strains representing a single anamorphic novel yeast species were isolated from the external surface (DMKU-SP23 and DMKU-SP40) and tissue (DMKU-SE89, DMKU-SE99, DMKU-SE100 and DMKU-SE147) of sugarcane leaves in Thailand, and phylloplane (IMUFRJR 52034) and rhizoplane (IMUFRJ 52036 and 52037) of sugarcane and associated soil (IMUFRJ 52035) in Brazil. These strains showed zero to two nucleotide substitutions in the sequences of the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and zero to three nucleotide substitutions in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Tremella globispora was the most closely related species, but with 1.7-2.1 % nucleotide substitutions in the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene, and 5.3-6.0 % nucleotide substitutions in the ITS region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated sequences of the ITS and the D1/D2 regions showed that these 10 strains represented a single species belonging to the genus Tremella (class Tremellomycetes, subphylum Agaricomycotina) that was distinct from related species. They therefore represented a novel species of the genus Tremella although the formation of basidia and basidiocarp were not observed. The name Tremella saccharicola f.a., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DMKU-SP23T (=NBRC 109698T=BCC 61186T).

Fruit of highbush blueberries (Vaccinum corymbosum L.) in southeastern North Carolina have been observed to suffer from sporadic outbreaks of distinct green spots on ripe fruit. Though edible, affected fruit are unsightly in market containers of fresh berries. In 1997, this disorder affected over 25% of the berries from a 5.7-ha field of the cv. Wolcott, rendering all fruit from this field unsaleable. In May 1998, the symptom was again observed in a planting of cv. Croatan. Samples were collected on the packing line from hand-harvested fruit and from the field. Sharply delineated green spots were observed on otherwise normal ripe fruit. The spots were 2 to 10 mm in diameter, circular or rarely irregular, not sunken or protruding, and often tinged with red. Affected tissues in ripe fruit extended 2 to 3 mm into the berry and were the texture and color of green, unripe fruit. Sparse white fungal growth was visible on the surface of some affected areas. In the field, spots were observed on fruit and leaves. Incidence was estimated at 5 and 1%, respectively. Spots on affected leaves were circular, 4 to 7 mm in diameter, light green, slightly thickened, and smooth on the upper surface; the underside was covered with dense white fungal growth. Microscopic examination of thinly sectioned berry and leaf tissue in water mounts revealed round basidia bearing 2 to 6 (most often 4) basidiospores (4.0 to 5.2 × 13 to 15 μm). Spores were consistent with descriptions of Exobasidium vaccinii (Fuckel) Woronin (1), being musiform to fusiform, slightly curved, and hyaline with a conspicuous hylar appendage, some with transverse septa. This is the first report of blueberry fruit infection by an Exobasidium species. Reference: (1) F. L. Caruso and D. C. Ramsdell, eds. 1995. Compendium of Blueberry and Cranberry Diseases. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.

The genus Bannoa consists of four described species associated with dead leaves in southwestern Japan. In this study, we describe three new species, Bannoa guamensis, B. rosea, and B. tropicalis, from the South Pacific island of Guam and Guyana in South America. Isolates were obtained from surfaces of diseased and healthy leaves of plants in the Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae. DNA sequences from four gene regions, including nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1‐5.8S‐ITS2 (ITS), D1–D2 domains of nuc 28S rDNA (28S), nuc 18S rDNA (18S), and a portion of tef1, which encodes translation elongation factor 1-alpha, were produced for phylogenetic analysis. Intercompatibility tests were performed, and subsequent development of clamp connections and basidia were documented for B. tropicalis. Potential life history strategies and association with diseased leaves, including rust-infected leaves, were evaluated across the genus. This is the first report of a species of Bannoa from South America.

Sanghuangporus toxicodendri (Hymenochaetales) is described as new based on collections made from Shennongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province, China. All studied basidiocarps grew on living trunks of Toxicodendron sp. This new species is characterized by having perennial, effused-reflexed to pileate basidiocarps; pore surface brownish yellow or yellowish brown, pores 7–9 per mm; context 1–5 mm thick or almost invisible; setae ventricose, dark brown, 26–42 × 7–10 μm; basidia 4-sterigmate or occasionally 2-sterigmate; basidiospores broadly ellipsoid, smooth, brownish yellow, slightly thick-walled, mostly 3.5–4 × 2.8–3 μm. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference phylogenies inferred from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA indicated that Sanghuangporus spp. formed a monophyletic clade and resolved as a sister to Tropicoporus spp., and six strains of S. toxicodendri formed a monophyletic group which is sister to S. quercicola. An identification key to known species of Sanghuangporus is provided.

Millanes, A. M., Diederich, P., Westberg, M. & Wedin, M. 2016. Three new species in the Biatoropsis usnearum complex. — Herzogia 29: 337–354.Three new species of Biatoropsis are formally described based on our previous molecular studies, and on additional molecular, morphological, and ecological data. Biatoropsis protousneae sp. nov. is confined to Protousnea dusenii. Biatoropsis minuta sp. nov. is characterized by the small and brown to black basidiomatal galls, and by growing on Usnea barbata and U. lapponica. Biatoropsis hafellneri sp. nov. is distinguished by 2-celled basidia with cells that elongate laterally at maturity, and by growing on species of the Usnea fragilescens aggregate. A fourth Biatoropsis species is left unnamed, and two other lineages are not described, all waiting for the study of additional material.

The pileus (cap) of the fruiting body in homobasidiomycete fungi bears the hymenium, a layer of cells that includes the basidia where nuclear fusion, meiosis and sporulation occur. Coprinopsis cinerea is a model system for studying fruiting body development. The hymenium of C. cinerea forms at the surface of the gills in the pileus. In a previous study, we identified a mutation called cap-growthless1-1 (cag1-1) that blocks gill formation, which yields primordia that never mature. In this study, we found that the cag1 gene encodes a homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tup1. The C. cinerea genome contains another Tup1 homologue gene called Cc.tupA. Reciprocal tagging of Cag1 and Cc.TupA with green and red fluorescent proteins revealed that the relative ratios of the amounts of the two Tup1 paralogues varied among tissues. Compared with Cc.TupA, Cag1 was preferentially expressed in the gill trama tissue cells, suggesting that the function of Cag1 is required for gill trama tissue differentiation and maintenance. Yeast two-hybrid analysis and co-localisation of Cag1 and Cc.TupA suggested that Cag1 interacts with Cc.TupA in the nuclei of certain cells., Summary: Cag1, a Tup1 homologue in Coprinopsis cinerea, is required for gill formation in fruiting body development and is highly expressed in the central region of gills.

The obscure species Exobasidium sawadae and the enigmatic hyphomycetous genus Elaeodema transform fruits of Cinnamomum species to galls. Fresh collections from Guangxi in China and Taiwan island were studied with microscopy and analysis of partial large subunit (LSU) ribosomal RNA gene sequences. Study of young stages and of isotype material of El. cinnamomi revealed the presence of basidia. Haustoria are demonstrated in both species for the first time. Sterile elements were found between basidia in galls of El. cinnamomi, whereas sterile elements were absent in Ex. sawadae. Based on the morphology of spore germination and the anamorphic yeast stage in culture, and a phylogenetic species concept, these two species were combined into Clinoconidium. Elaeodema is considered a synonym of Clinoconidium. The data indicate high specificity of Clinoconidium species to their lauraceous hosts.