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Melanoleuca is one of the taxonomically most complicated genera of Agaricomycetes. The aim of this study is a taxonomic revision of European specimens confused with M. angelesiana A.H. Sm. and a delimitation of four species, M. brachyspora Harmaja, M. graminicola (Velen.) Kühner & Maire, M. rufipes Bon and M. stridula (Fr.) Singer. The research is based on macro- and micromorphological characters and the multigene phylogenetic analyses of a combined (ITS, rpb2, and tef1) dataset. According to the results, two new species are proposed: M. monticola sp. nov. accommodating European specimens previously confused with the species M. angelesiana from America and M. romanensis sp. nov. from Italy. Moreover, American specimens identified as M. angelesiana belong to three different phylogenetic species (M. angelesiana sensu typi, M. acystidiata aff., and one more separate lineage). M. graminicola is emended and the respective epitype designated. An identification key to the European species of subg. Urticocystis is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crinipellis pedemontana, a new agaric growing on stems of dead grasses in an Italian urban park, is described and illustrated. It fits in sect. Grisentinae on account of the green reaction with KOH and ammonia and its bright colored pileus. The unique combination of purple-violaceous tinges in the pileus and the presence of chlamydospores in the pileipellis characterize this species as new. Its taxonomic position within Crinipellis and the related genus Moniliophthora is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]