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Bluish Mycena are rare, but constitute a taxonomically complex group. A total of eight bluish species in four sections have previously been reported from North America, Europe, Oceania and Asia. Two species with a blue pileus, collected in China during our taxonomic study of Mycena s.l., are described here as new to science: Mycena caeruleogrisea sp. nov. and M. caeruleomarginata sp. nov. Detailed descriptions, line drawings and a morphological comparison with closely-related species, especially herbarium specimens of M. subcaerulea from the USA, are provided. The results of Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses of a dataset of 96 nuclear rDNA ITS and 20 nLSU sequences of 43 Mycena species are also presented. The morphological data and the results of the phylogenetic analyses support the introduction of M. caeruleogrisea and M. caeruleomarginata as new species. A taxonomic key to bluish Mycena species of sections Amictae, Cyanocephalae, Sacchariferae and Viscipelles is provided.

Only three Gerronema (Porotheleaceae) species have been previously recorded in China. Here, we report collections of a fourth species in China: G. nemorale Har. Takah., which is widely distributed in Chinese temperate to subtropical zones. We also formally describe three new species, collected from Anhui, Fujian, and Zhejiang provinces: G. baishanzuense sp. nov., G. microcarpum sp. nov., and G. zhujian sp. nov. Furthermore, we include the results of a phylogenetic analysis of Porotheleaceae based on a multi-locus (ITS + nLSU) dataset. The results, which indicate that Gerronema is polyphyletic, support the taxonomic recognition of the three new species. Morphological descriptions, photographs, line drawings, and comparisons with closely related taxa are presented for the new and newly recorded species. A key to the seven species of Gerronema in China is also provided.

Satellite data and algorithms directly affect the accuracy of phenological estimation; therefore, it is necessary to compare and verify existing phenological models to identify the optimal combination of data and algorithms across the Mongolian Plateau (MP). This study used five phenology fitting algorithms—double logistic (DL) and polynomial fitting (Poly) combined with the dynamic threshold method at thresholds of 35% and 50% (DL-G35, DL-G50, Poly-G35, and Poly-G50) and DL combined with the cumulative curvature extreme value method (DL-CUM)—and two data types—the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF)—to identify the start (SOS), peak (POS), and end (EOS) of the growing season in alpine meadow (ALM), desert steppe (DRS), forest vegetation (FV), meadow grassland (MEG), and typical grassland (TYG) of the MP. The optimal methods for identifying the SOS, POS, and EOS of typical grassland areas were Poly-G50 (NSE = 0.12, Pbias = 0.22%), DL-G35/50 (NSE = −0.01, Pbias = −0.06%), and Poly-G35 (NSE = 0.02, Pbias = 0.08%), respectively, based on SIF data. The best methods for identifying the SOS, POS, and EOS of desert steppe areas were Poly-G35 (NSE = −0.27, Pbias = −1.49%), Poly-G35/50 (NSE = −0.58, Pbias = −1.39%), and Poly-G35 (NSE = 0.29, Pbias = −0.61%), respectively, based on EVI data. The data source explained most of the differences in phenological estimates. The accuracy of polynomial fitting was significantly greater than that of the DL method, while all methods were better at identifying SOS and POS than they were at identifying EOS. Our findings can help to facilitate the establishment of a phenological estimation system suitable for the Mongolian Plateau and improve the observation methods of vegetation phenology.

An updated description of the genus Atheniella, combining macro- and micromorphological characters that elaborate on the original generic characterisation, is presented. Atheniella is characterised by a brightly coloured pileus, all tissues inamyloid and pileipellis covered with simple to branched excrescences. Previously, nine Atheniella species were known globally, of which three species were accepted in China. Three newly-recognised species classified in the genus are here formally described from Yunnan Province: Atheniella flavida sp. nov., A. rutila sp. nov. and A. taoyao sp. nov. The new species are characterised by a yellow, orange, pink or red pileus, fusiform cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia, non-smooth pileipellis, stipitipellis smooth or with cylindrical ornamentation, caulocystidia fusiform or subglobose, if present and all tissues inamyloid. Morphological descriptions, photographs, line drawings and comparisons with closely-related taxa are presented for the new species. A phylogenetic analysis of sequence data for the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region and nuclear large ribosomal subunit (ITS + nLSU) supported that Atheniella is resolved as monophyletic and also supported the taxonomic recognition of the new species. A key to the 12 species of Atheniella is also provided.