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The family Caloscyphaceae with a single genus, Caloscypha, has been considered to include a single species, C. fulgens. Study of an overlooked second species, Caloscypha incarnata from North Africa and Italy, using SSU, LSU rDNA, and morphology allows placement of this species in a new genus, Kallistoskypha, in the Caloscyphaceae. This fungus is found in association with Eucalyptus species. The species was recently redescribed from Spain under the name Marcelleina parvispora. Caloscypha fulgens, the type species of the genus Caloscypha, shows sequence variation from across its range.

Five populations belonging to three subspecies of Dianthus rupicola Biv. (D. rupicola subsp. rupicola, D. rupicola subsp. aeolicus, and D. rupicola subsp. lopadusanus) and growing in different geographical areas of Sicily were tested for seed germination at various temperatures. All populations showed high germination rates with an optimum temperature between 15°C and 25°C. Efficient seed germination might contribute significantly to the preservation of these subspecies which are currently exposed to several environmental threats.

This study was focused on species of Peziza belonging to the “P. ammophila” complex, using both morphological and molecular approaches. Molecular and morphological analyses showed that several taxa are hidden under the name “ammophila” and, as a consequence, two additional species and one form are established: P. hellenica sp. nov., P. oceanica sp. nov. and P. ammophila f. megaspora f. nov. On the basis of the data that we have, these taxa seem to be related to some geographical areas; P. ammophila appears to be prevalent in northern, central and southern Europe, its f. megaspora is distributed in France and in the Netherlands, P. hellenica comes from Greece and P. oceanica from New Zealand. A cryptic species, not yet circumscribed satisfactorily, is described as P. deceptiva ad int. Moreover, the problem concerning the identification of P. ammophila is raised, the species is epitypified with a sequenced collection from Sicily (Italy) and a key to the species of the complex is provided.

This paper describes the newly discovered species Ruhlandiella peregrina. Full description and illustrations of macro- and micromorphological features of the new taxon are provided. This species differs from other described species in ascus and ascospore size and in the crested and ridged ornamentation of ascospores. As is the case in two other similar species, the asci of R. peregrina do not becoming blue in iodine solutions.

The first record of Trichoglossum tetrasporum from Italy is here reported. The work reports macro- and microscopic descriptions of the taxa and remarks on its distribution also in comparison with some related species.

Peziza emileia Cooke and P. howsei Roze & Boud. are compared here; they are morphologically very similar, but the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence is unique for each of the two species. Furthermore, since the holotype of P. emileia deposited in Kew (K) contains an unidentified fungus and the holotype of P. howsei in Paris (PC) no longer exists, we provide lectotypification and epitypification for both taxa.

Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach is a nanophanerophyte whose presence in Sicily is limited to the South-East of the island. A study on seed germination behaviour of seeds collected from some populations indicates low viability of seedlings which could seriously put the long-term survival of these populations at risk.

A remarkable increase in knowledge of fungal biodiversity in Italy has occurred in the last five years. The authors report up-to-date numbers of fungi (Basidiomycota and Ascomycota) by regions together with distributional and ecological data on hypogeous fungi. Specific case studies such as alpine fungi, orchid mycorrhizas symbionts, invasive species, and the use of macrofungi as food by red squirrels are analyzed. In situ conservation strategies carried out on target species and/or taxonomic groups are also indicated.

The ecological and distributive data of 165 sabulicolous taxa (29 Ascomycetes and 136 Basidiomycetes), included in 89 genera and 48 families, collected in Sicily (southern Italy) are here reported. New additions are included, together with a critical review of data reported in literature for the Sicilian territory. The full checklist is available on http://www.mycotaxon.com/resources/weblists.html