Adventurous cuisine in Laos: Hebeloma parvisporum, a new species in Hebelomasection Porphyrospora

ABSTRACTHebeloma parvisporumis described as new and placed within H. sect. Porphyrospora. This mushroom is sold as an edible in markets of Laos under the local name “wai khom.” Hebelomasect. Porphyrosporais discussed and expanded to include the species formerly included in the genus Anamikaand recently transferred to Hebeloma. Hebelomasect. Porphyrosporacurrently comprises 16 species, 14 of which are known only from the western Pacific and Indian subcontinent. All species in this section share the character of having red-brown spores when fresh, atypical for other sections of Hebeloma, which causes the lamellae to be red-brown. However, this red-brown color fades when the material is dried. The close links, morphologically and molecularly, between H. parvisporumand other members of H. sect. Porphyrospora, particularly H. victoriense, are shown.