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Fomes weberianus Bres. & Henn. ex Sacc. is currently the basionym of two very distinct polypores (Basidiomycota), Ganoderma weberianum (Polyporales) and Phylloporia weberiana (Hymenochaetales). This fact has led to almost fifty years of taxonomic confusion. Fomes weberianus was first lectotypified by Steyaert, who accepted the species as G. weberianum. However, studies of Weber's original material in B, duplicate material in S, the protologue, and early interpretations of the name have shown that Steyaert's choice conflicts with the protologue and early interpretations, and that his interpretation as a species of Ganoderma is erroneous. A new lectotype was designated and the species was re-described under the correct interpretation Phylloporia weberiana., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Many species of Ganoderma exhibit a high phenotypic plasticity. Hence, particularly among them, the morphological species concept remains difficult to apply, resulting in a currently confused taxonomy; as a consequence, the geographical distribution range of many species also remains very uncertain. One of the areas with a strong uncertainty, as far as morphological species concept is concerned, is the Neotropics. It is common that names of species described from other regions, mainly from northern temperate areas, have been applied to Neotropical species. The aim of the present study was to determine which species might lay behind the G. weberianum complex in the Neotropics, using morphological studies and phylogenetic inferences based on both single (ITS) and multilocus (ITS, rpb2 , and tef1 -α) sequences. The results indicated that G. weberianum sensu Steyaert, which is the usually accepted concept for this taxon, was absent from the Neotropics. In this area, G. weberianum sensu Steyaert encompassed at least two phylogenetic species, which are tentatively, for the time being, identified as belonging to G. mexicanum and G. parvulum . These two species could be distinguished morphologically, notably by the ornamentation or its absence on their chlamydospores. The results also showed that additional species from the Neotropics might still exist, including, e.g., G. perzonatum , but their circumscription remains uncertain until now because of the paucity of material available. Furthermore, it was found that the current concept of G. resinaceum embraced a complex of species., (Milay Cabarroi-Hernández, Alma Rosa Villalobos-Arámbula, Mabel Gisela Torres-Torres, Cony Decock, Laura Guzmán-Dávalos.)