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The Bachu mushroom, previously identified as Helvella leucopus, is characterized by a saddle-shaped, to irregularly lobed pileus, with a gray, brown to blackish hymenium and a whitish to pale receptacle surface and white, terete stipe with enlarged basal grooves. It has high economic value, mostly as a dietary supplement in western China, and its medicinal functions have raised broad interest. In the present paper species of the Bachu mushroom in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, western China were investigated with morphology and DNA sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from ITS, 28S and TEF1 sequence data strongly supported lineages corresponding to morphological features. The Bachu mushroom, which differs from the European Helvella leucopus, comprises two distinct new species, namely Helvella bachu and Helvella subspadicea. In this paper we introduce the new species with descriptions and figures and compare them with similar taxa. The European Helvella spadicea is also re-examined, described and illustrated.

Pileus 3-7.5 cm latus, 1.5-5.5 cm altus, irregulariter ephippioideus, margine incurvus, diende porrectus et frequenter fissuratus; hymenium griseum vel pallide griseum in statu humectato, pallide griseum vel gri? seum brunneum in statu sicco, rugoso-convolutum; superficies exterior pileicum hymenio brunnea vel griseo-brunnea, pubescentia, costata. Stipes 3-9 cm longus, 0.7-2.5(-3.5) cm latus, profunde costatus, plerum? que bimarginatus, albus, aequus. Excipuli part medullaris 200-250 fim crassa, textura intricata, hy? phis hyalinis vel subhyalinis; leptodermis, septatis, ramificatis, usque ad 2.5-5 fim diam. Excipuli exterior pars 120-150 pm crassa, textura angularis, cellulis interioribus subglobosis, 10-25 fim diam, cellulis terminalibus cylindricis vel clavatis, fasciculatis, fasciae

1976. New species and combinations in the genera Gyromitra, Helvella, and Otidea. Karstenia 15: 29-32. .1978. New species and combinations in Helvella and Gyromitra. Karstenia 18: 57. Larsen, H. J., Jr., and W. C. Denison. 1978. A checklist of the operculate cup-fungi (Pezizales) of North America west of the Great Plains. Mycotaxon 7: 68-90. Pfister, D. H. 1979. Type studies in the genus Peziza. VIII-X. Mycotaxon 9: 501-504. Ridgway, R. 1912. Color standards and color nomenclature. Published by the author, Washington, D. C. 48 p, 53 pl. Rogers, J. D. 1965. The conidial stage of Coniochaeta ligniaria: morphology and cytology. Mycologia 57: 368-378.

This paper includes full descriptions and discussions of 14 species of Helvella L. ex St.-Amans emend. Nannf. as they are known in Alaska. A key to the Alaskan species is also provided.

In the course of present studies on the genus Helvella in Europe the authors have come across 110 American Helvella collections in European herbaria, and ample material was found of a species new to the flora: Helvella connivens. Seventeen species were represented in the Ameri? can material, and some of them are probably hitherto unrecognized in North America, viz. H. lactea Boud., H. fusca Gill. sensu Bres., and H. cupuliformis Diss. & Nannf. The 17 species are listed below. Capital letters indicate the museums where the material is preserved. It should be noted that this survey includes only the species which have been seen by the authors. Concerning American Helvella collections in the mentioned museums, the list is, however, considered to be almost complete. More detailed references to the collections are given by Dissing (1966). H. acetabulum (L. ex St.-Amans)