Search

Two new species of Amanita sect. Roanokenses (Amanitaceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota), Amanita alboradicata and Amanita fulvopyramidalis, are proposed here based on morphological and molecular evidence. The descriptions and illustrations are based on the morphology of specimens collected from Jilin, Zhejiang, and Hunan provinces in China. Analyses of nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nrLSU), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) sequences supported recognition of the two new species, in combination with morphological evidence, and revealed the phylogenetic relationships of the new species. Both new species possess long radicating basal bulbs. Amanita alboradicata is characterized by a medium-sized to large-sized, white to dirty white pileus with volval remnants large, white to dirty white verrucose to conical at the center but passing into verrucose to floccose squamules towards the margin; a radicating basal bulb; and basidiospores 10–12 × 5.5–7 μm in size. Amanita fulvopyramidalis is characterized by a medium-sized to large, light yellow to dark yellow pileus with volval remnants large, brown-orange, light brown to brown, acute pyramidal at the center but passing into conical to verrucose squamules towards the margin; light brown to brown lamellae; a radicating basal bulb; and basidiospores 9–11 × 7–8.5 μm in size. Holotypes of the two species are deposited in the Mycological Herbarium of Hunan Normal University.

Amanita pseudorufobrunnescens is described as a new species in the subgenus Amanitina section Amidella of family Amanitaceae from north-western Himalaya, India. Distinct morphological characters, odour and molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrLSU) data revealed that the present species differs from other members of sect. Amidella. This species is characterised by its whitish basidiomata that turn brownish orange with age, its whitish to cinnamon brown, floccose to radially fibrillose universal veil remnants on the pileus, its close lamellae becoming brownish orange on exposure, its elongate basidiospores and its association with Quercus oblongata (syn. Q. leucotrichophora). A detailed morphological description, line drawings, colour photographs and Maximum Likelihood (ML) phylogenetic placement of the new species are provided.

During the course of investigation of macrofungi of Uttarakhand Himalaya, India, authors collected several macrofungi from this region. After thorough examination of some of these macrofungal collections identified them as Amanita farinosa, A. sepiacea (family Amanitaceae); Hypomyces lateritius (family Hypocreaceae); Lactarius horakii, L. laeticolor, Lactifluus pilosus, Russula olivobrunnea (family Russulaceae) and Sparassis latifolia (family Sparassidaceae). Critical literature survey established that the present species are taxonomically investigated and reported for the first time from India. Detailed morphological descriptions and photo-illustrations of these species are provided along with taxonomic observations.

Edible natural or cultivated macrofungi (mushrooms) are economically significant in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. Although they have considerable direct and indirect economic, social, and cultural value, these are to date poorly explored. In this study, edible macrofungi were investigated for their ethnomycological standing from identification to marketing. The method was face-to-face data collection with a semi-structured questionnaire, applied in 6 provinces (Bolu, Duzce, Karabuk, Zonguldak, Bartin, and Kastamonu): 6 provincial centers, 17 counties, and 120 villages from April 2012 to December 2013. Seventy different local markets were visited particularly during mushroom gathering seasons. Four hundred and seventy-five responses from the forest villages provided results identifying the gender, identification of mushrooms, use, and marketing. Thirty-three species in 14 families were used for food (55.4 %), income (43.8 %), or medicine (0.8 %). These were Russulaceae (7), Morchellaceae (5), Agaricaceae (4), Cantharellaceae (3), Tricholomataceae (3), Boletaceae (2), Gomphaceae (2), Amanitaceae (1), Gomphidiaceae (1), Hericiaceae (1), Hydnaceae (1), Lyophyllaceae (1), Marasmiaceae (1), and Pleurotaceae (1). In addition, 169 different Turkish folk names were registered and five marketing channels were identified: three for cultivated mushrooms and two for wild mushrooms. Morels (Kuzu gobegi) were the most expensive among all harvested macrofungi species while Lactarius deliciosus (L.) Gray and L. salmonicolor R. Heim & Leclair (Kanlica) were the most affordable. The Black Sea region in Turkey, which is very rich in mushroom genetic resources, deserves more intensive ethnomycological study.

Amanita aureofloccosa is reported for the first time from South America, in semideciduous seasonal forests at the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (29°43′S and 53°47′W). It is a rare species of Amanita sect. Vitadinii and characterized by its brightly colored basidiome. For a better comparison, the lectotype and other African materials of this species were also analyzed.

A lethal mushroom that caused two deaths in southwestern China in 2014 drew our attention. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic data indicated that the mushroom belongs to Amanita section Phalloideae and is distinct from all known taxa of the section. The novel species, designated A. subpallidorosea, has been described and compared with related taxa in the genus. This species is macroscopically characterized by a white pileus when juvenile that develops a pale rose tinge in the center with age, a subapical annulus, and large globose to subglobose basidiospores measuring 8.5–11 × 8–10 μm.

The genus Amanita is well represented in tropical Africa, but most previous taxonomic studies were largely based only on morphology. In this study, we used both morphological and molecular data (nLSU sequences) to infer the phylogenetic relationships of ten species of Amanita sect. Vaginatae s.l. from tropical Africa. It was found that all five species with both an annulus and commonly present clamp connections in the basidioma were clustered in the sect. Caesareae. One species with neither an annulus nor clamp connections was placed in sect. Vaginatae s.s. The remaining four taxa with an annulus, but without clamp connections were interestingly also grouped into sect. Vaginatae s.s. with strong statistical support. Consequently, the section Vaginatae s.s. should be slightly modified to include tropical species with an annulus. As a new species, A. madagascariensis was described and illustrated. Amanita tanzanica was treated as a synonym of A. mafingensis.

A new species of Amanita sect. Lepidella, A. heishidingensis, is described based on both morphological and molecular evidences. It was compared with similar species and illustrated with line drawings and photographs. This species was found in Heishiding National Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, South China.

An igapo forest near the confluence of Rio Taruma Mirim (Tarumazinho) and Rio Negro has been studied. It is a typical ectotroph forest with a raw humus layer and suppressed litter decomposing activity by Higher (i.e., carpophore-producing) Fungi. The number of the latter is about one-fifth of that observed in the (anectotrophic) terra firme forest. All ectotrophically mycorrhizal fungi observed belonged in three families:Amanitaceae, Boletaceae, Russulaceae. Leguminosae are dominant, and of theseAldina latifolia andSwartzia cf.polyphylla were demonstrably ectomycorrhizal. The scarcity of mineral nutrients in the soils of igapo, campinarana and campina is overcome by direct cycling through ectomycorrhizae. This is in contrast to other black- and white-water inundated forest communities in Amazonia.