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Mushrooms named Gymnopilus spectabilis and G. junonius have been reported widely in North America on both dead hardwood or dead or living conifers. Based on DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and large ribosomal subunit (LSU), we found that although Gymnopilus junonius (= G. spectabilis s. auct.) is widespread in Europe, South America, and Australia, none of the limited sequences available from North America represent this species. We report five species of this group from North America, including three previously described species, G. luteus, G. subspectabilis, and G. ventricosus, and two new species, Gymnopilus voitkii and Gymnopilus speciosissimus. We recognize a sister species to G. luteus, based on sequences previously reported as G. spectabilis from China, Japan, and the Russian Far East, but, lacking material to describe it as a new species, we give it an informal clade name, /sororiluteus. Another new species in this complex is described from Japan, as Gymnopilus orientispectabilis. Species in this group may be distinguished by their ITS sequences as well as by macro- and micromorphology, substrate, and geography.

Pseudoomphalina kalchbrenneri is a Eurasian species. In North America the Pso. kalchbrenneri complex is represented by Pseudoomphalina anticostica sp. nov. and Pso. compressipes in the east and Pso. intermedia in the west. Pseudoomphalina farinacea and Pso. felleoides are later synonyms for Pso. compressipes. The somewhat similar Pseudolaccaria pachyphylla occupies a temperate band through Eurasia, confirmed by sequencing in both eastern and western North America. It differs from species of the Pso. kalchbrenneri complex by smaller size, finely granular pileus, non-decurrent gills, and lack of hymenial cystidia. All species of the Pso. kalchbrenneri complex are uncommon, and macroscopically similar. Pseudoomphalina kalchbrenneri and Pso. intermedia can be identified by their distribution (Europe and western North America, respectively) and lack of cystidia. The cystidiate eastern North American Pso. anticostica and Pso. compressipes can be differentiated by the smaller spores of the latter. Pseudoomphalina cokeri is the most ancestral species on the Pseudoomphalina lineage, while Clitocybe thujana and Agaricus apertus (Clitocybe/Clitocybula aperta) fall outside Pseudoomphalina and Pseudolaccaria. We add 21 new sequences to GenBank, including six types (Agaricus compressipes, Clitocybe felleoides, C. farinacea, C. intermedia, C. thujana, Agaricus apertus), and one new species (Pso. anticostica).

Molecular studies have shown the type collection of Omphalina oreades to be conspecific with a small brown basidiolichen from the Appalachian range in Newfoundland, both with 4-spored basidia. Two sequences deposited in GenBank, originally identified as O. grisella, fell in the same clade. Sequences of the type collection of Omphalia grisella, with 2-spored basidia, formed a sister clade together with two GenBank deposits, one identified as O. grisella and the other as Omphalina velutina. Omphalina oreades is recombined here as Lichenomphalia oreades comb. nov., and the species redescribed and illustrated. Sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS rDNA) from the algae associated with two collections of L. oreades fell within a highly supported clade with members of an undetermined species of Coccomyxa. The most abundant algal ribosomal large subunit sequence from granules at the base of a different collection matched GenBank sequences identified as Chloroidium ellipsoideum, which is probably either a free-living algal species or a partner to a species of Trapeliopsis. The second most abundant sequence matched Coccomyxa subellipsoidea and is the most likely photobiont of L. oreades. Further studies are required to elucidate the relationship of L. velutina to these taxa.

An uncommon, small, orange-capped Lactarius Pers. with white latex was confirmed, using molecular studies of the type specimens, to be Lactarius splendens Hesler & A.H. Sm. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the species falls within Lactarius section Deliciosi (Fr.) Redeuilh, Verbeken & Walleyn., very closely related to L. rubrilacteus Hesler & A.H. Sm. and L. porninsis Rolland. Hitherto L. porninsis was the only white-latex species known in the otherwise orange-latex section Deliciosi; both are associated with Larix Mill.

Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis has evolved multiple times in plants and fungi, but the trophic status of certain fungal groups remains poorly understood due to their unculturability or ambiguous interpretation of biotrophic associations. Combining field observations, molecular identification of root tips, synthesis experiments and analysis of stable isotopes, we address the lifestyle of Tomentella crinalis and another species closely related to T. fibrosa that represents a sister group to the ectomycorrhizal genera Tomentella and Thelephora. Based on molecular analyses these two and other related species are moved to the genus Odontia. In Odontia species, ectomycorrhizal associations were not observed in nature or in various synthesis experiments. Although Odontia species normally fruit in old forests, Odontia ferruginea has also been identified from a deep belowground mine. Unlike saprotrophs, Odontia spp. and ectomycorrhizal fungi were not enriched in 13C compared with their woody fruiting substratum, suggesting that wood is not their major energy source. In contrast to ectomycorrhizal fungi, Odontia species and saprotrophs were not enriched in 15N relative to their substratum. Taken together, we suggest that Odontia spp. are non-mycorrhizal, but their nutrition differs from typical wood-rotting Basidiomycota.

Species delimitation in Hymenochaete sensu lato was evaluated based on partial nucLSU rDNA sequences, isoenzyme analyses and morphological data. Analyses of LSU data revealed Hymenochaete sensu stricto and Pseudochaete as distinct monophyletic genera. Transfer of Hydnochaete olivacea into genus Pseudochaete and Dichochaete setosa into genus Hymenochaete (as H. resupinata) was supported by the results of molecular analyses. A new species Hymenochaete koeljalgii from Tanzania was described. The species of genus Hymenochaete sensu stricto were divided into four well-supported clades possessing no distinctive morphological characters.

Species delimitation in Cystoderma and Cystodermella was evaluated based on ITS and LSU rDNA sequences as well as morphological data. Two species of Cystoderma are synonymised with C. carcharias and three species with C. jasonis, distinguishing the synonymised taxa as varieties of these accepted species. Analyses of partial LSU rDNA sequences revealed Cystoderma and Cystodermella as distinct monophyletic genera, with Ripartitella representing a well-supported sister group of the latter. Phaeolepiota aurea represents either an unsupported sister group or member of Cystoderma in the phylogenies based on LSU and ITS sequences rDNA data, respectively. The tribe Cystodermateae sensu Singer did not appear monophyletic according to analyses of LSU sequences. On the basis of these data, the phylogenetic relationships among most of the analyzed genera could not be resolved unequivocally.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi, especially basidiomycetes, have repeatedly evolved from saprotrophic ancestors. Using rDNA internal transcribed spacer and large subunit sequences, we demonstrate that four species of Coltricia and Coltriciella form ectomycorrhiza with the native Vateriopsis seychellarum (Dipterocarpaceae) and Intsia bijuga (Caesalpiniaceae) as well as the introduced Eucalyptus robusta (Myrtaceae) in Seychelles. Coltricia and Coltriciella species share a thin, orange-brown to dark brown mantle and extremely thick, clampless hyphae. Phylogenetic analyses placed Coltriciella monophyletic within Coltricia. This study provides further evidence that fruiting habit on dead wood does not indicate saprotrophic lifestyle.

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Rhodocybe tugrulii sp. nov. is described based on both morphological and molecular data (analysis of nrITS and nrLSU sequences) from Zigana Mountain, Trabzon, Turkey and Lääne County, Estonia. It is distinguished by the grey to beige or slightly reddish brown basidiomata, a small, convex to hemispheric, cracked pileus surface, decurrent lamellae; a pruinose and cylindrical stipe; 2- or 4- spored basidia; and hyaline, somewhat angular to broadly ellipsoid, sometimes obscurely bumpy, on average 5.9 × 4.9 μm inamyloid basidiospores. Colour photographs of fresh basidiomata and of the main micromorphological features and a comparison with the allied species are included. Based on molecular evidence, Clitocella obscura comb. nov. is proposed.

Summary • Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbiosis is a widespread plant nutrition strategy in Australia, especially in semiarid regions. This study aims to determine the diversity, community structure and host preference of ECM fungi in a Tasmanian wet sclero-phyll forest. • Ectomycorrhizal fungi were identified based on anatomotyping and rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-large subunit (LSU) sequence analysis using taxon-specific primers. Host tree roots were identified based on root morphology and length differences of the chloroplast trnL region. • A total of 123 species of ECM fungi were recovered from root tips of Eucalyptus regnans (Myrtaceae), Pomaderris apetala (Rhamnaceae) and Nothofagus cunninghamii (Nothofagaceae). The frequency of two thirds of the most common ECM fungi from several lineages was significantly influenced by host species. The lineages of Cortinarius, Tomentella–Thelephora, Russula–Lactarius, Clavulina, Descolea and Laccaria prevailed in the total community and their species richness and relative abundance did not differ by host species. • This study demonstrates that strongly host-preferring, though not directly specific, ECM fungi may dominate the below-ground community. Apart from the richness of Descolea, Tulasnella and Helotiales and the lack of Suillus–Rhizopogon and Amphinema–Tylospora, the ECM fungal diversity and phylogenetic community structure is similar to that in the Holarctic realm.

The study of the type specimens from Coprinus dunarum revealed that according to ITS sequences these specimens belong to the species Coprinopsis atramentaria. Thus, C. dunarum should be treated as a synonym of the latter.