Search

Key to the species of Boletinellus known worldwide 1. Hymenophore turning blue when bruised..........................................................................................................................................2 - Hymenophore not turning blue when bruised....................................................................................................................................4 2. Pileal context white; pileipellis a cutis of repent, filamentous hyphae; basidiospores 7–9 × 5.5–6 μm............................. B. exiguus - Pileal context yellowish; pileipellis a trichoderm or a cutis with ascending trichodermal patches of filamentous hyphae..............3 3. Stipe surface covered with a hymenophoral structure extending to the stipe base; basidiospores 6.5–7.5 × 5–5.5 μm, inamyloid; basidia 2 or 4-spored; pileipellis a cutis with ascending trichodermal patches of filamentous hyphae.......................... B. viridianus - Stipe surface covered with the hymenophore only at the apex; basidiospores 7–10 × 6–7.5 µm, dextrinoid; basidia 4-spored; pileipellis a trichoderm................................................................................................................................................. B. merulioides 4. Hymenial cystidia absent; basidiospores 8.5–10.5 × 5.5–6.8 µm...................................................................................... B. rompelii - Hymenial cystidia present..................................................................................................................................................................5 5. Pores small, up to 1.3 mm; basidia 4-spored; basidiospores 7–9.8 × 4.8–6.8 μm, ellipsoid............................................ B. proximus - Pores large, up to 5 mm; basidia 2 or 4-spored, basidiospores 8.5–11 × 6–7 μm, ellipsoid to oblong.................... B. rhytidophyllus

Boletinellus viridianus Salna Nanu & T.K.A. Kumar, sp. nov., Figs. 2–3 MycoBank:—MB846744 Etymology:—“ viridianus ” refers to the bluish green color change of the tissues after bruising. Diagnosis:—This species differs from all other species of Boletinellus by its pale yellowish pileal context immediately turning bluish green; stipe surface covered with poroid-lamellate hymenophore extending throughout the stipe; oblong to ellipsoid, small, inamyloid basidiospores, 6.5–7.5 × 5–5.5 µm (Q = 1.2–1.4, Qm = 1.29), a cutis type of pileipellis with intermittent trichodermal clusters of filamentous hyphae. Holotype:— INDIA. Kerala State, Palakkad district, Parambikkulam, 5 June 2022, Salna Nanu (ZGCSN163). GenBank accession numbers: 28 S = OP526842, ITS = OP542551. Description:— Basidiomata medium-sized. Pileus 40–100 mm diam., convex when young becoming nearly applanate at maturity, slightly depressed at center with age; margin incurved to nearly undulate; surface glabrous or sub-velutinous, becoming viscid when wet, brownish to yellowish brown, sometimes with grayish brown or dark brownish tinge. Context thick, 10–25 mm, pale yellowish, immediately turning bluish green on bruising. Hymenophore deeply decurrent, poroid-lamellate, lamellae connected with many cross-veins; pores 3–5 mm wide, angular, elongate towards the margin, yellowish, pale yellow towards the margin, becoming brownish yellow with age, turning bluish green immediately on bruising; tubes up to 3 mm long, yellowish, turning bluish green when cut. Stipe 30–60 × 8–30 cm, eccentric to lateral, subcylindrical, enlarging towards the base; surface covered with poroid-lamellate hymenophore extending to the stipe base, denser towards the center, sparse at the base; surface pale yellowish in the central part, off white to yellowish in the lower and upper parts, changing bluish green immediately on bruising. Context thick, firm, pale yellowish, with pinkish or reddish brown tinges, turning blue slowly on exposure. Basidiospores 6.5–7.5 × 5–5.5 µm [Q = (1.2–1.4, Qm = 1.29], oblong to ellipsoid, with a large oil drop, yellowish in water, thin- to thick-walled (up to 1 µm), inamyloid. Basidia 26–36 × 6–10 µm, narrowly clavate to clavate, 4- spored, rarely 2-spored, thin-walled, hyaline to pale yellow in water; sterigmata up to 5 µm long. Pleurocystidia 21–35 × 4–9 µm, rare, subfusiform or flexuose, sometimes with a secondary septum, most with attenuated apex, thin-walled, hyaline to pale yellow in water. Cheilocystidia similar to pleurocystidia in size and shape, rare. Hymenophoral trama divergent, sometime with swollen hyphae; hyphae 3.5–21 µm wide, thin-walled, hyaline to pale yellow in water. Pileipellis a cutis with trichodermal patches of filamentous hyphae, 3–7 µm wide, thin-walled, pale yellowish in water; pileal trama consisting of interwoven hyphae, 3–8 µm wide, thin-walled. Stipitipellis a cutis disrupted by patches of hymenophoral structures, caulobasidia similar to hymenial basidia in shape and size. Clamp connections present in all tissues. Odor and taste not observed. Spore print not obtained. Habitat: On soil. Scattered under Terminalia species. Additional specimen examined: INDIA. Kerala State, Palakkad district, Parambikkulam, 6 June 2022, Salna Nanu (ZGCSN186)., Published as part of Nanu, Salna & Arun Kumar, T. K., 2023, A new species of Boletinellus (Boletinellaceae, Boletales) from India, pp. 223-231 in Phytotaxa 594 (3) on pages 227-229, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.594.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/7901322

A new species of Boletinellus, namely B. viridianus, is described from India based on morphological and molecular data. B. viridianus is characterized by basidiomata with a deeply decurrent poroid-lamellate hymenophore turning blue-green on bruising, an eccentric to lateral stipe covered with the hymenophoral structure extending lengthwise, oblong to ellipsoid, thin- to thick-walled, inamyloid basidiospores, two- to four-spored basidia, a pileipellis that is primarily a cutis interrupted by trichodermal clusters, and the presence of clamp connections. DNA sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 28S rDNA (28S) gene loci were used for phylogenetic analysis. Detailed description, color photo plates, a species comparison table, and a taxonomic key to Boletinellus species known worldwide are provided.

Types and recently collected samples of two Paxillus species namely P. rhytidophyllus and P. yunnanensis, originally described from southwestern China, were critically restudied based on morphology and molecular phylogenetic data of DNA sequences from the large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (nrLSU), the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and the translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α). The results showed that these two species belong to Boletinellus and Tricholomopsis, respectively. Thus, two new combinations, Boletinellus rhytidophyllus and Tricholomopsis yunnanensis are proposed. Boletinellus rhytidophyllus is characterized by a deeply decurrent and shallow hymenophore which is poroid-lamellate to alveolate, slightly thick-walled (0.6–1 μm) basidiospores, occasionally 2- to 4-spored basidia, rare or infrequent hymenial cystidia, and a trichodermal pileipellis. Tricholomopsis yunnanensis is characterized by a convex pileus densely covered by red-violet to red-brown fibrillose squamules, a yellowish stipe sparsely covered with red to red-brown fibrillose squamules, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores, prominent large cheilocystidia measuring 60–195 × 11–39 μm, and a palisadic pileipellis. New descriptions and line drawings of these two species and their comparisons with allied taxa are presented.

Phlebopus roseus is described as new based on collections from southwest China. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) and portions of nuclear 28S rDNA (28S), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), and the largest and second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II (rpb1, rpb2) support P. roseus as a novel species in the genus Phlebopus (Boletinellaceae, Boletales). The new species resembles P. portentosus but differs from it in that mature basidiomata have a bright rose-red-colored stipe and a radiate tubular hymenophore with nested pores. Despite extensive searching, P. roseus has only been found at four sites within a 24-hectare orchard dominated by Eriobotrya japonica, which is agriculturally important given its fruit production (loquats). Therefore, this species appears to be endemic and geographically restricted. The ecology of this bolete is also unique. In line with the trophic behavior of other species in the Boletinellaceae, our observations indicate that P. roseus forms a symbiotic association with the scale insect Coccus hesperidum, identified through sequence analysis of its mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) region, to form fungus-insect galls that develop on roots of E. japonica trees. Phlebopus roseus is an edible mushroom species and is collected from the type location by farmers and sold commercially in limited quantities at local markets alongside P. portentosus and other fungi.

Boletinellus rhytidophyllus (M. Zang) L.R. Liu, Yan C. Li & Zhu L. Yang, comb. nov., Figs. 3a���c, 4a���e. MycoBank: MB840441 Basionym: Paxillus rhytidophyllus M. Zang, Acta Microbiol. Sin. 18 (4): 282, Pl. I: 6���11, 1978. Protoglogue of Paxillus rhytidophyllus (Zang and Zeng 1978): ���Pileus centralis, 6���9 cm diam., convexus dein planus, viscosus, rufobrunneus dein fusco-umbrinus. Stipes 2.5���4 �� 1.5���2cm, late cylindricus et basim versus attenuates, laevigatus, flavidus. Lamellae citrino-flavidae, latiusculae, postice leviter sinuatae, breviter decurrentes et basi saepe venoso connexae. Basidiosporae ellipsoildeae vel oblongo-ellipsoildeae, 8���11.5 �� 6���6.5 ��m, pallido-flavae, laeves, 1-guttatae. Basidia 4-sporigera. Pleurocystidia 19���35 �� 12���15 ��m, clavata. Cheilocystidia non vidi. Hyphae medullarum tramata irregulares et paulo divergentes. Caro flavidula. Oder nullus.��� Description:��� Basidiomata (Fig. 3a���c) small to medium-sized. Pileus 2���9 cm in diam., nearly applanate, reniform or convex, soon flattened, center slightly depressed when aged, margin incurved at first and then usually irregularly undulate when mature or aged; surface felted to glabrous or subvelutinous and subviscid when wet, brown (6E6���8) to yellowish brown (5E4���5) with dark brown (6F4���8) or grayish brown (6F2���3) tinge in the center, much paler towards margin. Stipe 1.2���4 cm �� 0.7���2 cm in diam., eccentric to lateral, short, cylindrical, tapering at base, glabrous, yellow (3���4A5���6) to yellowish orange (2���3B6���7) when young, light brown (5D6���8) when old, unchanging in color when bruised. Hymenophore deeply decurrent, poroid-lamellate to alveolate with many cross-veins; pores large, up to 5 mm wide in the middle zone (seemingly much wider than 5 mm at the upper part of stipe, but the connecting walls inconspicuous and therefore not taken in consideration), angular, compound, radially elongate near the margin, about grayish yellow (4B5���6) to yellow (3A4���5) or light yellow (3A2) when young, and light brown (5D7���8) when old; tubes short, not easily separable, unchanging or staining brownish when injured. Context thick, pale yellow (1���3A4), always with slight orange-white (5A2) tinge, unchanging in color when bruised. Basidiospores (Fig. 4a) [80/4/2] (7) 8.5���11 (11.5) �� (5) 6���7 (8.5) ��m [Q = (1.38) 1.40���1.69 (1.75), Q m = 1.57 �� 0.11], ellipsoid to oblong, yellow, yellowish brown to light brown in water and 5 % KOH, with one large oil drop when mature, without color change in Melzer���s Reagent (non-dextrinoid, non-amyloid), slightly thick-walled (0.6���1 ��m), smooth. Basidia (Fig. 4b) (15) 22���34 �� 7���12 ��m, clavate, 2- to 4-spored, rarely 1-spored, hyaline to pale yellow in water and 5 % KOH. Pleurocystidia (Figure 4d) 26���44 �� 7���12 ��m, subclavate to subfusiform, attenuate at apex, sometimes with a septum, thin-walled, rare, hyaline to pale yellow in KOH, without epiparietal encrustations. Cheilocystidia (Fig. 4c) 40���50 �� 8���10 ��m, absent to rare, smooth, thin-walled, morphologically similar to pleurocystidia, subclavate, attenuate at apical part, always with a septum. Hymenophoral trama composed of 4���14 ��m wide filamentous hyphae, thin-walled, non-amyloid, bilateral. Pileipellis (Fig. 4e) a trichoderm, composed of filamentous hyphae, 4���8 ��m wide, hyaline to pale yellow in KOH, non-amyloid; terminal cells 50���90 �� 4���10 ��m, subclavate or cylindrical, hyaline to pale yellow in KOH. Clamp connections present in all tissues. Habitat and distribution:���Scattered or gathered on the river beach or cliff by the tropical forests in China; fruiting in southwestern China. Specimens examined:��� CHINA. Yunnan Province: Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Jinghong, Mengla County, on the river beach by the forest, alt. 600 m, 2 September 1974, M. Zang 01030-HK1030 (KUN-HKAS 28975, type); Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Jinghong, Mengyang County, near the Wild Elephant Valley, alt. 800 m, 21 August 2019, L. K. Jia 353 (KUN-HKAS 113221)., Published as part of Liu, Li-Rong, Wang, Geng-Shen, Jia, Liu-Kun, Kang, Ju-Qing, Yang, Zhu-Liang & Li, Yan-Chun, 2022, Type studies on two Paxillus species (Paxillaceae, Boletales) described from China, pp. 177-188 in Phytotaxa 530 (2) on pages 182-183, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.530.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/5832712, {"references":["Zang, M. & Zeng, X. L. (1978) A preliminary study on the family Paxillaceae of Yunnan and Tibet, China. Acta Microbiologica Sinica 18 (4): 279 - 286."]}

Phlebopus portentosus (Berk. & Broome) Boedijn, Sydowia 5(3–6): 218, 1951 (Figs. 4, 6) Description:— Basidiomata medium to very large. Pileus up to 18 cm diam, subhemispherical, convex, plano-convex to applanate; margin decurved, sometimes revolute when old; surface dry, nearly glabrous, yellowish brown (3B6), brown (4C7) to dark brown (4C8); context about 2 cm thick in the center of the pileus, light yellow, sometimes bluing when injured. Hymenophore poroid, depressed around apex of stipe; pores yellow (3A6), almost to round, yellowish brown (3B6), about 0.3 mm diam, unchanging in color when injured; tubes 1–1.5 cm in length, yellow (2A6), unchanging in color when injured. Stipe 8–10.5 × 2.5–4 cm, central, subcylindrical or subclavate, solid, base slightly enlarged; surface dry, nearly glabrous, brown (4C8) to brownish black (4E8); context light yellow (1A5), unchanging in color when injured; annulus absent; basal mycelium yellow (1A6). Odor indistinct. Basidia 18–30 × 10–14 μm, clavate, thin-walled, 4-spored, colorless in KOH, yellow in Melzer’s reagent; sterigmata 4–5 μm long. Basidiospores [60/3/3] 6–9(–10) × (4.5–)5–7(–8) μm, Q = (1–)1.1–1.4(–1.5), Qm = 1.26 ± 0.11, broadly ellipsoid, slightly thick-walled (up to 0.5 μm), yellowish brown in KOH, yellowish brown in Melzer’s reagent, smooth. Hymenophoral trama composed of thin- to slightly thick-walled (up to 0.8 μm) hyphae, 3–10 μm wide, colorless to light yellow in KOH, yellow to brownish yellow in Melzer’s reagent. Cheilocystidia 13–27 × 4–10 μm, pyriform, subfusiform or fusiform, thin-walled, colorless to light yellow in KOH, yellow to brownish yellow in Melzer’s reagent. Pleurocystidia 15–28 × 7–13 μm, pyriform, subfusiform or fusiform, thin-walled, colorless to light yellow in KOH, yellow to brownish yellow in Melzer’s reagent. Pileipellis a trichoderm 130–200 μm wide, composed of thin- to slightly thick-walled (up to 1 μm) hyphae, light yellow in KOH, yellow to brownish yellow in Melzer’s reagent, 3–9 μm in width; terminal cell 15–36 × 3–8 μm, clavate or subcylindrical, subfusiform or fusiform, with obtuse apex. Pileal trama made up of hyphae 3–14 μm in diam, slightly thick-walled (1 μm), colorless to light yellow in KOH, yellow, yellowish brown, reddish brown in Melzer’s reagent. Stipitipellis a trichoderm-like structure 90–150 μm wide, composed of thin- to slightly thick-walled (up to 0.5 μm), 3–6 μm wide, light yellow in KOH, yellow to brownish yellow in Melzer’s reagent, emergent hyphae with subfusiform, fusiform or clavate terminal cells (15–31 × 3–6 μm). Stipe trama composed of cylindrical, colorless to light yellow in KOH, yellow, yellowish brown, reddish brown, slightly thick-walled (up to 1 μm), parallel hyphae 3–14 μm wide. Clamp connections present in all tissues. Habitat:—Solitary or scattered under Eucalyptus tereticornis Smith or Ficus microcarpa L. f. Known distribution:—Southwestern and southern China; Sri Lanka (Pegler 1986), Thailand (Sanmee et al. 2003). Specimens examined:— CHINA. Hainan Province: Haikou City, Jinniuling Park, elev. 20 m, 22 May 2008, N. K . Zeng 22 (FHMU1); Wanning City, Xinglong Tropical Oark, elev. 115 m, 25 May 2013, N. K . Zeng 1186 (FHMU753); same location, 7 July 2013, N. K . Zeng 1248 (FHMU806); Haikou City, beside the roadway, elev. 15 m, 13 August 2019, N. K . Zeng 5041 (FHMU5934). Yunnan Province: Kunming City, bought in the market, 16 August 2016, N. K . Zeng 2779 (FHMU1768); Jinghong City, artificial cultivation, 4 February 2021, C . X. Zhang s.n. (FHMU5936, 5937, 5938). Notes:—Our specimens identified as P. portentosus are well characterized by a large fruitbody with a yellowish brown, brown, dark brown pileus, a brown, brownish black stipe, a light yellow context sometimes bluing when injured, broadly ellipsoid basidiospores, terminal cells of pileipellis mostly subfusiform or fusiform, and a distribution in tropical Asia. The morphological features of the Chinese collections match well with those of P. portentosus from Sri Lanka (Pegler 1986), except that the cystidia were not observed by Pegler (1986) whereas they are common in the Chinese specimens (Fig. 6c, d). Morphologically, P. portentosus is very similar to P. roseus, a species originally described from Sichuang Province of southwestern China. However, P. roseus has a rose pink to reddish stipe, tubular hymenophore with nested angular pores of multiple sizes, and a distribution in subtropical China (Mei et al. 2020)., Published as part of Xie, Hui-Jing, Zhang, Chun-Xia, He, Ming-Xia, Liang, Zhi-Qun, Deng, Xiao-Hua & Zeng, Nian- Kai, 2021, Buchwaldoboletus xylophilus and Phlebopus portentosus, two non-ectomycorrhizal boletes from tropical China, pp. 137-154 in Phytotaxa 520 (2) on pages 147-149, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.520.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/5508807, {"references":["Pegler, D. N. (1986) Agaric flora of Sri Lanka. Kew Bulletin Additional Series 12: 1 - 519.","Sanmee, R., Dell, B., Lumyong, P., Izumori, K. & Lumyong, S. (2003) Nutritive value of popular wild edible mushrooms from Northern Thailand. Food Chemistry 82: 527 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / S 0308 - 8146 (02) 00595 - 2","Mei, Y., Liu, C. Y., Li, S. H., Guerin-Laguette, A., Xiao, Y. J., Tang, P., Wan, S. P., Bonito, G. & Wang, Y. (2020) Phlebopus roseus, a new edible bolete from China, is associated with insects and plants. Mycologia 113: 1 - 10. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00275514.2020.1816781"]}

Xie, Hui-Jing, Zhang, Chun-Xia, He, Ming-Xia, Liang, Zhi-Qun, Deng, Xiao-Hua, Zeng, Nian- Kai (2021): Buchwaldoboletus xylophilus and Phlebopus portentosus, two non-ectomycorrhizal boletes from tropical China. Phytotaxa 520 (2): 137-154, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.520.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.520.2.2

SUMMARYIn this study, we aim to identify genomic traits of the transitions to the ectomycorrhizal ecology within the Boletales, one of the most diverse lineages of symbiotrophic fungi.We sequenced the genomes and compared the gene repertoires of symbiotrophic Boletales species to their saprotrophic brown-rot relatives. We also reconstructed gene duplication/loss histories along a time-calibrated phylogeny.We showed that the rate of gene duplication is constant along the backbone of Boletales phylogeny with large loss events in lineages leading to several families. The rate of gene family expansion sharply increased in the late Miocene and mostly took place in Boletaceae.Most of the ectomycorrhizal Boletales are characterized by a large genome size due to transposable element (TE) expansions and a reduction in the diversity of plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) compared to their brown-rot relatives. However, several species in the Boletaceae, Paxillaceae and Boletinellaceae have kept a substantial set of endoglucanases and LPMOs acting on cellulose/hemicellulose and fungal polysaccharides suggesting that they may partly decompose organic matter by a combined activity of oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes.The present study provides novel insights on our understanding of the mechanisms that influence the evolutionary diversification of boletes and symbiosis evolution.

Phlebopus (Boletales) is a genus of Fungi with species characterized by robust basidiomata with glabrous to tomentose or velvety pileus, a central thick and non-reticulated, non-hollow stipe, and an adnate-depressed hymenophore. Their context is variable in color and unchanging or slowly develops a blue reaction when exposed to air. They also have short subglobose to ellipsoid basidiospores that are smooth and possess clamped hyphae. A recent collection in Brazil turned up the rare Neotropical species P. brasiliensis, which is only known from type materials from the original description, and which is only one of six species present in the country. Here, we validate the identity of this species and insure its separation from similar congeners including P. mexicanus. Phlebopus brasiliensis is characterized by the dry velutinous pileus surface that then becomes finely areolate in older basidiomata and with an olivaceous color; hymenophore with small pores to 0.5 mm wide with a context that is cream-colored then greenish-blue on exposure to air, and the absence of hymenial cystidia. Alternatively, Phlebopus mexicanus has slightly smaller basidiospores (average 6.4 × 5 µm), larger pores (1–2 per mm, each 0.5–1 mm diameter) and granulose-pruinate stipe to base. These differences help confirm the identity of P. brasiliensis and also establish its presence in a new location in Brazil i.e., a conservation zone that differs in disturbance from its type locality.

The Brazilian Cerrado is a highly diverse ecosystem, harboring a great variety of organisms; however, the mycodiversity is still poorly documented. In this study, we record for the first time the bolete Phlebopus beniensis from the Cerrado biome in the state of Goiás, located in Brazil’s Central-West Region. Description, macroscopic images, line drawings and comments, as well as the geographic distribution of the genus for Brazil are presented herein. Resumo O Cerrado brasileiro é considerado um ecossistema altamente diverso, incluindo uma grande diversidade de organismos; no entanto, a diversidade fúngica ainda é pouco documentada. Este trabalho apresenta o primeiro registro de Phlebopus beniensis para o bioma Cerrado no estado de Goiás, Região Centro-Oeste do Brasil. Descrição, imagens macroscópicas, ilustrações microscópicas e comentários, assim como a distribuição geográfica do gênero para o Brasil são aqui apresentados.

Phlebopus is a tropical to subtropical genus of basidiomycete mushrooms in the family Boletinellaceae. The genus comprises 17 species, several of which are edible and highly prized in local markets. P. portentosus and P. spongiosus, two species with complex trophic mode and ecology, are the only species known to successfully produce basidiomes in cultivation without a host plant. This paper reviews the taxonomy, distribution, ecology and biology, edibility, medicinal properties, nutritional value, and cultivation of Phlebopus species.

The phylogeny of selected gasteromycetes and hymenomycetes was inferred from partial nuclear large subunit rDNA (nuc-lsu, 28S) sequences, delimited by primers LR0R and LR5. Taxon sampling with emphasis on relationships within the Boletales further included some gasteroid groups, which obviously have evolved convergent fruiting body morphology, and therefore remained controversial in taxonomy. This study confirms the close relationship of Geastrales, Gauteriales and Phallales and the presumable derivation of Nidulariales and Tulostomatales within the euagarics clade, as widely accepted. In addition, four Hymenogaster species investigated were found to be in the euagarics clade and a relationship to the Cortinariaceae was indicated. The gasteroid fungus Zelleromyces stephensii is an example for maintaining morphological linkage by a lactiferous hyphal system to the genus Lactarius in the Russulales, and this relationship was affirmed in the sequence analysis. Several previously suggested relationships of gasteromycetes and Boletales were reproducible by analyzing nuc-lsu sequences. As a new result, Astraeus hygrometricus, the barometer earth star, is an additional representative of the Boletales. Together with Boletinellus, Phlebopus, Pisolithus, Calostoma, Gyroporus, Scleroderma, and Veligaster, Astraeus forms an unusual group comprising pileate-stipitate hymenomycetes and polymorphic gasteromycetes. This group is a major lineage within the Boletales and we propose the new suborder Sclerodermatineae, including the six families Boletinellaceae fam. nov. (Boletinellus and Phlebopus), Gyroporaceae (Singer) fam. nov. (Gyroporus), Pisolithaceae (Pisolithus), Astraeaceae (Astraeus), Calostomataceae (Calostoma), and the typus subordinis Sclerodermataceae (Scleroderma and Veligaster). Morphological and ecological characters, and pigment synthesis support the delimitation of the Sclerodermatineae, and indicate the radiation of different lineages in the Boletales originating from fungi with primitive tubular hymenophores. We regard such boletes with gyroid-boletinoid hymenophores, like Boletinellus, Gyrodon, Gyroporus, Paragyrodon and Phlebopus as key taxa in the evolution of Paxillineae, Sclerodermatineae and Boletineae.