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Vararia is a species-rich genus in the family Peniophoraceae and has been shown to be polyphyletic. In this study, sequences of ITS and LSU rRNA markers of the studied samples were generated and phylogenetic analyses were performed with the maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference methods. Seventeen lineages including six new species from China, i.e., V. fissurata, V. lincangensis, V. punctata, V. isabellina, V. sinensis, and V. yaoshanensis were recognized, in which V. fissurata is characterized by the brittle basidiomata with pruinose and cracking hymenophore having white to olivaceous buff hymenial surface, the clamped generative hyphae, presence of the two types gloeocystidia; V. lincangensis is characterized by the simple-septa generative hyphae, and thick-walled skeletal hyphae, and ellipsoid basidiospores; V. punctata is delimited by its thin to slightly thick-walled generative hyphae, and thick-walled skeletal hyphae, present thick-walled, clavate to cylindrical gloeocystidia; V. isabellina is characterized by having the cream to isabelline to slightly brown hymenial surface, thin to slightly thick-walled generative hyphae, and sub-fusiform to navicular basidiospores; V. sinensis is distinguishable by its white to slightly pink hymenial surface, thick-walled skeletal hyphae, and sub-fusiform to navicular basidiospores; V. yaoshanensis is characterized by cream to pinkish buff to cinnamon-buff hymenial surface, slightly thick-walled generative hyphae, the presence of two types gloeocystidia, and slightly thick-walled, ellipsoid basidiospores. Phylogram based on the ITS+nLSU rDNA gene regions included nine genera within the family Peniophoraceae as Amylostereum, Asterostroma, Baltazaria, Dichostereum, Michenera, Peniophora, Scytinostroma and Vararia, in which the six new wood-inhabiting fungi species were grouped into genus Vararia. The phylogenetic tree inferred from the combined ITS and LSU tree sequences highlighted that V. fissurata was found to be the sister to V. ellipsospora with strong supports. Additionally, V. lincangensis was clustered with V. fragilis. Furthermore, V. punctata was retrieved as a sister to V. ambigua. Moreover, V. sinensis was grouped with five taxa as V. breviphysa, V. pirispora, V. fusispora, V. abortiphysa and V. insolita. The new species V. isabellina formed a monophyletic lineage, in which it was then grouped closely with V. daweishanensis, and V. gracilispora. In addition, V. yaoshanensis was found to be the sister to V. gallica with strong supports. The present results increased the knowledge of Vararia species diversity and taxonomy of corticioid fungi in China. An identification key to 17 species of Vararia in China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species from coniferous forests in Pakistan, Amanita ahmadii, is described on the basis of morphoanatomy and molecular data set analyses. This species is characterized by its medium-sized to large basidiomata, grayish brown to brown pileal surface and rimose pileus margin with gray to dark brown verrucose veil remnants, a cream stipe with bulbous base having grayish brown or brown longitudinal striations above the annulus, a scaly surface towards the base, globose to broadly ellipsoid and amyloid basidiospores, and the absence of clamped septa in all tissues. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS and LSU sequences confirmed its identity as a new taxon nested within subgen. Amanitina sect. Validae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphology and phylogenetic analyses using the ITS and LSU regions of nrDNA were carried out on bolete collections belonging to Boletus s. str., originating from the Himalayan region of Pakistan. The phylogenetic analysis outlined the existence of previously unknown species of this genus. It is described here as Boletus himalayensis. Illustrations of the macroscopic characters and the microscopic features of the new species are provided. The distinction of B. himalayensis from allied species is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large genus Leucoagaricus (Basidiomycota) is poorly studied in Pakistan, where the northern parts of the country are considered hot spots for biodiversity. Based on morphological and molecular data, five new species are described: Leucoagaricus badius, L. lahorensiformis, L. pakistaniensis, L. sultanii, and L. umbonatus. Descriptions and illustrations are given for the new taxa. A phylogeny based on morphology and four DNA regions, including the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) and D1-D2 domains of the 28S gene of the nuc rDNA, the gene for RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), and the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1-α), shows that the new taxa are clustered in a clade representing Leucoagaricus section Rubrotincti subgenus Sericeomyces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inocybe kohistanensis, a new species, is described from Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the basis of morphological characters as well as molecular phylogenetic analyses. The new species is characterized by a fibrillose reddish brown pileus, pruinose stipe with a prominent marginate bulb, and nodular spores. Sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region suggest that I. kohistanensis is distinct from all other Inocybe species sampled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectomycorrhiza is a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between the roots of higher plants and fungi. Salix is an important host genus for ectomycorrhizal symbiosis growing in a variety of environmental conditions. Eleven different types of ectomycorrhizal morphotypes were isolated from different species of Salix growing in two geologically distant zones of Pakistan with varied environmental conditions. KPK zone has moist temperate while Lahore zone falls in semi-arid climate. These morphotypes were characterized on morpho-anatomic basis. Out of these eight belonged to KPK zone and three to Lahore zone. Three morphotypes were previously undescribed and six have been found for the first time aβociated with Salix spp. Two are new records for Pakistan. Species richneβ and diversity was found higher in KPK zone as compared to Lahore zone where species richneβ and diversity was lower but a high number of ectomycorrhizal morphotypes were found in comparison with KPK zone. © 2014 Friends Science Publishers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populus cilliata and P. euramericana grow in Himalayan Moist Temperate forest of Pakistan, Lahore and its adjacent plains, respectively. Both these species were explored to know the ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity associated with their root system. Morpho-anatomically, 18 ectomycorrhizal types were identified growing in two different ecological zones. Moist temperate region was richer as compared to semiarid region as 15 species were found in association with P. cilliata growing there, while only three were found forming mycorrhizae with P. euramericana. The difference in ectomycorrhizal community composition supported the concept that soil nutrients, organic matter, pH, moisture content and temperature are very important factors to facilitate the growth of mycobionts and their association with roots of higher plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent revision of the genus Agaricus, A. section Xanthodermatei was split into two sections A. sect. Hondenses and A. sect. Xanthodermatei. Our objectives were to investigate the species diversity of both sections in Pakistan and to give an overview of the major clades. Phylogenetic analyses based on the combined nucLSU, ITS and TEF1 dataset from 35 specimens of both sections revealed three major clades. Analyses based on ITS dataset and 106 specimens, including 33 from Pakistan, reveal eight new species and one new record species. These nine species are described in detail. It is noteworthy that intraspecific variability as well as interspecific variability between closely related species were very low in ITS sequences in many cases. In the case of the two new species A.xanthochromaticus and A.griseovariegatus, TEF1 sequence data were much more efficient than ITS to distinguish these species from each other. The other new species are A.atroumbonatus, A.fumidicolor, A.macropeplus, A.parviniveus, A.swaticus and A.bambusetorum. The latter is the only new species of A. sect. Hondenses in which it is morphologically atypical and also the unique (sub)tropical species. Agaricusgregariomyces is recorded for the first time in Pakistan. In addition, brief descriptions are provided not only for A.bisporiticus, A.endoxanthus and A.punjabensis, which are reported again in Pakistan, but also for A.californicus, which is reported for the first time in Spain and outside North America. In total 12 species of both sections were reported in Pakistan and half of them were from subtropical climatic areas, underlining the contribution of the climatic diversity to the high species richness in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]