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A new species of Pyrus for the dendroflora of Sicily is here described. It is Pyrus pedrottiana, actually considered endemic to the Nebrodi Mountains, a territory which includes the largest wooded area of the island with a high forest biodiversity.In the same area, P. vallis-demonis and P. ciancioi have also been described in recent times. The authors report diagnostic characters to distinguish the new taxon from the other two sympatric species.

The authors analysed the forest ecosystems in the Monti Sicani Park (Sicily). In particular, the state of the natural and non-native forests in the Site of Community Interest (SCI ITA040005) - Monte Cammarata, Contrada Salaci, was evaluated in terms of distribution, evolution of forest dynamics and, silvicultural activities. The evolution of vegetation within two different forest plots are analysed and management strategies are proposed. The finding on Mount Cammarata of seedlings of Fagus sylvatica in the undergrowth of a conifer afforestation is noteworthy.

The morphological variability of the Sicilian population of Celtis australis is examined. On the basis of leaf and branching characters, recurrent in various trees growing both in natural and urban environment, a new variety is recognized and described, indicated as Celtis australis var. panormitana. The most significant differential characters and the ecology of the new taxon are reported. Finally, the taxonomic affinities with the two other conspecific taxa are recalled. At the current state of knowledge the new variety is endemic to Sicily.

The first case of spontaneous regeneration of Araucaria columnaris in Europe is reported. Data are given on the taxon and on the Sicilian site where A. columnaris - native to New Caledonia (Australia) - tends to spread autonomously.

Mushrooms contain many bioactive compounds, mainly poly- and oligosaccharides, known to have benefits for human health. Polysaccharides from mushrooms exhibited immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, as well as antitumor activity. Furthermore, some mushrooms showed to have potent antioxidant properties due to the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and tocopherols. These beneficial properties of mushrooms bioactive compounds indicate their potential use as performance-enhancing natural feed additives for livestock animals. In this regard, the use of mushrooms and mushroom-derived products has largely been investigated in the feeding of poultry species, showing positive effects on immune system, microbial and parasite control in the intestines, antioxidant protection, and overall animal health and production. Until now, however, few studies have reported the effects of mushroom-based diets on the health status and productive responses of ruminant livestock animals. Accordingly, a study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of diets supplemented with fungus myceliated grains (FMG) fed to dairy ewes on intestinal parasite control, milk production and fatty acid (FA) profile, and cheese oxidative stability. During an 8-week period, 21 Valle del Belice ewes were divided into 3 homogeneous groups which were fed with hay ad libitum and 1.3 kg/day per ewe of one of 3 isoproteic and isofibrous concentrates containing faba bean (50%), barley (30%) and sorghum grains (20%), these latter included as FMG or non-myceliated grains; accordingly, the FMG were supplied at levels of 20% (FMG20), 10% (FMG10) or 0% (FMG0). FMG were prepared by incubating sterile sorghum grains with mycelia of selected mushrooms at 25°C for 8 weeks, then they were dried at 60°C for 24 h and stored at 4°C until used. The ewes fed FMG20 diet showed comparable dry matter (DM) and nutrients intake, a reduction in intestinal parasite infection, a tendency towards increased milk yield, and a higher milk casein content (4.8% vs 4.3% and 4.3% in FMG20, FMG10 and FMG0; P

I funghi contengono numerosi composti bioattivi, in prevalenza poli- e oligosaccaridi, che sono in grado di svolgere azioni benefiche per la salute umana e li rendono, per questo, veri e propri alimenti funzionali. Questi polisaccaridi, tra i quali il gruppo dei -glucani, hanno mostrato di possedere proprietà immunomodulanti, antibatteriche, antivirali e antifungine, oltre che una certa attività antitumorale. Inoltre, alcuni funghi hanno rivelato spiccati effetti antiossidanti dovuti alla presenza di composti fenolici, inclusi flavonoidi e acidi fenolici, -carotene e vitamine come acido ascorbico e -tocoferolo. Studi recenti riguardanti l’impiego dei funghi e dei prodotti a base di funghi in alimentazione animale hanno dimostrato analoghi effetti positivi sul sistema immunitario, sul controllo microbico e parassitario a livello intestinale, sulla protezione antiossidante e, nel complesso, sullo stato di salute e sulla produttività degli animali. Tali risultati hanno, in definitiva, lasciato intravedere le interessanti potenzialità dei funghi nel ruolo di additivi naturali promotori di performance. Partendo da tali presupposti, sono stati studiati gli effetti della somministrazione di diete integrate con granella miceliata a pecore in lattazione, valutandoli in termini di controllo dei parassiti intestinali, risposta immunitaria, produzione e qualità del latte, stabilità ossidativa e capacità antiossidante dei formaggi. I concentrati somministrati sono stati sempre interamente consumati dalle pecore, fatto che certamente denota la buona appetibilità della granella miceliata, e non hanno modificato l’ingestione del fieno. Gli effetti della granella miceliata sono risultati evidenti nel controllo dei nematodi gastrointestinali. Infatti, dopo 8 settimane di trattamento alimentare, il numero di pecore che mostravano la presenza di uova di nematodi si è ridotto maggiormente con la dieta contenente la dose massima di granella miceliata. Tali risultati, di indubbio interesse e potenzialità, meritano di essere ulteriormente approfonditi per ottenerne conferma e chiarire il meccanismo con cui la granella miceliata agisce su tali parassiti. La produzione di latte individuale ha mostrato una tendenza all’aumento nelle pecore alimentate con la dieta contenente la granella miceliata somministrata alla dose più elevata. Tali animali hanno prodotto anche un latte con una maggiore dotazione di caseina, aspetto che denota una maggiore efficienza di utilizzazione della proteina della dieta per la sintesi di caseina. Il profilo in acidi grassi del latte è stato poco influenzato dal trattamento alimentare e, comunque, i polinsaturi, inclusi quelli ad effetto salutistico per l’uomo, non hanno subito variazioni per effetto della dieta, dimostrando come la granella miceliata non abbia inibito l’attività di bio-idrogenazione dei batteri ruminali a carico degli acidi grassi polinsaturi assunti con gli alimenti. Inoltre, la presenza dell’acido eicosapentaenoico (EPA) è stata rilevata solo nel latte delle pecore alimentate con la granella miceliata; quest’ultimo rappresenta un risultato interessante che, in considerazione degli importanti effetti che l’EPA svolge nell’uomo ai fini della riduzione dei rischi di insorgenza di patologie cardiovascolari, merita i dovuti approfondimenti. La granella miceliata sembra avere interferito, inoltre, sul colore dei formaggi, inducendo una maggiore luminosità, un più elevato indice del rosso e, al più alto dosaggio, una colorazione gialla meno intensa. Questo effetto potrebbe essere legato al trasferimento di pigmenti carotenoidi contenuti nei miceli fungini, e di β-carotene in particolare che, presente nei funghi in elevata quantità, avrebbe conferito una colorazione rosso aranciata ai formaggi. L’ossidazione lipidica secondaria ha mostrato una progressiva e significativa riduzione all’aumentare della granella miceliata nel mangime, come indicato dai valori di TBARs ottenuti sui campioni sperimentali. Pertanto, il maggiore apporto di granella miceliata con la dieta è stata responsabile di una ridotta ossidazione a carico della componente grassa. In linea con i dati di TBARs, i formaggi ottenuti dalle pecore alimentate con il più alto livello di granella miceliata, hanno pure mostrato un significativo aumento della capacità antiossidante, misurata mediante saggio TEAC. Tali risultati fanno presupporre che la granella miceliata abbia determinato un miglioramento della stabilità ossidativa del grasso del formaggio, e quindi della sua conservabilità, presumibilmente per effetto dell’arricchimento del latte in composti ad attività antiossidante presenti nel micelio che ne hanno aumentato il potere antiossidante. In definitiva, la granella miceliata sembra possedere effetti antiparassitari e attività antiossidante; la sua somministrazione, infatti, è apparsa in grado di influenzare positivamente la produzione di latte e lo stato generale di salute delle pecore, e di arricchire i prodotti lattiero caseari di molecole antiossidanti che ne aumentano la stabilità ossidativa e le proprietà funzionali.

The neglected Herbarium of Emanuele Taranto Rosso (Sicily, 1801-1887). Emanuele Taranto Rosso, eclectic naturalist of the XIX Century, founded a scientific and didactic centre of Natural History and Archaeology in Caltagirone, one of the towns in the province of Catania in eastern Sicily (southern Italy). In this paper, we report and evaluate the size of his herbarium donated to the centre. According to the published catalogue, originally the Herbarium of Taranto Rosso comprised 776 specimens, which included wild and cultivated plants collected by this skillful researcher in the surroundings of Caltagirone. In addition, the Herbarium contained several specimens purchased or exchanged with other Sicilian naturalists. Currently this collection includes only 393 exsiccata. The revision of these specimens, long since forgotten in the Lyceum “Bonaventura Secusio” of Caltagirone, gives useful information in order to evaluate the contribution of Taranto Rosso to the knowledge of the Sicilian flora. Our study includes also the list of the taxa and the analysis of the most significant specimens.

One of the most well-known references to the presence of Tamarix species in ancient times is reported in Genesis (21:33). At that time, the tamarisks were used as decorative elements in oaths, purification, and divination. The tamarisk leaves were also used in concoctions and to ward away evil influence, and the branches to construct magic circles. The landscape surrounding the Abraham well in Beersheba is still characterized by the presence of Tamarix nilotica (Ehrenb.) Bunge. This species is particularly widespread along the banks of the sacred Jordan and Jabbok Rivers. In some old and recent paintings we can recognize habitus, habitat and, morphological features of tamarisk species such as Tamarix aphylla (L.) H. Karst, T. usneoides Bunge, T. gallica L., and T. africana Poir. Most Egyptian timber consists of tamarisk and their wide use and distribution in the territory can be identified in relief sculptures and paintings. Recently, in the Hamriyah area of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates), old T. aphylla trees have been recognised as worth of protection and a link between the old and new generations. The genus Tamarix L. occurs naturally from western Europe and the Mediterranean to North Africa, northeastern China, Mongolia, India and, Japan. In North and South America, tamarisks werespread as ornamental plants for gardens during the 1800 and 1900's. The seeds escaped cultivated areas and the plants are currently mainly located over the banks of streams and rivers. Tamarisks are distributed in Italy as wild and ornamental plants. They cannot be identified by leaves and racemes but only from a careful observation of the floral disc under the microscope. Tamarisk trees characterize the landscape of many archaeological sites including those of Neapolis (Syracuse) and Selinunte in Sicily. One of the biggest problems now, particularly in America, is their invasiveness.

This review includes the data concerning the presence of Tamarix species in old and contemporary landscapes, and their presence in archaeological areas. Their role as wild and ornamental plants, their use in sacred places, and their depiction in old relief sculpture, old and more recent paintings is also reported. Notes on the presence of Tamarix species in current landscapes and their invasiveness are discussed.

This chapter provides an overview of current biodiversity knowledge in Mediterranean forest ecosystems across all levels (genetic diversity, species diversity, landscape diversity) and endemism, ecological peculiarities that make Mediterranean forest ecosystems different. It also outlines the importance of biodiversity for functional forest ecosystems and illustrates some examples of conservation efforts in the region.

In Tunisia, about 12% of the country area is covered by forests which have favorable climatic factors likely to harbor a high macrofungal biodiversity. However, this valuable bioresource remains understudied especially regarding their distribution, ecology, abundance and diversity. The initiation of the first national inventory of macrofungi in NorthWestern Tunisian forests was published by our group in 2016. The study covered six governorates, sixty seven sites and enabled the identification of one hundred and twenty-three specimens. Abiotic environmental factors such (as bioclimatic stage, rainfall and edaphic conditions) and biotic factors (plant association and nature and density of the forest) have been studied to determine the distribution and ecology of the collected macromycetes. The obtained results showed a promising diversity of macfungal resources in Tunisia. The present work aims to determine an updated checklist for specimens collected from January 2014 to March 2017. A total of 75 collection and prospecting missions carried out to 105 sites in 11 governorates of northern Tunisia allowed the collection of a total of 1815 specimens. Some of which are considered infrequent or rare. A herbarium at the Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules at the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis and in the Laboratory of Microorganisms of the National Genes Bank of Tunisia was created and an online database with all the photos and data collected was carried out. In addition, a molecular data base of the collected specimens was initiated which currently contains 250 ITS sequences and continues to be regularly enriched. This work will allow the mapping of macromycetes in Tunisia which will be useful to realise the national inventory of macrofungi in our country. Data will be available to interested mycologists, to the silviculturists and to the gatherers of edible mushroom. This may improve the exploitation of these valuable resources and contribute to their best management.

Grifola frondosa (Dicks.) Gray (Meripilaceae) is a big size, perennial, infrequent lignicolous basidiomycetes, traditionally known as Maitake. Brown or grayish overlapped caps, with a wavy margin, characterize the sporophore. In the wild, it is usually found at the base of living oak trees but it is also cultivated. G. frondosa is mainly distributed in Japan, Asia, Eastern America, and Europe. In Italy, is infrequent but widely distributed in all regions. Field investigation carried out in autumn 2016 in Sicily (southern Italy) permitted to observe an unusual white G. frondosa growing at the base of a living tree of Quercus pubescens Willd. s.l. Once harvested, the mushroom sample was cleaned of debris with a knife, cut into pieces and placed in plastic bags for freezing, then transported to the laboratory and preserved at -80 °C. Finally the frozen mushroom was lyophilized.The morphological studies were carried out under the microscope using KOH 3% and ammoniacal Congo Red and performed in a combination with DNA sequence analyses of the Internal Trancribed Spacer (ITS) region. The chemical and nutritional composition (ashes, water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, nitrogen, and organic and inorganic substances) was evaluated according to standard methodologies. The antibacterial activity against four Gram-positive and Gramnegative bacteria strains: Staphylococcus aureus ATTC 25923, S. epidermidis ATTC 12228, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was also evaluated. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of G. frondosa extracts was determinated by a micro-method by diluiting in a range from 50% to 0,6% v/v. Tryptic soy broth (TSB, Sigma) was used as media. As a result of morphological analysis the white G. frondosa showed basidiospores of slightly narrowed shape than the typical Maitake (5 - 7 x 3.2 – 4 μm). Besides, sterigmata are long up to 6 μm, sturdy, with the base of diameter up to 1.5 μm. These microscopical features are not reported in Ryvarden while Bernicchia illustrated for the typical Maitake sterigmata “thin and very divaricate”. Clamp connections are present but rare in the contest. Cystidia and cystidioles are absent. The identity of the white G.frondosa was confirmed by analysis of ITS sequence. The results of nutritional composition analysis (Table 1) showed that the white G. frondosa is richer in nutritional elements than the cultivated brown Maitake analyzed by Stamets. In particular the white Maitake possess a very high content of Ca, Fe, K, Na, and Cu. As regards vitamins only the value of vitamin D2 is similar to the value reported by other authors. The other vitamin contents are lower. The cold extract of G.frondosa has been showed to be effective in inhibiting the growth of S. epidermidis 12228 and P. aeruginosa 15442 at the maximum screening concentration of 50% v/v. In our opinion the white Maitake is a promising and potential new medicinal mushroom. Further investigations are currently in progress to evaluate potential application as cultivated and medicinal mushroom.

The beneficial properties of mushrooms bioactive compounds indicate their potential use as performance enhancing natural additive for livestock animals. This paper reports the preliminary results of a research on the effects of diets supplemented with fungus myceliated grains (FMG) to lactating ewes in terms of intestinal parasites control, milk production and cheese oxidative stability. During 8 weeks, 21 ewes were divided into 3 groups fed with hay ad libitum and 1.3 kg/day per head of one of 3 concentrates with 0, 10 or 20% of FMG. In front of analogous DM and nutrients intake, the ewes fed FMG at higher levels showed a reduction of intestinal parasite infection, a tendency to improve milk yield and a higher milk casein content. The increase of FMG in the diet was responsible of production of cheeses with a lower secondary lipid oxidation and a higher antioxidant capacity, suggesting a major oxidative stability of cheese fat and an enrichment of cheese in antioxidant compounds induced by the FMG. These preliminary results appear to be promising, and further investigations are recommended.

Mushrooms present interests for consumption as food, as traditional medicine or in bioremediation, due to their nutritional, antioxidant, antimicrobial, therapeutic and enzymatic values. The valorisation of indigenous species of mushrooms requires well characterized collections. Although macrofungi are widespread in Tunisian forests, their diversity and ecology remain generally underexplored which hindered their exploitation. In particular, the in vitro cultivation of the mycelial form could have many advantages: (a) it offers faster growth rates which may have industrial and biotechnological benefits, and (b) will allow better resource management (longer conservation of active forms) and genetic manipulation. To achieve these objectives, more than 55 regular expeditions to Tunisian forests were organized. Several hundreds of indigenous species of mushrooms were collected and macroscopically and microscopically identified. Mycelial cultivation of newly collected specimens allowed obtaining 57 isolates of basidiomycetes. Specific molecular analysis by sequencing ITS regions showed that the isolates belong to the following genera: Agaricus (9), Ganoderma (5), Amanita (5), Boletus (4), Lactarius (3), Lepista (3), Tapinella (3), Pleurotus (3), Macrolepiota (3), Gymnopilus (2), Lentinus (2), Polyporus (2), Tricholomopsis (2), Rhizopogon (2), Hygrophorus (2), Armillaria (2), Pisolithus (1), Paxillus (1), Hericium (1), Russula (1), and Coprinus (1). On the other hand the cultivated species were screened for their enzyme production on specific solid and liquid media namely laccase, cellulase and amylase.Preliminary results showed that the majority of species produce high levels of laccase activity and the number of extracellular laccase isoenzymes seems to be species dependent. Potentially interesting produced enzymes will be purified and characterized. In addition the possibility of submerged cultivation and biologically active polysaccharides production by some medicinal species was also examined. Preliminary results showed that several species are producing antiviral polysaccharides. Further analyses are required to characterize the active biomolecules and to investigate the action mode. Additional tests on immunomodulatory, hypoglycemia, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial and antitumor properties are planned. This work on mushrooms originating from Tunisia may contribute to diversify the range of mushrooms for domestic market and for obtaining innovative products.

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are highly expressed in a variety of cancer cells and are essential to their survival contributing to tumor cell propagation, metastasis, and protection against apoptosis]. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The current anti-cancer drugs available in market are not target specific and pose several side-effects and complications in clinical management of various forms of cancer, which highlights the urgent need for novel effective and less-toxic therapeutic approaches. Medicinal mushrooms have emerged as wonderful source of nutraceuticals, anti-oxidants, anticancer, prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, anti-microbial, and anti-diabetic. The ongoing research projects are aimed to promote mushrooms as new generation ‘‘biotherapeutics". The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the cold-water extracts of Pleurotus eryngii var. eryngii can affect Hsp90, 70, 60 and 27 levels in an in vitro model of colon cancer (C26 cells). Cell viability was evaluated using MTT assay after treating the cells with different concentrations of extracts (0-1.9 μg/μl) in the culture medium for 24 and 48 hours. Hsp90, 70, 60 and 27 levels were measured using western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. Moreover, we evaluated the anticancer effect of the P. eryngii var. eryngii extract in an animal model of ectopically-implanted C26 colon carcinoma, widely used as an experimental model of cancer cachexia. We prepared a mixture of lyophilized P. eryngii var. eryngii with the mice standard diet and the animals were daily fed with ~4g of the mix until they died to draw a survival curve. Our results showed that the extract significantly decreased cells viability at 0.48 μg/μl after both 24 and 48 hours of treatments. Western blotting analysis and immunofluorescence showed that Hsp60 protein levels were down-regulate at 24h of treatment but increased after 48h. On the contrary, Hsp90, 70 and 27 protein levels did not changed. In the in vivo model, P. eryngii var. eryngii in the diet significantly extended the median survival compared to untreated mice. These preliminary results are promising for further studies to better understand the potential anticancer effect of P. eryngii var. eryngii.

Antibiotic resistance of common pathogenic microorganisms is a topic of great concern that has finally received media attention and entered into the political agenda of world leaders. Drug-resistant bacteria are cause of thousands of deaths worldwide, then there is an urgent need for new antimicrobials, otherwise we risk losing the ability to control effectively the infectious diseases. Such emergence can be faced looking also at not usual source of antimicrobial agents, for example medicinal mushrooms. With the objective to tackle Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, we focused on two edible desert truffles mushrooms Tirmania pinoyi and Terfezia boudieri as origin of new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), active not only against free-living microorganisms (planktonic), but also against complex communities of pathogens (biofilms) that are intrinsically resistant to conventional antibiotics. In particular, in vitro antibacterial activity of acid-soluble protein extracts (aqueous extracts) of the two above-mentioned species were investigated against two important human pathogenic reference strains Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442. The acid-soluble protein extracts peptide fractions (

Medicinal mushrooms are very interesting for their pharmacological effects as well as for their nutritional value, antitumor, antiviral, antibacterial activities. Antitumor activities of mushrooms have been extensively investigated due to recent chemotherapeutic application of some drugs derived from natural sources.The aim of this study was the morphological and molecular characterization of nine species of fungi with potential medicinal interest. In particular, we focused our attention on: Bjerkandera adusta (Willd) P. Karst., Ganoderma resinaceum Boud.,Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers., Pleurotus eryngii var elaeoselini Venturella, Zervakis and La Rocca, P. eryngii var. eryngii (DC.) Quél., P. eryng i var. ferulae (Lanzi) Sacc., P. nebrodensis (Inzenga) Quél., P. opuntiae (Durieu & Lév.) Sacc., P. ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. The basidiomata were collected in Sicily and subsequently were dried and they were stored in the Herbarium SAF of the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (University of Palermo, Italy). The identification was performed by examining the whole basidiomata (cap, gills, stipe, etc.). The microscopic features were observed in water using a Leica microscope DMLB. Basidiospores measurements were based on 50 observations. Nomenclature is referred to Index Fungorum (http://www.indexfungorum.org/ Names/Names.asp). Subsequently to confirm the identification molecular analysis were carried out. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region is the primary choice for molecular identification of fungi and the preferred DNA barcoding marker. Total DNA was extracted from dry tissue using the CTAB- based protocol [4]. PCR amplification was carried out with ITS1F/ ITS4 primer pairs targeting the ITS. PCR conditions, were performed as described by Oliveri et al. Obtained PCR products were sequenced in both directions using an ABI PRISM DNA 377 sequencer (Perkin-Elmer, Boston, MA, USA). Nucleotide sequences were compared with sequences of respective reference species retrieved from GenBank. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred by the Minimum Evolution method with 1,000 bootstrap replicates, using the algorithm Kimura-2-parameter. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all species examined clustered with reference species with an identity > 99%. A particular case is represented by some species of the genus Ganoderma.In fact, this genus includes many species that are diffic lt to characterize both macroscopically and microscopically, with classical examples being G. resinaceum and G. lucidum which may seem identical but which differ for a few imperceptible characters. Therefore, in order to have a clear characterization, it is useful to use molecular analysis and then of Bar-Coding technology, which can be a very useful tool for the characterization of new fungal species. For this purpose, it would be useful, especially for the characterization of fungal species of difficult morphological identification, to analyze, in addition to the ITS1 region, at least one other coding gene sequence, preferably located in genome portion away from the ITS 1. The molecular analysis technology, with particular reference to the conserved genome regions that can be used as a reference for Bar-Coding, is particularly useful, but not alone, in order to classify fungus with very similar morphological characteristics.

Thirty-six lignicolous fungal species (4 Ascomycota and 32 Basidiomycota), included in 16 families and 28 genera have been recorded in different natural and reforested areas of Sicily. Amylostereum laevigatum, Ceriporia excelsa, Phlebia lilascens, and Stereum insignitum represent new records for Sicily. Notes on some rare species are also here reported.

The distribution and ecology of 39 hypogeous and semi-hypogeous fungi is reported. Ten taxa, including the rare Fischerula macrospora, are new records for Sicily, while the presence of some species, previously reported by Oreste Mattirolo, is confirmed.

The Pleurotus eryngii species-complex comprises choice edible mushrooms growing on roots and lower stem residues of Apiaceae (umbellifers) plants. Material deriving from extensive sampling was studied by mating compatibility, morphological and ecological criteria, and through analysis of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and IGS1 rRNA sequences. Results revealed that P. eryngii sensu stricto forms a diverse and widely distributed aggregate composed of varieties elaeoselini, eryngii, ferulae, thapsiae, and tingitanus. Pleurotuseryngii subsp. tuoliensis comb. nov. is a phylogenetically sister group to the former growing only on various Ferula species in Asia. The existence of Pleurotusnebrodensis outside of Sicily (i.e., in Greece) is reported for the first time on the basis of molecular data, while P. nebrodensis subsp. fossulatus comb. nov. is a related Asiatic taxon associated with the same plant (Prangos ferulacea). Last, Pleurotusferulaginis sp. nov. grows on Ferulago campestris in northeast Italy, Slovenia and Hungary; it occupies a distinct phylogenetic position accompanied with significant differences in spore size and mating incompatibility versus other Pleurotus populations. Coevolution with umbellifers and host/substrate specificity seem to play key roles in speciation processes within this fungal group. An identification key to the nine Pleurotus taxa growing in association with Apiaceae plants is provided. © 2014 The British Mycological Society.