Three new Melanoleuca species (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) from north-eastern China, supported by morphological and molecular data

Three new Melanoleuca species, M. chifengense, M. griseoflava and M. pallidorosea, were discovered in the northeast of China. Melanoleuca chifengense is morphologically characterised by its grey to yellowish-grey pileus, decurrent lamellae, grey to yellowish-brown stipe, yellowish-grey context, ellipsoid basidiospores with irregular warts and lack of hymenial cystidia. Melanoleuca griseoflava is mainly characterised by its greyish-brown pileus, adnexed to adnate lamellae, greyish-yellow context, fusiform cystidia and almost reticulate basidiospores. Melanoleuca pallidorosea is characterised by its pinkish-white pileus, white and decurrent lamellae, ellipsoid basidiospores with round and scattered warts and lack of hymenial cystidia. The phylogenetic relationship of the three species was determined by the analyses of the ITS region and the combined data matrix (ITS-nrLSU-RPB2), respectively. The results showed that the three species formed three independent lineages. Based on the combination of both morphological and molecular data, M. chifengense, M. griseoflava and M. pallidorosea were confirmed to be new species. The morphological similarities of the three new species is also discussed.