Morphological and molecular analyses reveal two new species of Termitomyces (Agaricales, Lyophyllaceae) and morphological variability of T. intermedius

Abstract

Two new species, Termitomyces tigrinus and T. yunnanensis are described based on specimens collected from southwestern China. Termitomyces yunnanensis is morphologically characterized by a conspicuously venose pileus surface that is grey, olive grey, light grey to greenish grey at center, light grey towards margin, and a cylindrical white stipe. Termitomyces tigrinus is morphologically characterized by a densely tomentose to tomentose-squamulose pileus showing alternating greyish white and dark grey zones, and a stipe that is bulbous at the base. The two new species are supported by phylogenetic analyses of combined nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA (ITS), the mitochondrial rDNA small subunit (mrSSU) and the nuclear rDNA large subunit (nrLSU). The morphological variability of T. intermedius, including five specimens newly collected from Yunnan Province, China, is also discussed. The collections showed variability in colour of the stipe surface and in the shape of cheilocystidia when compared to the original description. Full descriptions of the two new species and of T. intermedius, as well as a taxonomic key to the 14 Termitomyces species reported from China are provided.