Vladimír Antonín

The agaric genus Pluteus Fr. is mainly characterized by basidiomata with free lamellae, a pinkish spore print, smooth basidiospores and an inverse hymenophoral trama. In most species the basidiospo...

Although Armillaria solidipes was described in 1900, confusion has surrounded the appropriate use of this taxonomic epithet, largely because DNA sequence-based characterization and an associated culture were unavailable for the original holotype. An epitype for A. solidipes (previously known as North American Biological Species I) is established herein, along with morphological descriptions and genetic characterization that clearly distinguish A. solidipes, which is found in North America, from A. ostoyae (previously known as European Biological Species C), which is found in Eurasia. Of the five loci examined, translation elongation factor 1-alpha was the most useful for distinguishing A. solidipes from other Armillaria spp. including A. ostoyae. Further, the whole genome phylogeny of A. solidipes and A. ostoyae showed substantial differences that further demonstrate their separation. The specimen from Colorado, USA, which was collected in the locality where the original type specimen was collected, is designated as the epitype.

Gymnopus pseudoandrosaceus sp. nov. is described from Southwest China. It is characterized by a brown marasmioid pileus, a shining black stipe, and abundant rhizomorphs, a pileipellis in the form of a cutis with encrusted pigments and without broom cells, and cheilocystidia with apical projections. The phylogenetic analysis placed the new species within the Gymnopus sect. Androsacei clade with well-supported lineages across Impudicae, Levipedes, Gymnopus, Androsacei, and Paragymnopus. Strong bootstrap values affirm these relationships, with notable diversity in Gymnopus indicating potential adaptive radiation. The pileipellis lacking broom cells is a rather unique feature in this section. Detailed morphological descriptions, basidiomata photographs, microscopic structure images, and phylogenetic analysis results are provided.

Collections of Rhodocollybia from the Republic of Korea have been studied. Four species are recognized in the area. Three new species, Rhodocollybia butyraceoides, R. hongneungensis and R. variabilicolor, are described based on their macro- and micromorphological and phylogenetic characteristics. A detailed macro- and micromorphological description of R. maculata based on the Korean collection is also given. Taxonomic and phylogenetic positions of all taxa have been inferred and confirmed by analyses of ITS and LSU sequence data. A key to the Korean taxa is provided.

We studied the taxonomy of Pluteus podospileus and similar species using morphological and molecular (nrITS, TEF1-α) data, including a detailed study of the type collections of P. inflatus var. alneus, Pluteus minutissimus f. major, and P. granulatus var. tenellus. Within the P. podospileus complex, we phylogenetically confirmed six species in Europe, five in Asia, and eight in North America. Based on our results, we recognize P. seticeps as a separate species occurring in North America, while P. podospileus is limited to Eurasia. We describe six new species and a new variety: P. absconditus, P. fuscodiscus, P. gausapatus, P. inexpectatus, P. millsii, and P. notabilis and its variety, P. notabilis var. insignis. We elevate Pluteus seticeps var. cystidiosus to species rank as Pluteus cystidiosus. Based on the holotype of P. inflatus var. alneus, collections of P. inflatus identified by Velenovský, and several modern collections, we resurrect the name P. inflatus. Based on molecular analyses of syntypes of Pluteus minutissimus f. major and a holotype of Pluteus granulatus var. tenellus, we synonymize them under P. inflatus. We also increase our knowledge about the morphology and distribution of P. cutefractus.

Melanoleuca is one of the taxonomically most complicated genera of Agaricomycetes. The aim of this study is taxonomic revision of European specimens confused with M. angelesiana A.H. Sm. and delimitation of four species, M. brachyspora Harmaja, M. graminicola (Velen.) Kühner & Maire, M. rufipes Bon and M. stridula (Fr.) Singer. The research is based on macro- and micromorphological characters and the multigene phylogenetic analyses of a combined (ITS, rpb2, and tef1) dataset. According to the result, the two new species are proposed – M. monticola sp. nov. which accomodates European specimens previously confused with American species M. angelesiana and M. romanensis sp. nov. from Italy. Moreover, American specimens identified as M. angelesiana belongs to three different phylogenetic species (M. angelesiana sensu typi, M. acystidiata aff. and one more separate lineage). M. graminicola is emended and the respective epitype designated. An identification key of the European species of subg. Urticocystis is provided.

We studied the taxonomy of Pluteus romellii, and morphologically similar Holarctic species in the/romellii clade of section Celluloderma, using morphological and molecular data (nrITS, TEF1-α). Pluteus romellii is lectotypified and epitypified and accepted as an exclusively Eurasian species. Pluteus lutescens and P. pallescens are considered synonyms of P. romellii. Pluteus fulvibadius is accepted as a related, but separate, North American species. Five species in the/romellii clade are described as new to science: two from North America (P. austrofulvus and P. parvisporus), one from Asia (P. parvicarpus), one from Europe (P. siccus), and one widely distributed across the Holarctic region (P. vellingae). Basidioma size, pileus color, lamellae color, basidiospore size, hymenial cystidia shape and size, habitat and geographical distribution help separate the species described here, but in some instances only molecular data allows for confident identification. The current status of P. californicus, P. melleipes, P. romellii var. luteoalbus, P. splendidus, P. sternbergii and P. sulphureus is discussed.

Specimens of Marasmiellus mesosporus from various parts of the world were morphologically and phylogenetically studied. The results confirmed its identity with M. dunensis, described from southern Europe, and M. arenaceus, described from Japan. Marasmiellus mesosporus is a fungus connected with coastal sandy dunes having a wide distribution being collected in southeastern North America, Lesser and Greater Antilles, Pacific Islands, southern Europe and South and East Asia. Its comparison with phylogenetically and morphologically related species is provided. A new genus Paramarasmius containing P. palmivorus, as the type species, and P. mesosporus is described on the base of phylogenetic analyses of ITS and LSU rDNA sequences. A new combination Collybiopsis carneopallida is also proposed.