Kai-Yue Luo

Three new wood-inhabiting fungi species, found on Pinus massoniana , are proposed, based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Botryobasidium massonianae , belonging to Cantharellales , is characterised by fluffy, pellicular basidiomata, hypochnoid hymenophoral surface, generative hyphae simple septate, basidia with four to six sterigmata and basidiospores measuring 6.3–9.2 × 2.8–3.9 µm. Peniophorella crassibasidiata , belonging to Hymenochaetales , is characterised by soft coriaceous basidiomata, thick-walled generative hyphae, the presence of three types of cystidia, cylindrical basidiospores measuring 8.4–12.4 × 3.1–4.2 µm. Peniophorella variegata , belonging to Hymenochaetales , is characterised by farinaceous basidiomata, smooth hymenophoral surface, three types of cystidia, the presence of hyphidia and basidiospores measuring 7.9–10.8 × 3.9–5.1 µm. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined ITS+nLSU dataset using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference confirmed that one new species belongs to the genus Botryobasidium (Cantharellales) , the other two new species belong to the genus Peniophorella (Hymenochaetales) , respectively. Phylogenetically related and morphologically similar species to these three new species are discussed.

Asterostroma arundinicola sp. nov., found on Arundo donax in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China, is described based on morphology and phylogeny inferred from combined ITS and nLSU sequence data. The new species is characterized by resupinate, membranaceous basidiomata with cottony to hypochnoid, flesh-pink hymenophore, distinct hyphal strands, a monomitic hyphal system with simple-septate generative hyphae, abundant asterosetae and asterohyphidia which are weakly dextrinoid, echinulate, subglobose to globose basidiospores measuring 4.5–7 × 4.2–6.5 µm, and growing on a monocotyledon (Arundo donax). Phylogenetically, the new species is closely related to Asterostroma fimbriatum and A. medium, but A. fimbriatum is differentiated from A. arundinicola by its thin-walled basidiospores; A. medium differs from A. arundinicola by having a cream to light ochraceous hymenial surface and thin-walled basidiospores. A description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results of the new species are provided along with comparisons with closely related taxa.

Niutoushan National Forest Park, situated in Zhejiang Province, China, is recognized as one of the province's most significant forest parks due to its rich woody vegetation. Despite this, the diversity of macrofungi in the area has not been thoroughly documented. Between 2023 and 2025, a systematic survey of macrofungi was conducted within the park, resulting in the identification of 121 species, including four ascomycetes and 117 basidiomycetes. Notably, a new species, Skeletocutis sinuosa, is described here, accompanied by detailed morphological illustrations and phylogenetic analysis. The macrofungal assemblage recorded in Niutoushan National Forest Park comprises temperate, warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical elements.

A new species and a new record of Fuscoporia species were discovered in the Xizang Autonomous Region, China, through integrated morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The new species, described as Fuscoporia medogensis, was characterized by annual, resupinate basidiomata, sinuous pores (7–9 per mm), and cylindrical basidiospores measuring 4.5–5.5 × 1.5–2.0 μm. The new record, identified as Fuscoporia viticola, was determined based on five specimens collected on Pinus yunnanensis. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS and nLSU rDNA sequences strongly support the distinct status of these taxa within the genus Fuscoporia. Our study contributes to the taxonomy of Fuscoporia by raising the number of known Chinese species to 29 and providing a diagnostic key, thereby enhancing knowledge of fungal diversity in high-altitude ecosystems.

Three new wood-inhabiting fungi viz. Picipes abieticola , P. brevisporus and P. sinodictyopus spp. nov . are proposed, based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Picipes abieticola is characterised by eccentrically stipitate basidiomata with fan-shaped pilei, shining pore surface, pores 5–7 per mm and the presence of irregular crystals amongst hyphae, basidiospores measuring 7.5–9.3 × 2.8–3.5 µm and growth on Abies fabri . The species Picipes brevisporus is characterised by small basidiomata having smaller pores (7–9 per mm), the presence of subulate cystidioles, short oblong ellipsoid basidiospores (3.8–5.7 × 2.3–3.1 µm) and growth on Miscanthus . The taxa Picipes sinodictyopus are characterised by laterally stipitate basidiomata having auricular to fan-shaped pilei with olivaceous buff pore surface, angular pores and cylindrical basidiospores measuring 5.8–7.3 × 2.3–2.8 µm. The phylogenetic tree inferred from the ITS + nLSU dataset highlighted the placement of the three new species in the genus Picipes (Polyporaceae, Polyporales) using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods. Phylogenetically related and morphologically similar species to these three new species are discussed.

Wood-inhabiting fungi play a key role in ecosystem processes, especially in wood decomposition and the recycling of organic matter. A new wood-inhabiting fungus, Epithele odontioidea, collected from Eastern China, is illustrated and described based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. The new species is characterized by resupinate, farinaceous basidiomata, white to grayish, odontioid hymenial surface due to hyphal pegs, monomitic hyphal system, generative hyphae with clamp connections, and ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 13.2–18.2 × 6.8–8.7 µm. Phylogenetic analyses of the new species were conducted using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nLSU) sequences. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the new species belongs to the genus Epithele and is grouped with the species E. efibulata. A description, illustrations, phylogenetic analysis results, and a comparison with the closely related species of the new species are provided.

A new species, Albatrellus shouxiangu, is described from eastern China based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis using a combined dataset of ITS + nLSU + tef1-α + rpb1 sequences. Albatrellus shouxiangu is characterized by annual, terrestrial, laterally stipitate basidiomata with saffron pileal surface when juvenile, sulphur-yellow to buff when mature, and white pores when fresh, generative hyphae with simple septa, subglobose, weakly amyloid basidiospores measuring 4.4–5.5 × 3.9–4.8 μm, and growing on ground in Vaccinium forests. Phylogenetic analyses confirm its placement within the genus Albatrellus, forming a distinct lineage closely related to A. cantharellus. The present study enhances the understanding of the diversity of Albatrellus in China.

Two new species of Fulvifomes are described from specimens collected in South America (Ecuador and Bolivia) based on morphological and molecular evidence. The species Fulvifomes bolivianus is characterized by perennial, pileate, solitary basidiocarp; ungulate pilei; olivaceous, encrusted, rough, concentrically sulcate, irregularly cracked pileal surface; umber and glossy pore surface; circular pores measuring 7–8 per mm; thick and entire dissepiments; a dimitic hyphal system; and subglobose basidiospores measuring 4.7–5.4 × 4–4.5 µm. Fulvifomes fragilis is characterized by annual, pileate, imbricate basidiocarps; curry yellow to yellowish brown pileal surface; yellowish brown and narrow pileal margin; yellow and rugged pore surface; circular to elliptical pores measuring 5–6 per mm; thick and entire dissepiments; a dimitic hyphal system; and broadly ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 3.9–5.1 × 3–3.7 µm. Phylogenetically, the two new species formed two distinct lineages in the Fulvifomes clade based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nuclear-encoded large subunit rRNA gene (nLSU) sequences. The differences between the new species and morphologically similar and phylogenetically related species are also discussed.

Three new species in Hymenochaetaceae are illustrated and described from tropical Ecuador and Peru based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses. The species Fomitiporia robustiformis is characterized by perennial, pileate basidiocarps; ungulate pilei; brown and glabrous pileal surface; broad and rounded margin; yellowish-brown pore surface; circular to angular pores measuring 6–7 per mm; thick and entire dissepiments; a dimitic hyphal system; the presence of fusoid cystidioles; the presence of hymenial setae; and globose basidiospores measuring 5–6.4 × 4.7–6.1 µm. Fomitiporia roseo-bubalina is characterized by annual to perennial, resupinate to pileate basidiocarps; ungulate to triquetrous pilei; grayish and glabrous pileal surface; blunt margin; pale gray and glossy pore surface; circular to angular pores measuring 4–5 per mm; thick and entire dissepiments; a dimitic hyphal system; the presence of hymenial setae and cystidioles; and globose basidiospores measuring 5.3–6.7 × 5–6.2 µm. Fomitiporia triqueter is characterized by perennial, pileate, sessile basidiocarps; triquetrous pilei with sharp margins; grayish dark and cracked pileal surfaces with concentrically sulcate, pale yellowish brown pore surfaces; circular pores measuring 9–10 per mm; the absence of hymenial setae and cystidioles; the presence of large rhomboid crystals in the hymenium; and globose basidiospores measuring 3.4–5.5 × 3.2–5.4 µm. The differences between the new species and morphologically similar and phylogenetically related species are also discussed.

A new poroid wood-inhabiting fungus in the order Polyporales, Polyporus sinosquamosus, is described from northeastern China based on morphology and molecular evidence. The species, P. sinosquamosus is characterized by annual, eccentrically stipitate basidiomata, squamosus pileal surface, cream, honey-yellow to grayish brown pore surface, angular to radially elongated or irregular pores, a dimitic hyphal system, and ellipsoid, smooth, neither amyloid nor dextrinoid, acyanophilous basidiospores measuring 10.6–14.1 × 4.9–6.9 µm. The phylogenetic analysis based on ITS + nLSU rDNA sequences shows that the new species belongs to the genus Polyporus and is closely related to P. squamosus. Both morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny confirm the placement of the new species within Polyporus. A full description, photo plate of macro- and micro-morphology, and phylogenetic results of the new species are provided.