Hongmin Zhou

Trechispora abieticola sp. nov. found in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, is described here as a new species based on morphology and phylogeny. Trechispora abieticola has white basidiomata, a yellowish and grandinioid hymenophore, and a monomitic hyphal system with thin-walled hyphae, and subglobose, hyaline, thick-walled and verrucose basidiospores, with a single guttule, measuring 2.1–2.9 × 2.0–2.6 µm. Phylogenetic analyses of the new species were conducted using the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The phylogenetic analyses indicated that the new species belongs to the genus Trechispora, and forms a monophyletic lineage. A full description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses results of the new species are provided.

Crustodontia is characterized by resupinate, ceraceous, smooth, grandinioid to odontioid or tuberculate basidiomata, exhibiting a yellowish, brownish, or black hymenial surface that turns reddish or purplish upon application of KOH. A novel leather-like fungus, Crustodontia electrina, was discovered in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, and is described and illustrated here based on both morphological and molecular evidence. This species is distinguished by resupinate basidiomata, a smooth and light curry-yellow hymenial surface when fresh, a monomitic hyphal system with clamp connections on generative hyphae, subclavate cystidia, clavate to subuniform basidia, and thin-walled, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 3.4–4.7 × 2.9–3.9 µm. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the new species forms a distinct lineage within the Crustodontia clade, based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. A comprehensive description, illustrations, and results of the phylogenetic analysis of the new species are presented.

Pseudohydnum (Auriculariales) is characterized by gelatinous, hydnoid basidiomata and longitudinally septate basidia. Currently, 26 species and one subspecies are accepted worldwide with molecular evidence, including two new species described here. In this study, specimens from Guangxi, Xizang, and Jilin provinces, China, were examined using morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on ITS1–5.8S–ITS2–nLSU sequences. The phylogeny resolves the genus as a well-supported monophyletic group. Pseudohydnum umbrosum is newly recorded from China. Two new species are described and illustrated as P. fusiformis from Xizang, characterized by olivaceous buff to clay-pink basidiomata, association with Abies at high elevations (above 3200 m), and the presence of fusiform cystidia—a feature previously known only from P. cystidiatum within the genus; and P. rhododendri from Guangxi, characterized by shell-shaped basidiomata with a pale mouse-gray pileal surface, the presence of cystidioles, and growing on living Rhododendron . The discovery of these new taxa and the new record further highlight China as a significant diversity center for Pseudohydnum .

Fungi represent a kingdom of life with vast, undiscovered diversity. In the unique man-made ecosystem of the Kunming World Horticultural Expo Garden, a site with remarkable plant diversity, four fungal strains were isolated from diseased branches of two widely cultivated plants, Olea europaea (olive) and Nandina domestica. Through a comprehensive analysis integrating morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic data (including LSU, SSU, ITS, rpb2 , tef1-α , and tub2 sequences), we identified two new species: Oedohysterium oleae and Melomastia kunmingensis , both of which are phylogenetically and morphologically distinct from known species. Furthermore, we report M. kevinhydei as a new host record on O. europaea , suggesting a broader host range for this species, and, for the first time, document the sexual morph of the type species Parapyrenochaeta protearum , providing crucial morphological insights for this genus, previously known only in its asexual state. These findings underscore the immense value of unique horticultural environments as reservoirs of fungal diversity.

One new wood-inhabiting fungus, Lopharia guangdongensis, found in Guangdong Province, Southern China, is described here based on its morphology and phylogeny. Lopharia guangdongensis is characterized by its coriaceous basidiomata, smooth hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with simple-septa generative hyphae, and oblong ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 8.8–11 × 5–6.5 µm. Phylogenetic analyses of the new species are carried out based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the nuclear large subunit (nLSU) of ribosomal DNA. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the studied materials represent a distinct lineage, closely related to L. ayresii within the genus Lopharia, based on ITS+nLSU sequences. A full description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses results of the new species are provided.

Polyporales is a diverse group of Agaricomycetes that has received extensive attention and study. Species in Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae (Polyporales) are important wood-decaying fungi that cause white rot on both angiosperm and gymnosperm wood. Recently, many studies have focused on the classification of Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae , but the familial placements of some taxa remain unresolved. In the present study, phylogenies of species in the two families were reconstructed using multilocus DNA sequence data, including ITS, nLSU, mtSSU, tef 1-α, and rpb 2, as well as two combined datasets: ITS+nLSU+mtSSU+ rpb 2+ tef 1-α for Steccherinaceae and ITS+nLSU for Efibula and related species. Three new species of Efibula , one new species of Phanericium within the family Irpicaceae , and one new genus, Odentinium , including two new species, O. aurantium and O. cremeum , within the family Steccherinaceae , are described and illustrated. The genus Odentinium is characterized by resupinate basidiomata with an odontioid hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, cylindrical cystidia that are strongly encrusted, and ellipsoid, smooth basidiospores. Furthermore, the evolutionary times of Polyporales , including Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae , were inferred based on conserved regions of DNA sequences (ITS+nLSU+mtSSU+ rpb 2+ tef 1-α). Bayesian evolutionary analysis indicated that the ancestors of Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae are estimated to have emerged with mean crown ages of 199.17 Mya and 142.95 Mya, respectively, followed by the genus Odentinium , with a mean crown age of 120.8 Mya.

The wood-inhabiting fungi play an important role in forest ecosystem processes and functions. Hymenochaetales is one of the fungal orders mainly composed of wood-inhabiting macrofungi within the class Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota. A new wood-inhabiting fungus, Lyomyces ruiliensis, found in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China, is proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Lyomyces ruiliensis is characterized by its coriaceous and slightly cracked basidiomata, a monomitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, and ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 4.5–5 × 3–3.5 µm. Phylogenetic analyses of the new species are carried out based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the nuclear large subunit (nLSU) of ribosomal DNA. Based on the ITS+nLSU sequences, the phylogenetic trees indicate that the new species belongs to the genus Lyomyces, and is retrieved as a sister to L. juniperi. A description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results for the new species are provided. The present study contributes to understanding the species diversity, taxonomy, and phylogeny of Lyomyces in southwestern China.

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.

Wood-inhabiting fungi play a crucial role in forest ecosystems as an important group of decomposers, found in living trees, dead standing trees, decorticated trunks, fallen branches, and manufactured wood. A new wood-inhabiting fungus Phanerochaete flavissima, belonging to the family Phanerochaetaceae, is described and illustrated based on the morphological characteristics and molecular data. Phanerochaete flavissima is characterized by annual, resupinate basidiomata with pale yellow to yellow hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system having the simple-septate generative hyphae, and ellipsoid, colorless, thin-walled basidiospores measuring 4.5–5.5 × 2.0–3.0 µm. The phylogenetic analyses based on ITS+nLSU rDNA sequences confirmed that the new species belongs to the genus Phanerochaete, and revealed that the new taxon is closely related to P. carnosa. A full description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results of the new species are provided.

The corticioid fungi, distinguished by their longitudinally septate basidia, represent a unique group within the Auriculares taxa. A new corticioid fungus, Protomerulius wumengshanensis was discovered in Yunnan Province, southwest China, and is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular evidence. It is characterized by producing white and smooth basidiomata, a monomitic system with clamp connections, hyphoid cystidia, longitudinally septate basidia, and thin-walled and oblong-ellipsoid, ellipsoid to ovoid, basidiospores measuring 4.3–5.9 × 3.0–4.0 µm. The new species resembles Protomerulius dubius macroscopically, but the latter differs in having larger basidiospores (5.2–8.0 × 3.7–4.7 μm vs. 4.3–5.9 × 3.0–4.0 μm). In nuclear large subunit rDNA (nLSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) based phylogenies, the new species formed a distinct lineage in the Protomerulius clade. A full description, illustrations and phylogeny analysis results of the new species are provided.