Yan-Chun Li

Termitomyces is an economically and ecologically important genus mainly distributed in the southwestern and southern regions of China. We performed phylogenetic analyses of this genus using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the small subunit of mitochondrial DNA (mtSSU), and the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrLSU) in this study. Three new species, namely T. albus, T. apicoannulatus, and T. pseudointermedius, and one new record to China, T. pakistanensis, were described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular evidence. Detailed morphological descriptions, colour photographs, line drawings of microstructures, and comparisons with phylogenetically and morphologically related species are provided.

Four new species of the genus Phaeocollybia (Hymenogastraceae, Agaricales) from Yunnan Province, southwestern China, namely, P. ochrilata, P. conicogregaria, P. profundirhizoidea, and P. purpureorosea, are described and illustrated based on morphological data and multilocus phylogenetic analyses from DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2). Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that the four new species belong to P. subgen. Phaeocollybia. Color photos of fresh basidiomata, line drawings of microscopic features, and their comparisons with allied taxa are presented.

Boletellus is a morphologically distinctive genus within the family Boletaceae, characterized by basidiospores with longitudinally striate ornamentation. Although the species diversity of this genus in China has been well documented in recent years, several historically described species published by early Chinese mycologists have been largely overlooked. To clarify the taxonomic identities of these historic Boletellus species from China, this study applied a genome-skimming approach to perform next-generation sequencing (NGS) on the historical type specimens of B. serpentipileus and B. vulgaris. The integration of NGS data with Sanger sequencing and morphological re-examination enabled a comprehensive taxonomic reassessment, which revealed that B. serpentipileus and B. vulgaris are not members of Boletellus, but belong to Leccinum and Austroboletus, respectively. Accordingly, the new combination Leccinum serpentipileum is proposed, and B. vulgaris is further synonymized with A. fusisporus. These findings resolve long-standing taxonomic uncertainties and contribute to a more accurate understanding of bolete diversity in China.

Boletaceae, a family of profound ecological influence and economic value, has been the subject of prolific taxonomic research over the past decade, with new taxa continually being discovered. In this study, Similiboletinus tomentopileatus gen. et sp. nov., collected from a tropical region of China, is proposed based on integrative morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of a multigene dataset (LSU-rpb2-tef1-α-atp6) strongly support the position of Similiboletinus within the Suillelloideae. Morphologically, it is characterized by a tomentose and yellow–brown pileus, a subdecurrent hymenophore, unchanging context when injured, a boletoid hymenophoral trama, a cutis-type pileipellis, and broadly ellipsoid to ovoid basidiospores. The identification of Similiboletinus further underscores the striking and largely unexplored diversity of Boletaceae within tropical China.

Recognition of Tylopilus alboater once relied heavily on the morphological features of the basidiomata, which resulted in considerable confusion due to morphological stasis and plasticity. In this study, we examined specimens morphologically identified as T. alboater from Asia, North America, and Australia using phylogenomics and multi-locus sequence data. To clarify its phylogenetic placement within Boletaceae , we conducted a phylogenomic analysis based on 45 genomes (including three newly sequenced T. alboater genomes) comprising representatives from the eight subfamilies of Boletaceae . Additionally, we constructed a concatenated dataset (nrLSU + tef1-α + rpb1 + rpb2 ), incorporating representative species from all genera within the subfamily to which T. alboater belongs, to infer its phylogeny. Our phylogenomic analysis revealed that specimens morphologically identified as T. alboater exhibit polyphyly, clustering entirely within the subfamily Boletoideae . Our multi-locus phylogenetic analyses further indicated that these specimens represent eight distinct species distributed across five generic lineages within the subfamily Boletoideae , including one new genus, Neoporphyrellus , proposed in this study, as well as one new species, N. sinoalboater , and two new combinations, N. alboater and N. atronicotianus . The remaining five species are nested in four known genera, including two new species of Abtylopilus , Ab. indonesiensis and Ab. australiensis , and three known species belonging to Anthracoporus , Indoporus , and Tylopilus , respectively. These findings highlight the taxonomic complexity of the T. alboater complex and emphasize the importance of integrating phylogenomic and multi-locus approaches for accurate fungal systematics. Color photos of fresh basidiomata, line drawings of microscopic features, and detailed descriptions of the new taxa are presented.

A new saprophytic species from southwestern China, namely Clitolyophyllum paraumbilicatum, is described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses from the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (nrLSU), the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-a). The new species is characterized by its omphalinoid basidiomata with relatively small beige-brown to dark brown and hygrophanous pileus, central and slender stipes, decurrent lamellae, broadly ellipsoid to ovoid or pyriform basidiospores (6–10 × 3.5–5.5 μm), relatively narrow basidia, and flexuose to cylindrical or irregularly branched terminal cells in pileipellis and stipitipellis occasionally with several excrescences or weakly coralloid. Color photos of fresh basidiomata, line drawings of microscopic features and its comparison with allied taxa are presented.

Boletopsis is a genus of the family Bankeraceae with eight accepted species in the world. Species in the genus are ectomycorrhizal fungi and edible. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of this genus, based on ITS and nrLSU sequences, using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference, along with morphological observations in the field and under microscopies. Three species of Boletopsis from China were described and illustrated, including two known species, viz., B. macrocarpa and B. tibetana and one new species, namely B. longipes. A global key to the genus is also provided. The new species can be distinguished from other species of Boletopsis by its pastel brown pileus when mature, slender stipes measuring 5–13 × 2–3 cm, large basidia, measuring 15–36 × 7–15 μm, solitary or gregarious in mixed forests dominated by trees of the families Pinaceae and Fagaceae at a relatively low altitude about 1000–2600 m. Line drawings of microstructures, colour pictures of fresh basidiomata and detailed descriptions of the new and two known Boletopsis species from China are provided. In addition, a key to the accepted species of the genus worldwide is provided.

Species of the genus Thelephora (Thelephorales, Thelephoraceae) are ectomycorrhizal symbionts of coniferous and broad-leaved plants, and some of them are well-known edible mushrooms, making it an exceptionally important group ecologically and economically. However, the diversity of the species from China has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses, along with morphological observations of this genus. Four new species from China are proposed, viz., T. dactyliophora, T. lacunosa, T. petaloides, and T. pinnatifida. In addition, T. sikkimensis originally described from India is reported for the first time from China. Thelephora dactyliophora, T. pinnatifida, and T. sikkimensis are distributed in subtropical forests and mainly associated with plants of the families Fagaceae and Pinaceae. Thelephora lacunosa and T. petaloides are distributed in tropical to subtropical forests. Thelephora lacunosa is mainly associated with plants of the families Fagaceae and Pinaceae, while T. petaloides is mainly associated with plants of the family Fagaceae. Line drawings of microstructures, color pictures of fresh basidiomes, and detailed descriptions of these five species are provided.