De-Qun Zhou

In conducting a survey on the diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi across a north-south latitudinal gradient in the Asian region, two strains were collected from freshwater habitats. This species is characterized by forming pinkish sporulating colonies both on wood and in culture, presenting macronematous conidiophores that swollen at the apex, producing cylindrical, pink in mass, 1-septate conidia, each with two flexuous, filamentous appendages arising from the middle of the cells. These characteristics closely match the definition of Hyphodiscosia. Through multigene phylogenetic analysis, this study for the first time determines the phylogenetic position of Hyphodiscosia within Muyocopronaceae (Muyocopronales). This study provides detailed illustrations, updates on molecular data, and a morphological comparison with related genera within Muyocopronaceae, as well as discusses the validity of the currently accepted four species within Hyphodiscosia.

Two novel species of Lyophyllum are proposed based on morphological and phylogenetic investigations. Lyophyllum bulborhizum sp. nov. has abundant black scales on the surface, is a dry, dark grey at the center, grey at the margin, has a clear bulbous stipe base, and has a narrowly cylindrical or narrowly clavate pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia. Lyophyllum nigrum sp. nov. is tufted and has a dark grey pileus and subclavate, a greyish green-to-olive stipe, and a narrowly cylindrical or narrowly clavate pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia. In addition, L. rhombisporum is described with morphology and phylogeny and compared with the type species. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences strongly support the two new species to be unique in the genus Lyophyllum. Full descriptions, colour photos, illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses results of the two new taxa and the known taxon are presented in this study.

During an investigation of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Tibetan Plateau, three Aquapteridospora taxa were collected from freshwater habitats in Xizang, China. The new species possess polyblastic, sympodial, denticles conidiogenous cells and fusiform, septate, with or without sheath conidial, that fit within the generic concept of Aquapteridospora, and multi-gene phylogeny placed these species within Aquapteridospora. Detailed morphological observations clearly demarcate three of these from extant species and are hence described as new taxa. The multi-gene phylogeny of the combined LSU, TEF1-α, and ITS sequence data to infer phylogenetic relationships and discuss phylogenetic affinities with morphologically similar species. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses, three new species viz. A. linzhiensis, A. yadongensis, and A. submersa are introduced. Details of asexual morphs are described, and justifications for establishing these new species are also provided in this study.

During the investigations of discomycetes in Yunnan, China, five species of Tatraea were discovered on decayed, decorticated oak trees or unidentified wood. All species have typical disc-like, large fruiting bodies with grey, brown or greyish-green colors. The ITS sequence analysis showed that they belong to Tatraea (Helotiaceae, Helotiales) and the LSU and ITS combination revealed a different topology within the genus. Four species, T. clepsydriformis, T. griseoturcoisina, T. yunnanensis and T. yuxiensis were established as new species, and T. aseptata was collected and described on oak woods. The pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test results indicated that there is no significant genetic recombination (Φw = 1.0) between all related species pairs. All the species described here are supported by descriptions, illustrations and multi-gene analyses.

During the investigation of Helvella in Yunnan, China, four saddle-like specimens were collected and studied. Through a comprehensive analysis of both morphological traits and phylogenetic data from LSU and hsp90 sequences, the four collections were identified and are described as two new species, i.e., Helvella liquii and H. pseudoatra. Helvella liquii stands out with its distinctive features, including the fusion of the pileus margin with the stipe, a slightly rugose coffee blackish surface on the receptacle, and relatively broad apex of the paraphyses. Helvella pseudoatra is characterized by a pubescent receptacle surface that exhibits shaded or dark grey to greyish brown. Additionally, the upwardly white to brown stipe with a basally white to greyish color further distinguishes this species. To provide a comprehensive understanding of these newly discovered taxa, detailed descriptions and illustrations of both Helvella liquii and H. pseudoatra species are accurately documented.

Urnula is a prominent and older genus within the family Sarcosomataceae. Its members are widely distributed and have very similar features in the field. This study proposes two novel Urnula species collected from Yunnan Province, China. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses are provided. Urnula ailaoshanensis grows on rotten wood surrounded by moss and is characterized by its brighter hymenial surface, wider asci, and longer ascospores. Urnula subcrateria was collected on the soil humus layer of a subtropical forest with many fallen leaves, mosses, and lichens. It is morphologically and molecularly related to Urnula craterium (Schwein.) Fr., but can easily be distinguished by its shorter stipe and smaller asci and ascospores.

Two new species, Lyophyllum yiqunyang and L. heimogu, that belong to the section Difformia of the genus Lyophyllum, are described based on collections from Tibetan areas, China. The two species are delicious edible low-temperature mushrooms and are widely collected and eaten by local people. Lyophyllum yiqunyang sp. nov. is saprotrophic and has medium-sized basidiomata, olive-grey pileus, cheilocystidia, absent pleurocystidia, globose to subglobose basidiospores (6.12–6.31 × 6.02–6.23 μm) and clamp connections at the pileus context, hymenophoral trama and stipe. Lyophyllum heimogu sp. nov. is saprotrophic and has a dark grey to olive pileus, medium-sized basidiomata and globose to subglobose basidiospores (5.31–5.63 × 5.22–5.41 μm). In the phylogenetic analyses, our two new species formed distinct clades that are well supported by posterior probabilities and bootstrap proportions. Detailed descriptions, colour photos, illustrations and a phylogenetic tree to show the positions of the two new species are presented.

Lentithecium cangshanense sp. nov. (Lentitheciaceae, Dothideomycetes), was found on submerged decaying wood in a freshwater stream in Yunnan Province, China. The species is characterized by its black, semi-immersed to superficial, globose ascomata, cylindrical or obclavate, short pedicellate, bitunicate asci and bi-seriate, fusiform, 1-septate, yellowish to brown ascospores. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, SSU and RPB2 sequence data show that L. cangshanense belongs in the family Lentitheciaceae, order Pleosporales and is a distinct species in the genus. The new species is introduced with an illustrated account and compared with morphologically and phylogenetically similar species.