Phylogeny of Pluteus section Celluloderma including eight new species from Brazil.

A general phylogeny of Pluteus section Celluloderma based on nuc rITS1-5.8-ITS2 (ITS) barcode sequences is presented with description of eight new species from Brazil supported by morphological and molecular data: P. brunneocrinitus, P. cebolinhae, P. crinitus, P. halonatus, P. hispidulopsis, P. karstedtiae, P. necopinatus and P. paucicystidiatus.

Neonothopanus gardneri: a new combination for a bioluminescent agaric from Brazil.

The bioluminescent agaric, Agaricus gardneri Berk., was rediscovered recently in central Brazil. The new combination, Neonothopanus gardneri, is proposed for this long-forgotten taxon supported by morphological and molecular data.

New species and new combinations of Calliderma (Entolomataceae, Agaricales).

Two new species of Calliderma, C. fibulatum and C. rimosum, collected in fragments of the Atlantic Rainforest, São Paulo, Brazil, are described and compared with similar taxa including Entoloma pruinatocutis, Inopilus entolomoides and E. tucuchense. After a morphological study of the existing holotypes two new combinations (viz. Calliderma pruinatocutis and C. tucuchense) are proposed. I. entolomoides is considered a synonym of C. pruinatocutis. The two new species are described, with illustrations and SEM photographs of basidiospores and pileipellis structure, including most of the holotypes examined. A key for the species of Calliderma occurring in Brazil is provided.

Notes on Pluteus (Pluteaceae, Agaricales) from Brazil including two new species and a new record.

Two new species of Pluteus, P. densifibrillosus and P. puttemansii, are described and illustrated from specimens collected in two remnants of the Atlantic forest in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Pluteus densifibrillosus is characterized by a densely fibrillose pileus with spinulose fibrils at the center and almost globose basidiospores. Pluteus puttemansii has a stipe with a grayish brown subbulbous-marginate base and a strigose basal mycelium. Pluteus densifibrillosus belongs to section Hispidoderma and P. puttemansii to section Pluteus. Pluteus longistriatus and P. umbrinoalbidus, which were collected in the same area, also are described and illustrated. Pluteus longistriatus represents a new record for Brazil.

Amanita viscidolutea, a new species from Brazil with a key to Central and South American species of Amanita section Amanita.

We described and illustrated Amanita viscidolutea sp. nov. from specimens collected in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil. The main characteristics of the new species are its yellow pileus with white margin, the viscidity of the pileal surface, an exannulate stipe and inamyloid basidiospores. We also present an artificial dichotomous key to Central and South American species of Amanita (subgenus Amanita) section Amanita.

Agaricales Fungi from atlantic rain forest fragments in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Two Atlantic Rain Forest fragments in Minas Gerais state were studied to access their Agaricales fungal richness. A total of 187 specimens were collected and 109 species, 39 genera, and eight families were identified. Thirty-three species were cited for the first time in Brazil.

Bioluminescent Mycena species from São Paulo, Brazil.

Six species of bioluminescent agarics are described and illustrated from a single site in primary Atlantic Forest habitat in the Parque Estadual Turistico do Alto Ribeira, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. These include two new taxa of Mycena, viz. M. asterina and M. lucentipes. Luminescence in Mycena fera, M. singeri and M. discobasis is reported for the first time. In addition an undeterminable luminescent Mycena species is described and additional specimens of Gerronema viridilucens are documented. An accounting of known bioluminescent species of Mycena and a discussion of why they luminesce are presented.

Phylogeny of the Pluteaceae (Agaricales, Basidiomycota): taxonomy and character evolution.

The phylogeny of the genera traditionally classified in the family Pluteaceae (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) was investigated using molecular data from nuclear ribosomal genes (nSSU, ITS, nLSU) and consequences for taxonomy and character evolution were evaluated. The genus Volvariella is polyphyletic, as most of its representatives fall outside the Pluteoid clade and shows affinities to some hygrophoroid genera (Camarophyllus, Cantharocybe). Volvariella gloiocephala and allies are placed in a different clade, which represents the sister group of Pluteus, and a new generic name, Volvopluteus, is proposed to accommodate these taxa. Characters such as basidiospore size and pileipellis structure can be used to separate Pluteus, Volvariella and Volvopluteus. The genus Pluteus is monophyletic and includes species with partial veil traditionally classified in the genus Chamaeota. The evolution of morphological features used in the infrageneric taxonomy of the genus, such as metuloid cystidia and pileipellis structure, was analyzed. Agreement between the molecular phylogeny and morphological subdivision of Pluteus is, generally speaking, good, though some rearrangements are necessary: (i) species with non-metuloid pleurocystidia and pileipellis as a cutis are placed either in sect. Celluloderma, together with the species characterized by a hymenidermal pipeipellis, or in sect. Pluteus, with the metuloid bearing species; (ii) subdivision of sect. Celluloderma according to the presence/absence of cystidioid elements in the pileipellis is not supported by molecular data.

Armillaria paulensis: a new South American species.

Armillaria paulensis, morphologically distinct from other Armillaria species, is described from Brazil. It is characterized by the dimension of the basidiospores, the pinkish colour of the lamellae; stipe colour ranging from pinkish at the apex, dark greyish brown under the annulus and olivaceous at the base, where it is concolourous, with the pilear surface. Relationships based on sequences of ITS with African, Australian and South American species showed its closeness to A. luteobubalina.

Morphological and molecular identification of four Brazilian commercial isolates of Pleurotus spp. and cultivation on corncob

The species of Pleurotus have great commercial importance and adaptability for growth and fructification within a wide variety of agro-industrial lignocellulosic wastes. In this study, two substrates prepared from ground corncobs supplemented with rice bran and charcoal were tested for mycelium growth kinetics in test tubes and for the cultivation of four Pleurotus commercial isolates in polypropylene bags. The identification of the isolates was based on the morphology of the basidiomata obtained and on sequencing of the LSU rDNA gene. Three isolates were identified as P. ostreatus, and one was identified as P. djamor. All isolates had better in-depth mycelium development in the charcoal-supplemented substrate. In the cultivation experiment, the isolates reacted differently to the two substrates. One isolate showed particularly high growth on the substrate containing charcoal.

Espécies de Pleurotus têm grande importância comercial e adaptabilidade para crescimento e frutificação em uma ampla variedade de resíduos agro-industriais lignocelulósicos. Neste trabalho foram testados dois substratos à base de sabugo de milho triturado, suplementados com farelo de arroz e carvão vegetal, para avaliação da cinética de crescimento micelial em tubos de ensaio e produção em sacos de polipropileno, utilizando quatro isolados comerciais. O estudo taxonômico foi realizado com a análise da morfologia dos basidiomas obtidos em cultivo e pelo seqüenciamento do gene nLSU do DNAr, para certificar a identificação taxonômica. Os isolados tiveram melhor desenvolvimento micelial em profundidade no substrato suplementado com carvão vegetal. Em relação à produção, os isolados reagiram de formas distintas em função dos substratos, sendo significativamente melhor o substrato contendo carvão. Três isolados foram identificados como P. ostreatus e o outro foi identificado como P. djamor.

Determination of biological species and analysis of genetic variability by RAPD of isolates of Pleurotus subgenus Coremiopleurotus.

Isolates of Pleurotus cystidiosus and P. smithii were studied to verifie the occurrence of P. cystidiosus instead of P. smithii in South America. The two species are mainly separated by the growth rate of the anamorph in culture, the morphology of the anamorph and teleomorph, intercompatibility tests, and genetic variability. In order to see if the isolate found in Brazil and previously identified as Antromycopsis macrocarpa (the anamorph of P. cystidiosus) belongs to P. cystidiosus, a species with a world wide distribution, or to P. smithii which is restricted to Mexico and South America, or if P. cyistidiosus and P. smithii are the same species, isolates of different geographic origins were studied. Growth rate in culture, mono-dikaryotic matings, and genetic variability determined by RADP were investigated. The results show that the criteria used to separate the two species are unsatisfactory, and that P. smithii should be considered a synonym of P. cystidiosus; this extends the distribution of this later species to Central and South America.

Agaricales Fungi from atlantic rain forest fragments in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Two Atlantic Rain Forest fragments in Minas Gerais state were studied to access their Agaricales fungal richness. A total of 187 specimens were collected and 109 species, 39 genera, and eight families were identified. Thirty-three species were cited for the first time in Brazil.

Screening of Brazilian basidiomycetes for antimicrobial activity.

A total of 103 isolates of basidiomycetes, representing 84 species from different Brazilian ecosystems, were evaluated for their antifungal and antibacterial activity in a panel of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. Tissue plugs of the fruiting bodies were cultivated in liquid media and the whole culture extracted with ethyl acetate. Crude extracts from Agaricus cf. nigrecentulus, Agrocybe perfecta, Climacodon pulcherrimus, Gloeoporus thelephoroides, Hexagonia hydnoides, Irpex lacteus, Leucoagaricus cf. cinereus, Marasmius cf. bellus, Marasmius sp., Nothopanus hygrophanus, Oudemansiella canarii, Pycnoporus sanguineus, Phellinus sp., and Tyromyces duracinus presented significant activity against one or more of the target microorganisms. Eight isolates were active only against bacteria while three inhibited exclusively the growth of fungi. Two extracts presented wide antimicrobial spectrum and were active against both fungi and bacteria. Differences in the bioactivity of extracts obtained from isolates from the same species were observed.

Cultivation of the Edible mushroom Oudemansiella Canarii (Jungh.) HÖhn. in Lignocellulosic substrates

The edible mushroom Oudemansiella canarii (Jungh.) Höhn is common in the Brazilian territory, being found in different biomas, where they colonize several plant species. In this study, the O. canarii cultivation was evaluated in polypropilene bags containing sugar-cane bagasse (200 g) or eucalyptus sawdust (200 g) supplemented with wheat bran (50 g). The composts were sterilized at 121§C for 1 hour, after cooling they were inoculated with 3 g of spawn and then remained incubated at 25§C until the basidiomata primordia formation. The mushrooms, harvested after the pilei opening, presented varied sizes reaching 9 cm of diameter and 10 cm of height. The fresh mushrooms presented mild taste and soft consistency. When kept at 4§C, they maintained good appearance and good consistency for 7 days. In a period of 60 days, the largest basidiomata production was obtained in the compost with sugar-cane bagasse, showing greater productivity (4.47per cent ñ 1.34), biological efficiency (55.66per cent ñ 20.41) and compost consumption (38.78per cent ñ 4.59) averages. Wilcoxon's non-parametric statistical analysis used to compare the biomass production in the two composts, showed significant differences at 5 per cent significance level.

Screening of Brazilian basidiomycetes for antimicrobial activity

A total of 103 isolates of basidiomycetes, representing 84 species from different Brazilian ecosystems, were evaluated for their antifungal and antibacterial activity in a panel of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. Tissue plugs of the fruiting bodies were cultivated in liquid media and the whole culture extracted with ethyl acetate. Crude extracts from Agaricus cf. nigrecentulus, Agrocybe perfecta, Climacodon pulcherrimus, Gloeoporus thelephoroides, Hexagonia hydnoides, Irpex lacteus, Leucoagaricus cf. cinereus, Marasmius cf. bellus, Marasmius sp., Nothopanus hygrophanus, Oudemansiella canarii, Pycnoporus sanguineus, Phellinus sp., and Tyromyces duracinus presented significant activity against one or more of the target microorganisms. Eight isolates were active only against bacteria while three inhibited exclusively the growth of fungi. Two extracts presented wide antimicrobial spectrum and were active against both fungi and bacteria. Differences in the bioactivity of extracts obtained from isolates from the same species were observed.