Studies in the Stypella vermiformis group (Auriculariales, Basidiomycota).

Stypella vermiformis is a heterobasidiomycete producing minute gelatinous basidiocarps on rotten wood of conifers in the Northern Hemisphere. In the current literature, Stypella papillata, the genus type of Stypella (described from Brazil), is treated as a taxonomic synonym of S. vermiformis. In the present paper, we revise the type material of S. papillata and a number of specimens addressed to S. vermiformis. As a result, the presumed synonymy of S. papillata and S. vermiformis is rejected and the genus Stypella is restricted to the single species S. papillata. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies of specimens from the Northern Hemisphere corresponding to the current concept of S. vermiformis uncovered three species from two newly described genera. S. vermiformis s.str. is distributed in temperate Europe and has small-sized basidia and basidiospores, and it is placed in a new genus, Mycostilla. Another genus, Stypellopsis, is created for two other species, the North American Stypellopsis farlowii, comb. nov., and the North European Stypellopsis hyperborea, sp. nov. Basidia and basidiospores of Stypellopsis spp. are larger than in Mycostilla vermiformis but other morphological characters are very similar. In addition, Spiculogloea minuta (Spiculogloeomycetes, Pucciniomycotina) is reported as new to Norway, parasitising basidiocarps of M. vermiformis and Tulasnella spp.

Observations on Pluteaceae in Vietnam: Four New Species and New Records of Pluteus.

Eighteen specimens of Pluteus collected from the tropical forests of Vietnam were studied using morphological and molecular approaches. Pluteus podospilloides, P. semibulbosus, P. chrysaegis and P. septocystidiatus are registered as additional or new records for Vietnam. Four species (P. conformis, P. lucidus, P. subroseus, and P. ornatus) are proposed as new to science, and several other collections (Pluteus sp. 1, P. aff. septocystidiatus, P. aff. pauperculus and P. cf. velutinus) are given an inconclusive taxonomic status for now. The taxonomic positions of all specimens were confirmed using DNA data (nrITS and tef1). Descriptions of the macro- and microscopic features of the studied collections with a discussion of similar taxa are given.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Auriculariales (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) with stereoid basidiocarps.

In the present study, we investigate taxonomy of the Auriculariales with effused or cupulate, persistent basidiocarps; generic and species concepts are revised based on morphological and DNA evidences. The genus Eichleriella is reinstated to embrace ten closely related species with ellipsoid-ovoid basidia, and the genus type, Eichleriella incarnata, is placed to the synonyms of Eichleriella leucophaea. Eichleriella bactriana, Eichleriella desertorum and Eichleriella sicca are described as new to science. In addition, four species earlier treated as members of Exidiopsis or Heterochaete are combined to the genus. The genus name Heteroradulum (type Radulum kmetii) is introduced for seven species with large, obconical, stipitate basidia. Of them, Heteroradulum adnatum and Heteroradulum semis are described as new. Two new genera, Amphistereum (with two species, type Eichleriella schrenkii) and Sclerotrema (monotypic, type Exidiopsis griseobrunnea), are proposed; Hirneolina (monotypic, type H. hirneoloides) and Tremellochaete (with two species, type Exidia japonica) are restored as good genera. The type species of Heterochaete, H. andina, is congeneric with Exidiopsis (type E. effusa).

Aphyllophoroid fungi in insular woodlands of eastern Ukraine.

BACKGROUND: Fungi play crucial roles in ecosystems and are among the species-richest organism groups on Earth. However, knowledge on their occurrence lags behind the data for animals and plants. Recent analyses of fungal occurrence data from Western, Central and Northern Europe provided important insights into response of fungi to global warming. The consequences of the global changes for biodiversity on a larger geographical scale are not yet understood. Landscapes of Eastern Europe and particularly of eastern Ukraine, with their specific geological history, vegetation and climate, can add substantially new information about fungal diversity in Europe. NEW INFORMATION: We describe the dataset and provide a checklist of aphyllophoroid fungi (non-gilled macroscopic Basidiomycota) from eastern Ukraine sampled in 16 areas between 2007 and 2011. The dataset was managed on the PlutoF biodiversity workbench (http://dx.doi.org/10.15156/BIO/587471) and can also be accessed via Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, parts of datasets https://doi.org/10.15468/kuspj6 and https://doi.org/10.15468/h7qtfd). This dataset includes 3418 occurences, namely 2727 specimens and 691 observations of fructifications belonging to 349 species of fungi. With these data, the digitised CWU herbarium (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukraine) doubled in size A most detailed description of the substrate's properties and habitat for each record is provided. The specimen records are supplemented by 26 nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS sequences and six 28S sequences. Additionally, 287 photographs depicting diagnostic macro- and microscopic features of fungal fruitbodies as well as studied habitats are linked to the dataset. Most of the specimens have at least one mention in literature and relevant references are displayed as associated with specimen data. In total, 16 publication references are linked to the dataset. The dataset sheds new light on the fungal diversity of Eastern Europe. It is expected to complement other public sources of fungal occurrence information on continental and global levels in addressing macroecological and biogeographical questions.