Systematic study of truffles in the genus Ruhlandiella, with the description of two new species from Patagonia.

Ruhlandiella is a genus of exothecial, ectomycorrhizal fungi in the order Pezizales. Ascomata of exothecial fungi typically lack a peridium and are covered with a hymenial layer instead. Ruhlandiella species have nonoperculate asci and highly ornamented ascospores. The genus was first described by Hennings in 1903 to include the single species, R. berolinensis. Since then, mycologists have uncovered Ruhlandiella species in many locations around the globe, including Australia, Spain, Italy, and the USA. Currently, there are four recognized species: R. berolinensis, R. peregrina, R. reticulata, and R. truncata. All were found near Eucalyptus or Melaleuca trees of Australasian origin. Recently, we discovered two new species of Ruhlandiella in Nothofagaceae forests in South America. They regularly form mitotic spore mats directly on soil in the forests of Patagonia. Here, we formally describe these new species and construct the phylogeny of Ruhlandiella and related genera using a multilocus phylogenetic analysis. We also revise the taxonomy of Ruhlandiella and provide an identification key to accepted species of Ruhlandiella.

Unveiling new sequestrate Cortinarius species from northern Patagonian Nothofagaceae forests based on molecular and morphological data.

Because of systematic sampling campaigns in the northern Patagonian Nothofagaceae forests of Argentina, several specimens of sequestrate fungi were collected. Some of those collections showed phylogenetic affinities and morphological similarities to members of the formerly recognized sequestrate genus Thaxterogaster, currently a synonym of Cortinarius on the basis of molecular data. Comparisons of macro- and micromorphological features and sequences of nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions have revealed that these collections belong to formerly undescribed species. The sequences of the four new taxa presented here, Cortinarius flavopurpureus, C. translucidus, C. nahuelhuapensis, and C. infrequens, were combined into a data set including additional sequences generated from herbarium collections and retrieved from public gene databases and analyzed by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The four new species were resolved as distinct clades with strong support; at the same time, they showed unique morphological characteristics (hypogeous to subhypogeous habit, complete gasteromycetation, and spore shape and ornamentation) that separate them from previously described Cortinarius species. In addition, several undescribed and/or not previously sequenced species from these forests were detected through phylogenetic analysis of ectomycorrhizal root tip sequences. A key of characters to identify the sequestrate Cortinarius from Patagonia is provided.

Sequestrate fungi from Patagonian Nothofagus forests: Cystangium (Russulaceae, Basidiomycota).

Six species of Cystangium, a genus of sequestrate taxa related to Russula, were collected in Patagonia (Argentina and Chile) during autumn 2001. Two species, C. depauperatum Singer & A.H. Sm. and C. nothofagi (E. Horak) Trappe, Castellano & T. Lebel, were already known from this region, while four new species, C. domingueziae, C. gamundiae, C. grandihyphatum and C. longisterigmatum, are described, illustrated and a key to the species is provided. In addition, sequences of the ITS (rDNA) region were obtained to explore the phylogenetic relationships of our South American Cystangium species.

Large-scale fungal diversity assessment in the Andean Yungas forests reveals strong community turnover among forest types along an altitudinal gradient.

The Yungas, a system of tropical and subtropical montane forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes, are extremely diverse and severely threatened by anthropogenic pressure and climate change. Previous mycological works focused on macrofungi (e.g. agarics, polypores) and mycorrhizae in Alnus acuminata forests, while fungal diversity in other parts of the Yungas has remained mostly unexplored. We carried out Ion Torrent sequencing of ITS2 rDNA from soil samples taken at 24 sites along the entire latitudinal extent of the Yungas in Argentina. The sampled sites represent the three altitudinal forest types: the piedmont (400-700 m a.s.l.), montane (700-1500 m a.s.l.) and montane cloud (1500-3000 m a.s.l.) forests. The deep sequence data presented here (i.e. 4 108 126 quality-filtered sequences) indicate that fungal community composition correlates most strongly with elevation, with many fungi showing preference for a certain altitudinal forest type. For example, ectomycorrhizal and root endophytic fungi were most diverse in the montane cloud forests, particularly at sites dominated by Alnus acuminata, while the diversity values of various saprobic groups were highest at lower elevations. Despite the strong altitudinal community turnover, fungal diversity was comparable across the different zonal forest types. Besides elevation, soil pH, N, P, and organic matter contents correlated with fungal community structure as well, although most of these variables were co-correlated with elevation. Our data provide an unprecedented insight into the high diversity and spatial distribution of fungi in the Yungas forests.

The species of Scleroderma from Argentina, including a new species from the Nothofagus forest.

Five ectomycorrhizal species of Scleroderma were identified from herbarium and field-collected specimens from Argentina. A new hypogeous species, Scleroderma patagonicum, was recorded in association with native Nothofagus spp. in Patagonia. The epigeous species S. albidum, S. areolatum, S. bovista and S. citrinum were associated with various exotic tree species. A phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS region of Scleroderma species, including S. patagonicum, illustrates its distinct status within Scleroderma, including its placement among species with reticulate spores. Descriptions with SEM images of the spores and a key to the species are provided.

Differential hypogeous sporocarp production from Nothofagus dombeyi and N. pumilio forests in southern Argentina.

Mycorrhizal fungi that form hypogeous sporocarps are an important component of the temperate forest soil community. In many regions, such as the Nothofagus forest in the Patagonian Andes, this group of fungi has been poorly studied. Here we examined the spring and autumn community composition of "sequestrate fungi", based on sporocarp production in pure forests of Nothofagus dombeyi (evergreen) and N. pumilio (deciduous). We investigated the possible relationships between these communities and environmental factors over 2 y. The rarefaction curves and the minimal richness estimates converged at nearly the same level for each forest type, and the asymptotes suggested that the sampling effort was sufficient to capture most of the hypogeous sporocarp richness in these forest stands. In total 27 species were recovered. Basidiomycota, Ascomycota and Glomeromycota respectively accounted for nine, two and one genera. Species richness of hypogeous sporocarps varied in relation to forest type but not to season (fall and spring), whereas sporocarp biomass varied according to an interaction between season and forest type. Species richness and sporocarp biomass were positively correlated with rainfall and negatively correlated with altitude. In addition sporocarp species richness was positively related to number of trees per transect. We found that two different forest stands, each dominated by different species of Nothofagus, exhibited different hypogeous sporocarp communities.

Ocurrence of ectomycorrhizal, hypogeous fungi in plantations of exotic tree species in central Argentina.

Eleven hypogeous, ectomycorrhizal species of Basidiomycota, including two new species, and one of the Zygomycota were collected in exotic tree plantations in C6rdoba Province, Argentina. Descomyces fusisporus sp. nov., D. varians sp. nov., Hydnangium archeri (Berk.) Rodway, H. carneum Wallr., Hysterangium gardneri E. Fisch. and Setchelliogaster tenuipes (Setch.) Pouzar were associated with Eucalyptus spp. Endogone lactiflua Berk., Hymenogaster lycoperdineus Vittad., H. griseus Vittad., H. rehsteineri Bucholtz, Rhizopogon couchii A.H. Sm. and R. roseolus (Corda) Th. Fr., were associated with various northern hemisphere tree species. Descriptions are provided to aid identification of the hypogeous fungi in exotic plantations of Argentina.

Morphological, molecular and ecological aspects of the South American hypogeous fungus Alpova austroalnicola sp. nov.

Field studies in Argentina's Yunga District revealed Alpova austroalnicola sp. nov., a hypogeous fungus associated with Alnus acuminata ssp. acuminata. Morphological and molecular studies based on amplification and sequencing of the nuclear LSU rDNA gene showed its unique identity within Alpova. Related genera included in the analyses were Boletus edulis, Rhizopogon spp., Suillus luteus and Truncocolumella citrina. Additional observations of animal diggings around the sites and microscopic examination of fecal pellets of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus novemcinctus) indicate A. austroalnicola is consumed and its spores dispersed by animals.

Morphological and molecular characterization of selected Ramaria mycorrhizae.

Ramaria species are conspicuous mycorrhizal symbionts of conifers in the Pacific Northwest. Here we collected and identified sporocarps and associated ectomycorrhizae of Ramaria acrisiccescens Marr & Stuntz, R. cyaneigranosa Marr & Stuntz, R. sandaracina Marr & Stuntz, R. celerivirescens Marr & Stuntz, and R. flavobrunnescens var. aromatica Marr & Stuntz. An internal transcribed spacer (ITS)- restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern was observed for each of the Ramaria species and used as a diagnostic tool to support the identification of mycorrhizae occurring in mats below the sporocarps. We provide a description of ectomycorrhizae of Ramaria, which exhibit similar macro- and microscopic characteristics such as ramification pattern, coloration, abundance of mycelial strands and emanating hyphae, mantle morphology and chemical reactions of mantle and mycelial strands with KOH, FeSO4 and Melzer's reagent. Sequences of the ITS region for each of the species are deposited in the GenBank.