Karen K. Nakasone

Hymenochaetales: a molecular phylogeny for the hymenochaetoid clade.

The hymenochaetoid clade is dominated by wood-decaying species previously classified in the artificial families Corticiaceae, Polyporaceae and Stereaceae. The majority of these species cause a white rot. The polypore Bridgeoporus and several corticioid species with inconspicuous basidiomata live in association with brown-rotted wood, but their nutritional strategy is not known. Mycorrhizal habit is reported for Coltricia perennis but needs confirmation. A surprising element in the hymenochaetoid clade is a group of small white to brightly pigmented agarics earlier classified in Omphalina. They form a subclade together with some similarly colored stipitate stereoid and corticioid species. Several are associated with living mosses or one-celled green algae. Hyphoderma pratermissum and some related corticioid species have specialized organs for trapping and killing nematodes as a source of nitrogen. There are no unequivocal morphological synapomorphies known for the hymenochaetoid clade. However almost all species examined ultrastructurally have dolipore septa with continuous parenthesomes while perforate parenthesomes is the normal condition for other homobasidiomycete clades. The agaricoid Hymenochaetales have not been examined. Within Hymenochaetales the Hymenochaetaceae forms a distinct clade but unfortunately all morphological characters supporting Hymenochaetaceae also are found in species outside the clade. Other subclades recovered by the molecular phylogenetic analyses are less uniform, and the overall resolution within the nuclear LSU tree presented here is still unsatisfactory.

Phylogenetic relationships of the genus Phanerochaete inferred from the internal transcribed spacer region.

Phanerochaete is a genus of resupinate homobasidiomycetes that are saprophytic on woody debris and logs. Morphological studies in the past indicated that Phanerochaete is a heterogeneous assemblage of species. In this study the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA was used to test the monophyly of the genus Phanerocthaete and to infer phylogenetic relationships of the 24 taxa studied. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses do not support the monophyly of the genus. However, a core group of species represented by Phanerochaete velutina, P. chrysosporium, P. sordida, P. sanguinea and others are closely related and group together in a clade. Other common Phanerochaete species including Phanerochaete rimosa, P. chrysorhiza, P. omnivora, P. avellanea, P. tiberculata, P. flava, and P. allantospora, however, do not cluster with the core Phanerochaete group.

Identification and First Report of Inonotus (Phellinus) tropicalis as an Etiologic Agent in a Patient with Chronic Granulomatous Disease

ABSTRACT Although isolates of filamentous basidiomycetes can usually be recognized in a clinical laboratory setting, identification is problematic, as they seldom exhibit diagnostic morphological features formed in nature. This paper is the first report of Inonotus (Phellinus) tropicalis inciting human disease and describes the methods used to support the identification.

Rhizochaete, a new genus of phanerochaetoid fungi

A new basidiomycete genus, Rhizochaete (Phanerochaetaceae, Polyporales), is described. Rhizochaete is characterized by a smooth to tuberculate, pellicular hymenophore and hyphal cords that turn red or violet in potassium hydroxide, monomitic hyphal system of simple or nodose septate hyphae, cystidia, and small, cylindrical to subglobose basidiospores. It morphologically is most similar to Phanerochaete. Analyses of nuclear ribosomal and internal-transcribed spacer region sequence data support a close relationship between Rhizochaete and Phanerochaete. The new taxon R. brunnea, from southern Argentina, is described and illustrated. In addition, the new combinations R. americana, R. borneensis, R. filamentosa, R. fouquieriae and R. radicata are proposed. A key to the species of Rhizochaete is provided.

MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR STUDIES ON AURICULARIOPSIS ALBOMELLEA AND PHLEBIA ALBIDA AND A REASSESSMENT OF A. AMPLA

Auriculariopsis (Corticiaceae, Aphyllo- phorales) consists of two species: A. albomellea and A. ampla, the generic type. Auriculariopsis albomellea (= Cytidiella melzeri) is an uncommon wood decay fun- gus known from Europe and the United States. Stud- ies of morphological features and analyses of se- quence from the internal transcribed spacer region and a portion of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene indicate that A. albomellea is closely related to Phlebia albida. Thus, the new combination P albo- mellea is proposed. Basidioma descriptions and illus- trations of P albida and P. albomellea are included. In addition, morphological studies and sequence anal- yses of the internal transcribed spacer region and a part of the 18S rRNA gene suggest that A. ampla is closely related to Schizophyllum commune. Auricular- iopsis is placed in synonymy under Schizophyllum, and

BIOSYSTEMATIC STUDIES ON PHLEBIA ACERINA, P. RUFA, AND P. RADIATA IN NORTH AMERICA

Three closely related species, Phlebia rufa, P. acerina, and P. radiata, were analyzed with molecular, morphological, genetic, and physiological methods. Emphasis was placed on the phenotypically similar taxa P. rufa and P. acerina. Phlebia acerina is common and widely distributed in North America, but P. rufa occurs only in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Although often considered conspecific, P. acerina and P. rufa are intersterile. In addition, differences in basidioma and cultural traits support their separation. At the molecular level, these species differ slightly in sequence of an internal transcribed spacer of the nuclear ribosomal DNA repeat and a part of the large mitochondrial rRNA gene. Restriction maps of the small mitochondrial rRNA gene and flanking regions provide further evidence that the species are distinct but closely related. This report includes basidioma and cultural descriptions of both species. Phlebia radiata is genetically distinct but shares many morphological and molecular traits with P. acerina and P. rufa. Cladistic analyses of molecular data showed that the three taxa are closely related relative to the outgroup taxa P. ludoviciana and P. subochracea.

Disseminated Oxyporus corticola infection in a German shepherd dog

The filamentous basidiomycetous fungus, Oxyporus corticola, has not previously been reported in the human or veterinary medical literature. Identification of this organism as the etiologic agent of fungal osteomyelitis and multiorgan dissemination in a German shepherd dog was confirmed by comparison of ITS and D1/D2 sequences with known isolates.

Dendrothele griseocana (Corticiaceae) and related taxa with hyphal pegs

Four Dendrothele (Corticiaceae, Polyporales) species with hyphal pegs are described and illustrated. Type specimens of Corticium griseocanum and Dendrothele papillosa were examined and found to be conspecific. Two new taxa, D. americana and D. tanzaniana, are described and illustrated, and the new combination, Dendrothele andina, is proposed. A key to D. griseocana and similar taxa with hyphal pegs is provided.

TAXONOMIC STUDY OF VELUTICEPS (APHYLLOPHORALES)

Veluticeps is emended to include Columnocystis. New combinations of V. fimbriata and V. fusispora are proposed. Descriptions of seven species of Veluticeps are included as well as cultural descriptions of V. abietina and V. fimbriata. Veluticeps fimbriata, common throughout western North America, is a distinct species from V. abietina, which is found primarily in eastern and northwestern North America and Europe. A key to the species of Veluticeps is provided. The Chaetodermataeeae is emended to include Veluticeps and Crustoderma.

Leptocorticium (Corticiaceae s.l., Basidiomycota): new species and combinations

The genus Leptocorticium is redescribed, and a key to the species is provided. A new taxon, Leptocorticium tenellum, is described, and two new combinations, L. sasae and L. utribasidiatum, are proposed. Dentocorticium nephrolepidis is determined to be conspecific with L. cyatheae. All four species are described and illustrated.