Kobeke Van de Putte

Lactarius volemus sensu lato (Russulales) from northern Thailand: morphological and phylogenetic species concepts explored

Lactarius volemus (Fr.: Fr.) Fr. is a well known and morphologically easily recognizable milkcap of the Northern hemisphere, forming ectomycorrhiza with both deciduous and coniferous trees. It was originally described from Europe, but is also reported in other continents. Although it is characterized by several unique macro- and micromorphological features, substantial variation in colour, lamellae spacing and changing and staining of the latex has been recorded and it is therefore considered as a putatively unresolved species complex. This study explores the concordance between morphological and phylogenetic species concepts within L. volemus sensu lato of northern Thailand, combining a critical morphological scrutiny with a multiple gene genealogy based on LSU, ITS and rpb2 nuclear sequences. Twelve strongly supported monophyletic clades and six terminal branches are discernable in all phylogenetic trees and represent 18 phylogenetic species. Six of the monophyletic clades can be morphologically distinguished and are described as new species: L. acicularis, L. crocatus, L. distantifolius, L. longipilus, L. pinguis and L. vitellinus. Five other clades also show some morphological differences, but these are too subtle and do not allow for a clear-cut species delimitation without the corroboration of molecular data. Lactarius volemus sensu lato of northern Thailand is therefore still considered as a partially cryptic species complex. Pleurolamprocystidia, pileipellis hairs and to a lesser degree also pileus colour are important diagnostic characteristics. Spore morphology, latex discoloration and pileus surface texture are less useful as diagnostic features. Whether this rich diversity is the result of in situ Pleistocene survival or post-glacial expansion and subsequent radiation, has yet to be revealed.

Bathe the baby to make it strong and healthy: plant use and child care among Saramaccan Maroons in Suriname.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Young children are vulnerable to a range of illnesses and evil forces. Ethnobotanical folk remedies often play a major role in combating these afflictions. Here we show that plant use is highly valued and practiced within the Saramaccan Maroon Society in Suriname to maintain the general health and well-being of children. AIM OF THE STUDY To assess the plant use importance in child care, we (1) quantified diversity and current status of herbal pharmacopoeia used in child care and (2) elucidated the reasons why care takers (mostly mothers) use these plants. METHODOLOGY We collected botanical vouchers of plants used in child care, carried out an ethnobotanical household survey with 105 women and interviewed 19 key informants. RESULTS A total of 178 plant species were used in child care for different purposes. Preventive practices were preferred over curing remedies and plants were most frequently used to keep young children strong and healthy. Child care had a strong magical connotation. Bathing proved to be the most important type of application, often combined with drinking small amounts of the bath water. CONCLUSIONS Plants play an important role in child care, but more research is needed on how Maroon plant use reflects actual health problems in young children in the Surinamese interior.

Exposing hidden diversity by concordant genealogies and morphology—a study of the Lactifluus volemus (Russulales) species complex in Sikkim Himalaya (India)

Although Sikkim belongs to one of the Global Biodiversity Hotspots, little is known about its ectomycorrhizal fungi, and even less about the main genera of Russulales, i.e. Lactarius, Lactifluus, Multifurca and Russula. Combining a multilocus genealogical and morphological study, we aimed to document the diversity within Lactifluus volemus sensu lato of Sikkim Himalaya. We compared nuclear ITS and LSU rDNA, nuclear rpb1 and rpb2 protein-coding, and mitochondrial atp6 protein-coding genealogies to determine species boundaries. Interspecific relationships were inferred from the combined dataset. Bayesian and maximum likelihood single-locus genealogies are concordant and support recognition of six species. Three of these could be identified by unique morphological characteristics and are described as new species: L. dissitus, L. leptomerus and L. versiformis.

The Australasian species of Lactarius subgenus Gerardii (Russulales)

This paper provides an overview and identification key of the Australasian species of Lactarius subg. Gerardii. A molecular phylogeny based on the nuc DNA markers ITS, LSU and rpb2, combined with detailed morphological observations resulted in the delimitation of 12 strongly supported and morphologically recognizable species. Five new agaricoid species are described here: Lactarius hora, L. coniculus, L. limbatus, L. leae and L. leonardii. Other agaricoid species belonging to subg. Gerardii are L. atrovelutinus, L. bicolor, L. ochrogalactus and L. reticulatovenosus. Lactarius venosus is also considered as a member but could not be included in the molecular analysis. Two new pleurotoid species are discovered: L. genevievae and L. conchatulus, both close relatives of L. uyedae, but each with distinct characters. Their position within subg. Gerardii is supported in the phylogeny and by their microscopic characters. This study also confirms the existence of multiple cryptic species and species complexes for which species recognition or species delimitation remains problematic as is the case for the Australian species L. wirrabara. In general, detailed macroscopic and microscopic observations are needed to identify species of L. subg. Gerardii.

New combinations in Lactifluus. 3. L. subgenera Lactifluus and Piperati

In this last of a series of three papers, new combinations in the genus Lactifluus are proposed. This paper treats Lactifluus subg. Lactifluus (an autonymous subgenus) and Lactifluus subg. Piperati (proposed as a new subgenus). In Lactifluus subg. Lactifluus, six sections are recognized (five of them as new combinations) and 46 new combinations are proposed at species level. In Lactifluus subg. Piperati, two sections are recognized (as new combinations) and nine new species combinations are proposed. In addition, new combinations are proposed for an unassigned section and its single species as well as for three unassigned species.

Lactifluus volemus in Europe: Three species in one--Revealed by a multilocus genealogical approach, Bayesian species delimitation and morphology.

This study provides morphological and molecular evidence (from nuclear ITS, LSU, and rpb2 DNA sequences) for three previously unrecognized species within the morphospecies Lactifluus volemus from Europe. Phylogenetic species are supported by both a multi-locus tree-based method and Bayesian species delimitation. Lactifluus volemus and Lactifluus oedematopus are provided with a new description, and a third species, Lactifluus subvolemus, is described as new to science. Lactifluus oedematopus can be easily recognized by its short pileipellis hairs. Both L. volemus and L. subvolemus have longer pileipellis hairs and can only be distinguished from each other based on cap colour. Intermediary colour forms, however, occur as well, and cannot be identified as either L. volemus or L. subvolemus without molecular data. Revealing that L. volemus--already considered extinct in the Netherlands and the Belgian Flemish region, and declining in other European countries--is actually a complex of three species that are even more vulnerable to extinction, this study emphasizes the fundamental role of taxonomy in species conservation.

Lactarius subgenus Russularia (Basidiomycota, Russulales): novel Asian species, worldwide phylogeny and evolutionary relationships

Lactarius subg. Russularia is a large group of milkcaps occurring almost worldwide and dominant in many ecosystems. In this study we focus on new diversity, evolutionary relationships, divergence time, and origin of the subgenus. Six conifer symbionts are described as new to science: Lactarius atrii, L. aurantionitidus, L. dombangensis, L. flavigalactus, L. lachungensis, and L. sikkimensis. Species delimitation is assessed based on the concordance between morphological characteristics and an ITS phylogeny. Infrageneric relationships were studied using a phylogeny constructed from concatenated ITS-rpb2 data using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference. Results show that species in this subgenus do not cluster together according to their geographic origin. Intercontinental sister relationships between Europe/Asia/North America are common but actual conspecificity is rare. This result suggests that allopatric speciation has played an important role within this subgenus. Only few morphological characteristics tend to be phylogenetically informative, with the most important being presence or absence of true cystidia and the pileipellis structure. Two datasets were generated in order to estimate the age of L. subg. Russularia. The results suggest the origin of L. subg. Russularia to be in the Mid Miocene period.