Olivia Rodríguez

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.

Species recognition in Pluteus and Volvopluteus (Pluteaceae, Agaricales): morphology, geography and phylogeny

The phylogeny of several species-complexes of the genera Pluteus and Volvopluteus (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) was investigated using molecular data (ITS) and the consequences for taxonomy, nomenclature and morphological species recognition in these groups were evaluated. Conflicts between morphological and molecular delimitation were detected in sect. Pluteus, especially for taxa in the cervinus-petasatus clade with clamp-connections or white basidiocarps. Some species of sect. Celluloderma are apparently widely distributed in Europe, North America and Asia, either with (P. aurantiorugosus, P. chrysophlebius, P. fenzlii, P. phlebophorus) or without (P. romellii) molecular differentiation in collections from different continents. A lectotype and a supporting epitype are designated for Pluteus cervinus, the type species of the genus. The name Pluteus chrysophlebius is accepted as the correct name for the species in sect. Celluloderma, also known under the names P. admirabilis and P. chrysophaeus. A lectotype is designated for the latter. Pluteus saupei and Pluteus heteromarginatus, from the USA, P. castri, from Russia and Japan, and Volvopluteus asiaticus, from Japan, are described as new. A complete description and a new name, Pluteus losulus, are given for the African P. cervinus var. ealaensis. The American Volvopluteus michiganensis is described in detail. Taxonomic comments and a morphology-based key to all known species of Volvopluteus are provided.

Macromycete phenological approximations in western Mexican forests

Abstract The seasonality of 10 of the most abundant species of macromycetes was studied at 3 sites in west-central Mexico. Collections over 20 years from the Instituto de Botánica of the Universidad de Guadalajara database were used for this study. Two of the sites were pine-oak forests: Mazamitla (70 collections) and Tapalpa (68 collections). The third consisted of an ecotone between subtropical cloud forest and pine-oak forest: Nevado de Colima (91 collections). The 3 sites are close to the tropical region and have a rainy season between late May and October. The development and abundance of fruit bodies were related to the climate and the vegetation of each site. Differences were found at 3 scales for both fructification time and abundance: between sites, between species, and within species at different sites.