Shuang-Hui He

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Hymenochaete and allied genera of Hymenochaetaceae (Basidiomycota) in China

The taxonomy and phylogeny of Hymenochaete and its allied genera in Hymenochaetaceae in China are studied based on morphological characters and molecular analysis. The morphology of more than 1200 specimens were studied and 123 ITS sequences (including 104 new sequences) of 71 taxa and 94 nLSU rDNA sequences (including 51 new sequences) of 78 taxa of Hymenochaetaceae were used in the phylogenetic analysis. Three new species, Hymenochaete huangshanensis, H. minor and H. tropica are introduced. The genus Pseudochaete is supported by the data presented here, with inclusion of an additional seven species transferred herein from Hymenochaete, Hydnochaete and Cyclomyces. Three species of Hydnochaete and two species of Cyclomyces studied nested within the Hymenochaete clade, and combinations of five species from the two former genera to Hymenochaete are proposed. According to our results, Hymenochaete is a morphologically variable genus composed of taxa with corticioid, hydnoid, lamellate and poroid hymenophores, and this would be the same for Pseudochaete with more taxa included. Fifty species of Hymenochaete and eight species of Pseudochaete have so far been found in China, and identification keys to the two genera are provided.

Pseudochaete latesetosa and P. subrigidula spp. nov. (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) from China based on morphological and molecular characters

Pseudochaete latesetosa and P. subrigidula collected from southern China are described as new species based on a combination of morphological and molecular characters. Both the species have narrowly cylindrical to allantoid basidiospores and encrusted setae, which are diagnostic characters of Pseudochaete. P. latesetosa is similar to P. tabacina, except that the latter has resupinate, effused-reflexed or pileate basidiocarps and well-developed cortex and tomentum. P. subrigidula resembles P. rigidula in macroscopical and anatomical structures, but the latter has shorter setae and basidiospores. The phylogenetic results inferred from analysis of combined ITS and nLSU rDNA sequences show that the two species were nested within the Pseudochaete clade and were separated from other sampled species as well as from each other. Illustrated descriptions of these two species are provided.

Molecular phylogeny and global diversity of the remarkable genus Bondarzewia (Basidiomycota, Russulales)

Bondarzewia is a remarkable polypore genus due to its relatively large poroid basidiocarps and belongs to order Russulales according to recent phylogenetic analyses. Two species, B. berkeleyi and B. mesenterica, are commonly reported in North America and Europe but the genus is poorly known elsewhere. We explored the phylogeny and species diversity of Bondarzewia based on a larger number of samples covering a wider geographic range, including eastern Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America. Sequences were generated from the nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, along with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS) and nuc 28S rDNA D1-D2 domains (28S), and the final dataset included 28 samples of which 21 ITS and 28S sequences were newly generated. As a result of phylogenetic analyses and comparison of morphological features we propose a new classification of the genus recognizing 10 species. Most of the novel taxonomic concepts are geographically restricted in contrast to the past broad species concepts, especially of B. berkeleyi. In addition, a degree of host specificity is observed with B. mesenterica, B. occidentalis, B. podocarpi, B. propria and B. submesenterica apparently restricted to gymnosperms and all others on angiosperm hosts where known. Three new species, B. kirkii, B. occidentalis and B. submesenterica, are described and illustrated. Three new combinations (B. dickinsii, B. propria, B. retipora) are revived from synonymy under B. berkeleyi. A key to known species of Bondarzewia is provided.

A novel Phellinidium sp. causes laminated root rot on qilian juniper (Sabina przewalskii) in northwest China.

A laminated root rot on Qilian juniper (Sabina przewalskii) caused by a species of Phellinidium (Basidiomycota) was observed in northwest China. Seventeen fungal samples collected from Qinghai Province during 2012 and 2013 were used for taxonomic and pathogenicity tests. The fungal pathogen was identified by morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses based on nLSU sequences. A new fungus is described herein as Phellinidium qilianense sp. nov. One-year-old Qilian juniper seedlings were wound-inoculated under controlled conditions to test pathogenicity of the fungal species. The fungus was successfully reisolated from decayed tissue of tested seedlings. P. qilianense is a new forest pathogen on coniferous trees in China.

New species and new records of Aleurodiscus s.l. (Basidiomycota) in China

Two new species from Hunan Province in central China, Acanthobasidium bambusicola and Aleurodiscus effusus, are described and illustrated. Both species have effused basidiocarps, clamped generative hyphae, acanthophyses, gloeocystidia, and amyloid, echinulate basidiospores. Acanthobasidium weirii is proposed as a new combination. In addition, Aleurodiscus ljubarskii, A. wakefieldiae, and Neoaleurodiscus fujii are reported from mainland China for the first time. Descriptions and illustrations of these three species are included. A preliminary molecular phylogenetic assessment of 11 species of Aleurodiscus sensu lato in China is presented. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred from analyses of partial DNA sequences of the nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (nLSU) and a combined dataset of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, nLSU, and the translation elongation factor 1-α gene sequences (tef1-α).

Global diversity and taxonomy of the Auricularia auricula-judae complex (Auriculariales, Basidiomycota)

Auricularia auricula-judae was previously considered a single species, but was recently demonstrated to be a species complex. The economically important, cultivated Auricularia mushrooms are included in the complex. Two species are cultivated, but have been treated as a single species: A. auricula-judae. Fifty samples of so-called A. auricula-judae from Asia, Europe, and North America were analyzed using morphology and molecular phylogeny. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out by ITS sequence and combined ITS, LSU, and rpb2 sequence, and 16 ITS, 16 LSU, and 16 rpb2 sequences were newly generated. Seven species in the complex were delineated, including three species new to science: Auricularia angiospermarum, A. minutissima, and A. tibetica. Illustrated description of the three new species and discussions in relation to other species are introduced in this paper. Auricularia heimuer is the most extensively cultivated species of Auricularia. Auricularia villosula is also cultivated, but has been named by the mushroom production industry A. heimuer. The size of basidiospores and presence or absence of medulla are important characters for differentiating the species within the complex, and ITS sequence data is a sensitive marker to discriminate species. A synoptic table of comparison of species in the complex is provided including the most important characters of the seven species.

Updates on East Asian Asterostroma (Russulales, Basidiomycota): new species and new records from Thailand and China

Two new species from northern Thailand, Asterostroma bambusicola and A. vararioides, are described and illustrated. Asterostroma bambusicola is characterized by globose, echinulate, and amyloid basidiospores and growing on rotten bamboo. Asterostroma vararioides is distinguished by the presence of Vararia-like dichohyphae, subglobose, smooth, and amyloid basidiospores and growing on bark of living angiosperm trees. In the phylogenetic tree inferred from a combined dataset of ITS and nLSU sequence data of Peniophoraceae, A. bambusicola forms a distinct lineage in the sect. Asterostroma clade, whereas A. vararioides and A. laxum form the sect. Laevispora clade. Asterostroma andinum, reported from China for the first time, forms a distinct lineage sister to Gloiothele spp. and Scytinostroma portentosum group. Asterostroma muscicola is reported from Thailand and China for the first time. A key to the species of Asterostroma from Thailand and China is provided.

Global diversity and phylogeny of Onnia (Hymenochaetaceae) species on gymnosperms

ABSTRACT Onnia includes white rotting polypores with annual basidiocarps, a duplex context, monomitic hyphal structure, hymenial setae, and hyaline, thin-walled, smooth basidiospores. Specimens of Onnia, originating mainly from East Asia, Europe, and North America, were studied using both morphology and phylogenetic analyses. Our concatenated data set was derived from 25 collections and included (i) 25 nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region sequences (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS), 17 generated in this study; and (ii) 14 nuc rDNA 28S rDNA sequences, including the D1–D2 domains, 11 of them generated in this study. The resulting maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies recovered all sampled collections of Onnia as a well-supported clade. In this clade, three previously accepted species, viz., Onnia leporina, O. tomentosa, and O. triquetra, received strong support, whereas three additional lineages with strong support represent the new species described in this paper, O. subtriquetra, O. microspora, and O. tibetica. Of the six Onnia species occurring on gymnosperms, O. tomentosa and O. leporina grow mainly on Picea and have circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, other species that mostly grow on Pinus are geographically restricted to limited regions, viz., O. triquetra in Europe, O. subtriquetra in North America, and O. microspora and O. tibetica in Asia.

Hymenochaetopsis nom. nov. proposed to replace Pseudochaete (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) with descriptions of H. laricicola sp. nov and H. gigasetosa new to China

A new fungal generic name Hymenochaetopsis is proposed to replace Pseudochaete, which is a nomen illegitimum according to Art. 53.1 in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. Twelve new combinations are proposed for species in genera Hymenochaete and Pseudochaete. Hymenochaetopsis laricicola is described and illustrated as a new species from Northeast China based on morphological and molecular evidence. It is characterized by effused-reflexed to pileate basidiocarps, presence of a cortex and hyphal layer, relative small hymenial setae, short cylindrical basidiospores, and exclusive growth on Larix. Hymenochaetopsis gigasetosa, which was previously reported from its type locality only, is newly recorded in China. An identification key is provided for the 13 known species of Hymenochaetopsis.

Veluticeps microspora sp. nov. and V. ambigua new to Asia with a preliminary phylogenetic study on the genus

Veluticeps microspora sp. nov. and V. ambigua new to Asia are described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular characters. V. microspora was collected from Yunnan Province, southwestern China, and is characterized by its special anatomical structure (without tomentum, cutis, and subiculum), simple septate hyphae, and small basidiospores. V. ambigua was collected from Jilin Province, northeastern China, and is reported in Asia for the first time. The molecular phylogeny of Veluticeps was preliminarily studied based on the analysis of ITS sequences from 18 species of Gloeophyllales. Two distinct clades of Veluticeps were formed in the phylogenetic tree. While V. microspora and V. ambigua clustered together to form a strongly supported clade, V. abietina, V. fimbriata, and V. berkeleyi grouped with Chaetodermella luna to form another clade.