Viacheslav Spirin

Antrodia hyalina, a new polypore from Russia, and A. leucaena, new to Europe

A new polypore species, Antrodia hyalina, is described from Russia. It is morphologically similar to Antrodia pulvinascens, but differs in having annual, thinner and softer basidiocarps, solid skeletal hyphae, and cylindrical spores. Antrodia leucaena, originally described from China, is reported as new from Finland and Russia on Populus tremula. Antrodia wangii is regarded as a synonym of A. bondartsevae.

What is Antrodia sensu stricto

The polypore genus Antrodia (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) in the strict sense consists of a small number of species grouped around the type species A. serpens in phylogenetic analyses. This distinct clade (Antrodia sensu stricto in our view) contains species of the Antrodia heteromorpha complex, A. macra coll. and Antrodia mappa (formerly Postia mappa). Nuclear rDNA ITS and tef1 data show that the Antrodia heteromorpha species complex includes four species: A. heteromorpha sensu stricto (mostly on gymnosperms, large pores and spores), A. serpens (on angiosperms in Europe, resupinate, smaller pores but large spores), A. favescens (smaller pores and spores, pileate species in North America, formerly known as Trametes sepium), and A. tanakai (a close kin of A. favescens in Eurasia). Antrodia albida is a synonym of A. heteromorpha sensu stricto. We combine A. mappa, A. favescens and A. tanakai in Antrodia and designate neotypes for A. albida and A. heteromorpha, and an epitype for A. serpens. We also compare the morphologically similar but distantly related A. albidoides and A. mellita, and conclude that A. macrospora and A. subalbidoides are synonyms of A. albidoides.

Notes on the Genus Aporpium (Auriculariales, Basidiomycota), with a New Species from Temperate Europe

A new polypore, Aporpium macroporum Niemelä, Spirin & Miettinen, is described on the basis of material from Finland, Poland (Białowieza National Park; type locality), European Russia, Belarus, Estonia, and Latvia. It grows primarily on fallen aspen trees and prefers old forests with abundant coarse woody debris. Aporpium caryae is an American taxon, and its European kin is A. canescens; A. macroporum differs from them in having wider pores, softer consistency, and paler colours. The spores of the new species are wider than in A. canescens, and longer than in A. caryae. The three species can be distinguished by their ribosomal DNA ITS sequences. We briefly discuss the heterobasidioid genera Aporpium, Elmerina and Protomerulius.

Species diversity in the Antrodia crassa group (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

Antrodia is a polyphyletic genus, comprising brown-rot polypores with annual or short-lived perennial resupinate, dimitic basidiocarps. Here we focus on species that are closely related to Antrodia crassa, and investigate their phylogeny and species delimitation using geographic, ecological, morphological and molecular data (ITS and LSU rDNA, tef1). Phylogenetic analyses distinguished four clades within the monophyletic group of eleven conifer-inhabiting species (five described herein): (1)A. crassa s. str. (boreal Eurasia), Antrodia cincta sp. nova (North America) and Antrodia cretacea sp. nova (holarctic), all three being characterized by inamyloid skeletal hyphae that dissolve quickly in KOH solution; (2) Antrodia ignobilis sp. nova, Antrodia sitchensis and Antrodia sordida from North America, and Antrodia piceata sp. nova (previously considered conspecific with A. sitchensis) from Eurasia, possessing amyloid skeletal hyphae; (3) Antrodia ladiana sp. nova from the southern part of the USA, Antrodia pinea from East Asia, and Antrodia ferox - so far known from subtropical North America, but here reported also from Eurasia. These three species have inamyloid hyphae and narrow basidiospores; (4) the North American Antrodia pini-cubensis, sharing similar morphological characters with A. pinea, forming a separate clade. The habitat data indicate that several species are threatened by intensive forestry.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Auriculariales (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) with stereoid basidiocarps

In the present study, we investigate taxonomy of the Auriculariales with effused or cupulate, persistent basidiocarps; generic and species concepts are revised based on morphological and DNA evidences. The genus Eichleriella is reinstated to embrace ten closely related species with ellipsoid-ovoid basidia, and the genus type, Eichleriella incarnata, is placed to the synonyms of Eichleriella leucophaea. Eichleriella bactriana, Eichleriella desertorum and Eichleriella sicca are described as new to science. In addition, four species earlier treated as members of Exidiopsis or Heterochaete are combined to the genus. The genus name Heteroradulum (type Radulum kmetii) is introduced for seven species with large, obconical, stipitate basidia. Of them, Heteroradulum adnatum and Heteroradulum semis are described as new. Two new genera, Amphistereum (with two species, type Eichleriella schrenkii) and Sclerotrema (monotypic, type Exidiopsis griseobrunnea), are proposed; Hirneolina (monotypic, type H. hirneoloides) and Tremellochaete (with two species, type Exidia japonica) are restored as good genera. The type species of Heterochaete, H. andina, is congeneric with Exidiopsis (type E. effusa).

Hidden diversity in the Antrodia malicola group (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

Taxonomy of the Antrodia malicola group is revised based on DNA, morphological, ecological, and geographic data. This species complex is not related to Antrodia s. str. but constitutes its own lineage within the large Fomitopsis – Daedalea clade. The A. malicola group includes five species. Antrodia malicola s. str. is distributed in North America and East Asia, and a few records of this species are reported from Azores and Africa. Its European counterpart is A. kuzyana, comb. nova, with wider pores. Infraspecific variability of A. malicola and possible gene flow between it and A. kuzyana in East Asia are detected based on tef1 sequence data. Antrodia cyclopis, sp. nova, is described as a large-spored relative of A. malicola from New Guinea. Antrodia minuta is reported here from several European countries and Siberia, and its morphological characters and host preferences are discussed. Its close relative is A. tuvensis, sp. nova, from Central Siberia, an unusual member of the group with sparse, flexuous skeletal hyphae.

The Phanerochaete sordida group (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) in temperate Eurasia, with a note on Phanerochaete pallida

The taxonomy of the Phanerochaete sordida group is revised based on morphological and DNA studies of collections from the temperate zone of Eurasia. P. sordida sensu typi is predominantly a gymnosperm-dwelling species having long, tubular, apically thin-walled and non-encrusted cystidia and narrowly ellipsoid or thick cylindrical basidiospores. In phylogenetic analysis, P. sordida is rather distant from three other species possessing similar morphological characters; those species inhabit angiosperm hosts and have narrower, cylindrical basidiospores. P. livescens, comb. nova, is characterized by sharp-tipped, strongly encrusted cystidia with equally thickened walls. It is widely distributed in temperate forests of Eurasia. P. concrescens, sp. nova, is an East Asian species having blunt-tipped, only apically encrusted cystidia with gradually thickened walls. P. cumulodentata, comb. nova, is reintroduced for the European species formerly known as P. raduloides, and its identity versus P. magnoliae from North America is discussed. Additionally, P. pallida is restored as a good species; it is not related to the P. sordida group and clusters with P. jose-ferreirae within the Byssomerulius clade (Irpicaceae).

Phellinidium asiaticum sp. nova (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota), the Asian kin of P. fragrans and P. pouzarii

Phellinidium (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) is characterized by a monomitic hyphal system, presence of hyphoid setae, and thin-walled, hyaline and acyanophilous basidiospores. The genus is polyphyletic and has at least three independent lineages. Phellinidium asiaticum Spirin, L.W. Zhou & Y.C. Dai is described as a new species based on four specimens from northeast China and the Russian Far East. In the nLSU-based phylogeny, P. asiaticum is nested within the clade including P. ferrugineofuscum (the generic type), and it is closely related to P. fragrans and P. pouzarii, known from North America and Europe, respectively. The morphological differences between P. asiaticum and P. fragrans, as well as P. pouzarii, are discussed.

Studies in the Antrodia serialis group (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

ABSTRACT Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Antrodia serialis group are revised with morphological, ecological, and geographic data, partial translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) gene sequences, and nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S sequences. The group contains 13 species found in boreal and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. The species are limited to certain geographic areas within Eurasia and North America. The traditional morphology-based concept of A. serialis covers at least four closely related species: A. serialis s. str. in Eurasia, A. angusta, sp. nov., in East Asia, A. serrata, sp. nov., in the American Northeast, and A. calcitrosa, sp. nov., in the American Northwest. They all are associated mostly with Picea spp. and show small, but stable morphological differences from each other. In addition, A. morganii, comb. nov., inhabiting wood of Populus spp., occurs in North America, and Antrodia alaskana, comb. nov., a large-pored species, macroscopically similar to A. variiformis, is distributed along the Pacific coast of North America. The pine-dwelling A. flavimontis, sp. nov., similar to A. primaeva from Eurasia, is so far known only from the eastern part of the Rocky Mountains (Utah and Wyoming).

Studies in the Phaeotremella foliacea group (Tremellomycetes, Basidiomycota)

The taxonomy of the Phaeotremella foliacea group is revised based on morphological, ecological, geographic and DNA data. The name P. foliacea is retained for the gymnosperm-dwelling species associated with Stereum sanguinolentum in Eurasia and North America. Tremella neofoliacea and Cryptococcus skinneri are considered synonyms of P. foliacea s. str. Three other species in the complex inhabit deciduous trees. Of them, Phaeotremella fimbriata, comb. nov., is associated with Stereum rugosum; this species possesses blackening basidiocarps and small basidiospores, and it occurs in Europe. Its close relative is the East Asian Phaeotremella eugeniae, sp. nov., inhabiting Quercus mongolica and having larger basidiospores. The third species, Phaeotremella frondosa, comb. nov., produces the largest basidiospores in the genus and is associated either with S. rugosum (mainly in North Europe) or with other Stereum species (temperate Eurasia and North America). Additionally, Tremella nigrescens is typified and placed in the synonyms of P. frondosa, and two species, T. fuscosuccinea and T. roseotincta, are combined to Phaeotremella.