The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature was agreed at an international symposium convened in Amsterdam on 19–20 April 2011 under the auspices of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF). The purpose of the symposium was to address the issue of whether or how the current system of naming pleomorphic fungi should be maintained or changed now that molecular data are routinely available. The issue is urgent as mycologists currently follow different practices, and no consensus was achieved by a Special Committee appointed in 2005 by the International Botanical Congress to advise on the problem. The Declaration recognizes the need for an orderly transitition to a single-name nomenclatural system for all fungi, and to provide mechanisms to protect names that otherwise then become endangered. That is, meaning that priority should be given to the first described name, except where that is a younger name in general use when the first author to select a name of a pleomorphic monophyletic genus is to be followed, and suggests controversial cases are referred to a body, such as the ICTF, which will report to the Committee for Fungi. If appropriate, the ICTF could be mandated to promote the implementation of the Declaration. In addition, but not forming part of the Declaration, are reports of discussions held during the symposium on the governance of the nomenclature of fungi, and the naming of fungi known only from an environmental nucleic acid sequence in particular. Possible amendments to the Draft BioCode (2011) to allow for the needs of mycologists are suggested for further consideration, and a possible example of how a fungus only known from the environment might be described is presented

The biology and taxonomy of Pacific Northwest species of Phaeocollybia Heim (Agaricales, Cortinariaceae)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998Investigation of the agaric genus Phaeocollybia (Cortinariaceae) in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California has led to a better understanding of the biology of the genus and resulted in a taxonomic revision of Pacific Northwest species. Discovery of mycelial and pseudorhizal connections to mantle-sheathed rootlet tips with Hartig nets offers the first good evidence in support of Phaeocollybia as an ectomycorrhizal genus. Basidiome development is traced from subterranean initiation to fully mature emergent basidiomes, and hypotheses on the monovelangiocarpic development of Phaeocollybia basidiomes are developed based on extensive observations of primordia and numerous field excavations. New generically significant characters--pellicular veil, tibiiform diverticula, and sarcodimitic tissues--are examined in depth. Four different pseudorhizal morphologies (vertical-monopodial, lateral-monopodial, sequential-racemose, fasciculate-racemose) are fully explored together with evidence of pseudorhizal meristemoidal activity and rhizomorphic function. Developmentally dependent character variations (e.g., apical extensions from senescent thin-walled cheilocystidia) are identified and discussed.Diagnostic morphological, developmental and ecological characters subjected to computer-assisted multivariate and phenetic cluster analyses are evaluated. Problems caused by length variations of PCR-amplified ITS1+5.8S+ITS2 ribosomal DNA (obtained from 160 specimens representing twenty-six Pacific Northwest and extralimital Phaeocollybias and seven out-taxa) are outlined. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms and restriction site data produced by single digests with nine enzymes are discussed in detail. Phylogenies inferred from computer-assisted cladistic analyses of restriction site data show a high degree of support for previously formed morphologically-based species hypotheses and suggest that sections proposed by previous workers are probably polyphyletic.Nine new species (P. ammiratii, P. benzokauffmanii, P. luteosquamulosa, P. phaeogaleroides, P. pleurocystidiata, P. redheadii, P. rifflipes, P. rufotubulina, and P. tibiikauffmanii) are proposed, P. carmanahensis is synonymized with P. oregonensis, and P. deceptiva (thought to represent Subgenus Telamonia, Cortinarius) is excluded from the genus. Fully revised technical descriptions integrating morphological, ecological, developmental, macrochemical and molecular information for twenty-five currently recognized Pacific Northwest species are accompanied by dichotomous and synoptic keys, line drawings, and full color photographs. Placement of Phaeocollybia within the Cortinariaceae is discussed and an emended generic description presented. Supporting materials include a fully-annotated conspectus to eighty world species

Competing sexual-asexual generic names in Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota) with recommendations for use

With the change to one scientific name for fungal taxa, generic names typified by species with sexual or asexual morph types are being evaluated to determine which names represent the same genus and thus compete for use. In this paper generic names of the Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota) were evaluated to determine synonymy based on their type. Forty-seven sets of sexually and asexually typified names were determined to be congeneric and recommendations are made for which generic name to use. In most cases the principle of priority is followed. However, 16 generic names are recommended for use that do not have priority and thus need to be protected: Aleurocystis over Matula; Armillaria over Acurtis and Rhizomorpha; Asterophora over Ugola; Botryobasidium over Acladium, Allescheriella, Alysidium, Haplotrichum, Physospora, and Sporocephalium; Coprinellus over Ozonium; Coprinopsis over Rhacophyllus; Dendrocollybia over Sclerostilbum and Tilachlidiopsis; Diacanthodes over Bornetina; Echinoporia over Echinodia; Neolentinus over Digitellus; Postia over Ptychogaster; Riopa over Sporotrichum; Scytinostroma over Artocreas, Michenera, and Stereofomes; Tulasnella over Hormomyces; Typhula over Sclerotium; and Wolfiporia over Gemmularia and Pachyma. Nine species names are proposed for protection: Botryobasidium aureum, B. conspersum, B. croceum, B. simile, Pellicularia lembosporum (syn. B. lembosporum), Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Polyporus metamorphosus (syn. Riopa metamorphosa), Polyporus mylittae (syn. Laccocephalum mylittae), and Polyporus ptychogaster (syn. Postia ptychogaster). Two families are proposed for protection: Psathyrellaceae and Typhulaceae. Three new species names and 30 new combinations are established, and one lectotype is designated