Phylogenetic and microscopic studies in the genus Lactifluus (Basidiomycota, Russulales) in West Africa, including the description of four new species

Despite the crucial ecological role of lactarioid taxa (Lactifluus, Lactarius) as common ectomycorrhiza formers in tropical African seasonal forests, their current diversity is not yet adequately assessed. During the last few years, numerous lactarioid specimens have been sampled in various ecosystems from Togo (West Africa). We generated 48 ITS sequences and aligned them against lactarioid taxa from other tropical African ecozones (Guineo-Congolean evergreen forests, Zambezian miombo). A Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic tree was inferred from a dataset of 109 sequences. The phylogenetic placement of the specimens, combined with morpho-anatomical data, supported the description of four new species from Togo within the monophyletic genus Lactifluus: within subgen. Lactifluus (L. flavellus), subgen. Russulopsis (L. longibasidius and L. pectinatus), and subgen. Edules (L. melleus). This demonstrates that the current species richness of the genus is considerably higher than hitherto estimated for African species and, in addition, a need to redefine the subgenera and sections within it

Quercirhiza quadratum: a revision of the characters and identity of the ad type ectomycorrhiza

The well-known AD type, described first by Giraud in 1988, is considered as a competitor in black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.) plantations. It has been mainly observed in T. melanosporum and T. magnatum Pico plantations in France and Italy. This ectomycorrhiza has always been observed on roots of oak (Quercus ilex L. and Q. faginea Lam.) and hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) plantations with “burnt” areas around the trees, even in those that do not produce black truffle sporocarps, so it can create false expectations in young plantations. The AD type has also been described in nurseries, as a competitive ectomycorrhiza on seedlings inoculated with black truffle. In Spain, AD type has been detected in black truffle plantations and natural holm oak stands in Navarra, Soria, Huesca, Zaragoza, Teruel, Castellón and Valencia. In 2005, De Román & De Miguel, suggested that AD type could be a telephoroid type due to its anatomical and morphological characters. In 2006, Baciarelli-Falini et al. using molecular techniques identified this type as an Ascomycotina belonging to Pezizales. The detailed anatomical, morphological and molecular study of the AD type led to a description as Quercirhiza quadratum (Águeda et al. 2008). Based on the anatomical and morphological characters, the AD type belongs to the Ascomycotina. The presence of Woronin bodies on hyphal septa, and the sometimes slightly dissolved septa, are two typical characters of this group. The DNA sequences obtained from the AD types studied showed close similarities with members of Pyronemataceae and Sarcosomataceae (Pezizales). Both taxonomic groups correspond to the same AD type as found by Baciarelli Falini et al., (2006). One of the studied sequences showed a close identity (100% maximum identity, 84% coverage) with Trichophaea woolhopeia (Cooke & W. Phillips) Arnould, although records of this fungal species are scarce in the Iberian Peninsula

Acaulosporoid glomeromycotan spores with a germination shield from the 400-million-year-old Rhynie chert

This is the publisher's version, which is being shared with permission. The original version is available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11557-008-0573-1Scutellosporites devonicus from the Early Devonian Rhynie chert is the only fossil glomeromycotan spore taxon known to produce a germination shield. This paper describes a second type of glomeromycotan spore with a germination shield from the Rhynie chert. In contrast to S. devonicus, however, these spores are acaulosporoid and develop laterally in the neck of the sporiferous saccule. Germination shield morphology varies, from plate-like with single or double lobes to tongue-shaped structures usually with infolded margins that are distally fringed or palmate. Spore walls are complex and appear to be constructed of at least three wall groups, the outermost of which includes the remains of the saccule. The complement of features displayed by the fossils suggests a relationship with the extant genera Ambispora, Otospora, Acaulospora or Archaeospora, but which of these is the closest extant relative cannot be determined. The acaulosporoid spores from the Rhynie chert document that this spore type was in existence already ∼400 mya, and thus contribute to a more complete understanding of the evolutionary history of the Glomeromycota. This discovery pushes back the evolutionary origin of all main glomeromycotan groups, revealing that they had evolved before rooted land plants had emerged

The genus Lactarius s. str. (Basidiomycota, Russulales) in Togo (West Africa) : phylogeny and a new species described

Lactarius s. str. represents a monophyletic group of about 40 species in tropical Africa, although the delimitation of the genus from Lactifluus is still in progress. Recent molecular phylogenetic and taxonomic revisions have led to numerous changes in names of tropical species formerly referred to Lactarius. To better circumscribe the genus Lactarius in Togo, we combined morphological data with sequence analyses and phylogeny inference of rDNA ITS sequences. Morphological and molecular data were generated from specimens sampled in various native woodlands and riverside forests; Lactarioid- and Russula sequences from public GenBank NCBI, and UNITE are included for phylogenetic analysis. The Maximum likelihood phylogeny tree inferred from aligned sequences supports the phylogenetic position of the studied samples from Togo within the subgenera Piperites, and Plinthogali. Lactarius s. str. includes about 13 species described from West Africa, of which eight were not previously known from Togo, including one new species: Lactarius subbaliophaeus identifiable by the presence of winged basidiospores, a pallisadic pileipellis with a uprapellis composed of cylindrical cells, inconspicuous pleurocystidia, and fusiform or tortuous, often tapering apex marginal cells. It can also be recognised by a transparent white latex that turns pinkish and then blackish, and a bluish reaction of the flesh context with FeSO4. These features mentioned do not match any of the morpho-anatomically most similar species, notably L. baliophaeus and L. griseogalus

Ectomycorrhizae of Tomentella badia: description and molecular identification

Species within the genera Tomentella are among the most important ECM in forests. However, our knowledge about their functional characteristics is still rather limited. The ectomycorrhizae of Tomentella badia on Picea abies are described here in detail and compared to the non-identified ECM Piceirhiza obscura. A pseudoparenchymatous mantle formed by epidermoid cells is covered by heaps of epidermoid cells. This mantle type is regarded as a new one and designated as mantle type R. Many cells filled with dark blue contents and/or blue granules, together with clampless hyphae, are distinct characters of these ectomycorrhizae. Molecular-phylogenetic analysis of the ITS region was used for identification

Rectipilus, eine neue Gattung cyphelloider Pilze

The shape of the surface hairs decides the affiliation to the genus. Since species with branched as well as with unbranched surface hairs are comprised in the genus Henningsomyces O. K., s. 1., I should like to suggest to divide this genus into two more homogeneous genera. Accordingly species with branched surface hairs would be adjoined to the genus Henningsomyces O. K., s. str., whereas species with unbranched surface hairs would be assigned to a new genus Rectipilus Agerer

Never change a functionally successful principle: The evolution of Boletales s.l. (Hymenomycetes, Basidiomycota) as seen from below-ground features

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