Morphological and phylogenetic studies of two new neotropical species of Loweomyces (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

The genus Loweomyces is characterized by resupinate to pileate, sessile to stipitate basidiomes, monomitic to dimitic hyphal system with presence of pseudoskeletal hyphae, thin-walled hymenial cystidia, and usually cyanophilous spore and hyphal walls. The genus has not been widely accepted and some authors placed Loweomyces species in Abortiporus, Tyromyces or Antrodiella. During a survey of polypores in southern Brazil, two unidentified species with similar features to Loweomyces spp. were found. Morphological and molecular studies were carried out in order to understand their morphological and evolutionary relationships and to confirm their phylogenetic placement and taxonomic identity. DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and large subunit of ribosomal RNA gene were used for phylogenetic studies. Both studied species have similar morphological characteristics to other Loweomyces spp. and group close to L. fractipes phylogenetically; therefore, Loweomyces spissus and L. tomentosus are proposed as new species. Full descriptions, illustrations of microscopic features, and an identification key to the accepted species in the genus are presented.Fil: Westphalen, Mauro C.. Instituto de Botanica de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Tomšovský, Michal. Mendelova Univerzita V Brne; República ChecaFil: Rajchenberg, Mario. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gugliotta, Adriana M.. Instituto de Botanica de Sao Paulo; Brasi

New insights on Flaviporus (Polyporales) in the neotropics

The genus Flaviporus (Polyporales, Steccherinaceae) includes species of polypores with watery and resinous basidiomes that shrink and become very hard upon drying. Recent studies indicated that F. liebmannii, one of the most common species of the genus in the Neotropics, is polyphyletic. In addition, several names have been associated with Flaviporus in the past, but have not been revised and/or discussed recently. In this study, we aimed to identify monophyletic groups in the genus based on morphological features and a multigene molecular phylogeny. We prepared two different datasets to infer phylogenetic relationships, one based in four genes (ITS, ncLSU rDNA, TEF1-α, and RPB1) to evaluate the position of the genus within the Steccherinaceae, and a separate phylogeny based on two genes (ITS and ncLSU) to evaluate species-level boundaries within Flaviporus. Based on the data obtained, the new species Flaviporus lacteus is proposed. In addition, F. liebmannii is confirmed to form a species complex including at least two different species, F. liebmannii s.s., and F. subglobisporus comb. et stat. nov. Full descriptions of the new taxa proposed, as well as comments on all species accepted in the genus are provided.Fil: Westphalen, Mauro C.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Motato Vásquez, Viviana. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Rajchenberg, Mario. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tomšovský, Michal. Mendel University in Brno; República ChecaFil: Gugliotta, Adriana M.. Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais; BrasilFil: Silveira, Rosa Mara Borges Da. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasi