More than one fungus in the pepper pot: integrative taxonomy unasks hidden species within Myriostoma coliforme (Geastraceae, Basidiomycota)

Since the nineteenth century, Myriostoma has been regarded as a monotypic genus with a widespread distribution in north temperate and subtropical regions. However, on the basis of morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence of DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), four species are now delimited: M. areolatum comb. & stat. nov., M. calongei sp. nov., M. capillisporum comb. & stat. nov., and M. coliforme. Myriostoma coliforme is typified by selecting a lectotype (iconotype) and a modern sequenced collection as an epitype. The four species can be discriminated by a combination of morphological characters, such as stomatal form, endoperidial surface texture, and basidiospore size and ornamentation.The authors would like to express their thanks to the CoordenacËão de AperfeicËoamento de Pessoal de NõÂvel Superior (CAPESÐBrazil) for the PhD scholarships awarded to Julieth de Oliveira Sousa and Donis S. Alfredo in 2014/2015 and to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientõÂfico e TecnoloÂgico (CNPqÐBrazil, Projeto Pesquisador Visitante Especial PVE/407474/2013±7 and Projecto de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade do Semiarido PPBio/457476/ 2012±5; MarõÂa P. MartõÂn and Iuri G. Baseia) for the scholarship of scientific initiation awarded to Luana Conrado. Natural England (Species Recovery Programme) is thanked for funding part of the sequencing work carried out in England. The first author would like to thank Bianca Silva and Judcleidson Cavalcante for their help with the Brazilian field expedition. Bart Buyck is thanked for granting permission for specimen loans from the Herbarium of the MuseÂum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHNÐParis), and Mikael Jeppson for loan of the sample MJ8714. Thanks to M. Teresa Telleria and Margarita Dueñas from the Real JardõÂn BotaÂnico-CSIC (Madrid, Spain) for continuously supporting the study of gasteroid fungi and thanks to Paul M. Kirk (RBG, Kew) for nomenclatural advice. Thanks to Sandra Nogal-Prata forMyriostoma areolatum Fig 2A and 2B. The authors would also like to thank MarõÂa Conejero (RBG, Kew) and Yolanda Ruiz (RJB, Madrid) for technical support with the SEM images.Peer reviewe