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Background The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular relationship, origin and historical biogeography of the species in important brown rot fungal genus Laetiporus from East Asia, Europe, Pan-America, Hawaii and South Africa. We used six genetic markers to estimate a genus-level phylogeny including (1) the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), (2) nuclear large subunit rDNA (nrLSU), (3) nuclear small subunit rDNA (nrSSU), (4) translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α), (5) DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2), and (6) mitochondrial small subunit rDNA (mtSSU). Results Results of multi-locus phylogenetic analyses show clade support for at least seventeen species-level lineages including two new Laetiporus in China. Molecular dating using BEAST estimated the present crown group diverged approximately 20.16 million years ago (Mya) in the early Miocene. Biogeographic analyses using RASP indicated that Laetiporus most likely originated in temperate zones with East Asia and North America having the highest probability (48%) of being the ancestral area. Conclusions Four intercontinental dispersal routes and a possible concealed dispersal route were established for the first time.

Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on the brown-rot fungi, Fomitopsis and its related genera, are carried out. On the basis of morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence of DNA sequences of multiple loci including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the small subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nSSU), the small subunit mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences (mtSSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene ( tef1 ) and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II ( rpb2 ), six new genera, Fragifomes , Niveoporofomes , Piptoporellus , Rhodofomitopsis , Rubellofomes and Ungulidaedalea are established. Four new species, Buglossoporus eucalypticola , Daedalea allantoidea , Piptoporellus hainanensis and P. triqueter are descibed from China. Illustrated descriptions of the novel species are provided. Identification keys to Fomitopsis and its related genera, as well as keys to the species of each genus are provided.

Melanopus is a morphological group of Polyporus which contains species with a black cuticle on the stipe. In this article, taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on Melanopus group were carried out on the basis of morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence of DNA sequences of multiple loci including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the small subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nSSU), the small subunit mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences (mtSSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (EF1-α), the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2), and β-tubulin gene sequences (β-tubulin). The phylogenetic result confirmed that the previously so-called Melanopus group is not a monophyletic assemblage, and species in this group distribute into two distinct clades: the Picipes clade and the Squamosus clade. Four new species of Picipes are described, and nine new combinations are proposed. A key to species of Picipes is provided.

Bondarzewia is a conspicuous and widely distributed mushroom genus, but little is known about its origin and biogeography. Here, we investigated the systematics and biogeography of Bondarzewia species using multi-locus phylogenetic analysis. Four genetic markers, including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large nuclear ribosomal RNA subunit (nLSU), elongation factor 1-α (tef1) and mitochondrial small subunit rDNA (mtSSU), were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships of Bondarzewia . We performed Bayesian evolutionary analysis on the gene datasets of the largest and second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II (RPB1 and RPB2). From the results, we inferred that the maximum crown age of Bondarzewia is approximately 25.5 million-years-ago (Mya) and that tropical East Asia is likely to be its ancestral area, with three possible expansions leading to its distribution in North America, Europe and Oceania.

China has a complex and diverse forest ecological environment, which breeds abundant forest macrofungi, including some edible, medicinal, and poisonous species. During the investigations of macrofungi in the Saihanba National Nature Reserve, North China, we collected abundant specimens of Agaricales and Polyporales within the Agaricomycetes. Based on the morphological characters and molecular evidence of DNA sequences including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the small subunit of mitochondrial rRNA gene (mtSSU), the small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nuSSU), the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2), the β-tubulin gene (TUB), and the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1), this study identifies ten species of Agaricales and Polyporales new to science, viz. Cyanosporus subpopuli, Gelatinofungus betulina, Lycoperdon pseudoperlatum, Macrocystidia hebeiensis, Mycena subbrunnea, M. subpura, M. variispora, M. violocea-ardesiaca, Picipes griseus, and Pleuroflammula hebeiensis. Detailed morphological descriptions, fruiting bodies, and microscopic structure diagrams of these ten novel species are provided.

The unique ecological environment and minimal human interference in Medog County endow it with abundant and distinctive macrofungi resources. But in the past, there have been few research reports on the investigation of macrofungi in Medog County. In this study, we systematically investigated macrofungi in forests of different altitudinal gradients in Medog County and collected some specimens, especially those growing on wood. Morphology and phylogenetic analysis were used to study the specimens which could not be identified as species. Phylogenetic analysis was based on DNA sequences including the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) and the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU). Based on morphological characterisation and molecular data, this study identified 192 macrofungi species in the Basidiomycota and Ascomycota from Medog County, belonging to 15 orders, 62 families, and 123 genera. Among these species, 12 new species belong to eight genera, four families within Marasmiineae were recognised, viz. Collybiopsis incarnatus, C. medogensis, C. salmonea, C. submenehune, Crustomyces subisabellinus, Gymnopus subfoetidus, Marasmiellus medogensis, M. subgregarius, Marasmius medogensis, Mycetinis rhododendri, Oudemansiella nivea, and Pusillomyces tropicalis. Basidiomata and microscopic structure diagrams and detailed morphological descriptions of the novel species are provided.

Three new resupinate, poroid, wood-inhabiting fungi, Perenniporia aridula , P. bannaensis and P. substraminea , are introduced on the basis of morphological and molecular characters. Molecular study based on sequence data from the ribosomal ITS and LSU regions supported the three new species’ positions in Perenniporia s.s . , and all of them formed monophyletic lineages with strong support (100 % BP, 1.00 BPP). Phylogenetic analysis revealed seven clades for the 31 species of Perenniporia s.l. used in this study. Among them, Perenniporiella clustered with Perenniporia ochroleuca group, and then subsequently grouped with Abundisporus . In addition, the P. ochroleuca group, the P. vicina group, the P. martia group and P. subacida formed well supported monophyletic entities, which could be recognized as distinct genera, and they are not related to P. medulla-panis which belongs to Perenniporia s.s. clade. An identification key to 38 species of Perenniporia occurring in China is provided.

Fragiliporiaceae fam. nov., a new poroid wood-inhabiting family, is introduced based on the combination of molecular and morphological data, and is typified by Fragiliporia gen. nov. The phylogenetic analysis shows that Fragiliporia fragilis sp. nov. forms a monophyletic group within Polyporales and warrants the introduction of a new fragiliporia clade based on molecular data of ITS + nLSU rRNA gene regions. Combined ITS, nLSU, mtSSU, TEF1 and RPB2 sequence data also demonstrated that the new family Fragiliporiaceae also formed a monophyletic lineage (70 % BS, 57 % BP, 0.99 BPP), and grouped with the phlebioid clade, residual polyporoid clade and core polyporoid clade. Fragiliporiaceae has unique macromorphological characters in having resupinate basidiocarps with very soft tubes when fresh, which become brittle when dry (becoming almost powdery when bruised); a monomitic hyphal system with thick-walled generative hyphae, clamp connections, and frequently H-, W- or Y-shaped hyphae branching from the clamp connections.

Ganoderma is a cosmopolitan white rot fungal genus, famous for its medicinal properties. In the present study, two new Ganoderma species were collected from south-eastern China and described on the basis of morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (EF1-α) and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2). Specimens of both species were found on living trees of Casuarinaequisetifolia . Ganodermaangustisporum sp. nov. is characterised by its sessile basidiomata and almond-shaped, slightly truncate, narrow basidiospores (9–11.3 × 4–5.2 µm). Ganodermacasuarinicola sp. nov. is characterised by its strongly laccate reddish-brown pileal surface, luminous yellow to yellowish-brown cutis and ellipsoid, truncate basidiospores (9–10.2 × 5–6 µm). The two new species are compared with their related taxa. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that G.angustisporum and G.casuarinicola are distinct species within Ganoderma .

Polypore fungi are an important part of forest ecosystems. In the last decade, the taxonomic status and species number of polypore fungi have changed greatly, and many new taxa have been discovered. China is one of the countries with the most abundant and diverse polypore fungi in the world, and a total of 1,214 polypore fungal species were reported here. This study lists the polypore fungi with their diversity, taxonomic status, habitats, geographical distributions, and molecular data. All the polypore fungi in China belong to the phylum Basidiomycota, subphylum Agaricomycotina, and class Agaricomycetes, including 11 orders, 55 families, and 266 genera. The orders Polyporales and Hymenochaetales are dominant, and the families Polyporaceae and Hymenochaetaceae are dominant. The overall distribution trend of polypore fungi in China shows that more species are distributed in the south and fewer are distributed in the north. In addition, different nutritional modes of polypore fungi have different preferences for host species, with white-rot fungi preferring angiosperm trees and brown-rot fungi preferring gymnosperm trees.