New morphological and molecular data on Gymnopilus purpureosquamulosus and its phylogenetic relationships among similar species

Guzmán-Dávalos L., Contu M., Ortega A., Vizzini A., Herrera M., Ovrebo C., Rodríguez A., Villalobos-Arámbula A. R., Palomera V., Vargas G. & Santerre A. (2008) New morphological and molecular data on Gymnopilus purpureosquamulosus and its phylogenetic relationships among similar species.

Sydowia 60 (1): 41-56

Gymnopilus purpureosquamulosus Høil. is a rare fungus, previously known only from the type locality in Zimbabwe . In this paper, additional records from Italy , Nigeria , Panama , and Switzerland are presented. The main characteristics of this species are: pileus with purplish scales; membranous veil on the stipe; big, ellipsoid to oblong basidiospores, and subhymenium with inflated elements. Photographical illustrations, FESEM photographs of the basidiospores and drawings of the micromorphological features are provided. Notes on the type material of G.'peliolepis, a related species, are presented. Based on ITS rDNA sequence data, the phylogenetic relationships of G. purpureosquamulosus with closely related species are discussed.

Keywords: Africa, Europe, Panama , Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes.