A molecular phylogenetic assessment of the genus Gyromitra in North America

Abstract

Gyromitra is a widespread genus of macroscopic apothecial ascomycetes whose taxa may be mycorrhizal, saprophytic or parasitic. Nuclear ribosomal 28S large subunit sequence data from 35 specimens from North America, along with sequences available in GenBank, were used in maximum-parsimony, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses to reconstruct a phylogeny of Gyromitra in North America. Gyromitra sensu lato forms a monophyletic group within the Discinaceae composed of five distinct subgenera and 11 well supported clades that include Discina, Hydnotrya and Pseudorhizina. A new subgenus is proposed to accommodate G. californica and G. sphaerospora.

Keywords: Discinaceae; Helvellaceae; Morchellaceae; Rhizinaceae; false morel; large subunit; systematics.