New records of Cantharellus species from the northwestern Himalayas of India

Abstract

This study investigated several collections of the genus Cantharellus (Cantharellaceae) from the northwestern Himalayas, India, on the basis of morphology and molecular data. Phylogenetic relationships and species limits were investigated by using nuclear ribosomal large subunit sequences (LSU). We recognized 13 species: Cantharellus appalachiensis Petersen, C. cibarius Fries, C. lateritius (Berk) Singer, C. miniatescens Heinem, C. minor Peck, C. pseudoformosus and seven species, C. applanatus sp. nov., C. elongatipes sp. nov., C. fibrillosus sp. nov., C. himalayensis sp. nov., C. indicus sp. nov., C. natarajanii sp. nov., and C. umbonatus sp. nov., as new to science. All these species are described and their taxonomy and ecology are discussed. In addition, a key is provided to all the recognized species. The phylogenetic analysis recovered 10 major supported clades of Cantharellus species.

Keywords: Cantharellus; large subunit (LSU) of rDNA; molecular systematic; phylogeny; taxonomy.

Figure 1.

Collection sites for the Cantharellaceae from the forest of the northwestern Himalayas, India.

Figure 2.

Phylogeny of Cantharellus generated from maximum likelihood of LSU sequences, rooted with Craterellus species. Parsimony bootstrap support (BS) and Bayesian posterior probability (PP) values >50% are given at the internodes (BS/PP). The bold species represent the Indian collections.

Figure 3.

Phylogeny of Cantharellus generated from ITS sequences, rooted with Craterellus species. Bootstrap values are given at the internodes. The bold species represent the Indian collections.

Figure 4.

Basidiocarps of A. C. appalachiensis; B. C. applanatus; C. C. cibarius; D. C. elongatipes; E. C. fibrillosus; F. C. himalayensis; G. C. indicus; H. C lateritius; I. C. minor; J. C. natarajanii and K. C. umbonatus. (All the photographs are the holotype and the bar represents 2 cm.)

Figure 5.

Basidiospores and basidia of A & B, C. appalachiensis; C & D, C. applanatus; E & F, C. elongatipes; G & H, C. fibrillosus; I & J, C. himalayensis; K & L, C. indicus; M & N, C. lateritius; O & P, C. natarajanii and Q & R, C. umbonatus. (All the elements are drawn from the holotype and the bar represents 10 µm.)

Figure 6.

Pileipellis of, A. C. applanatus; B. C. elongatipes; C. C. fibrillosus; D. C. himalayensis; E. C. indicus; F. C. lateritius; G. C. natarajanii and H. C. umbonatus.