Novel Sarcoscypha Species from National Parks in Korea: Sarcoscypha humida sp. nov.

Abstract

Sarcoscypha (Sarcoscyphaceae, Pezizales) is a saprobic fungus characterized by the cup or disc-shaped blight red apothecium and oblong to ellipsoid ascospores. The 18 species of Sarcoscypha were known to occur in Europe, North America, and tropical Asia. However, up to date, only two Sarcoscypha species have been reported in Korea. In this study, novel Sarcoscypha specimens were collected from Juwangsan, Odaesan, and Taebaeksan National Parks from September to October in Korea. This species is well distinguished from other Sarcoscypha species according to the molecular and phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Here, we provided detailed descriptions with illustrations and a phylogenetic tree to report our specimens as novel Sarcoscypha species.

Keywords:

• Ascomycota
• ascospore
• ITS
• phylogeny
• Sarcoscyphaceae

Disclosure statement

Y.M. Heo is employed by COSMAX BTI. The rest of the authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationship that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant of National Institute of Biological Resources, funded by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea (NIBR202304104).