Cryptomarasmius gen. nov. established in the Physalacriaceae to accommodate members of Marasmius section Hygrometrici

Abstract

Phylogenetic placement of the infrageneric section Hygrometrici (genus Marasmius sensu stricto) in prior molecular phylogenetic studies have been unresolved and problematical. Molecular analyses based on newly generated ribosomal nuc-LSU and 5.8S sequences resolve members of section Hygrometrici to the family Physalacriaceae. The new genus Cryptomarasmius is proposed to accommodate members of Marasmius section Hygrometrici. Fourteen species belonging to section Hygrometrici whose available type specimens bear morphological features corresponding to the new genus are formally combined in Cryptomarasmius. Taxonomic transfers are made only for taxa in which type specimens have been studied and/or representative material sequenced. Although other species placed in section Hygrometrici may belong in Cryptomarasmius, further transfers are not proposed until additional studies on type material are conducted.

• Agaricales
• Marasmiaceae
• phylogenetics
• systematics
• taxonomy

Acknowledgments

Partial support for this study was provided by a National Science Foundation PEET grant ( DEB-0118776) to DED, a National Science Foundation GK-12 fellowship to TSJ and a Whited & Thiers graduate scholarship from the Mycological Society of San Francisco to TSJ. The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr Vladimir Antonín of the Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic, Dr Else Vellinga of University of California, Berkeley, and Nhu Ngyuen of University of California, Berkeley, for providing specimens examined in this study. We also thank two anonymous reviewers who provided helpful suggestions to improve our manuscript.