Abstract
Two new species from the Russulaceae, Lactifluus aurantiotinctus and Russula pallidirosea, are described from American Samoa. Based on analyses of nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region barcodes (ITS), L. aurantiotinctus has an affinity to subgenus Lactariopsis and strong phylogeographic ties to Papua New Guinea. The ITS data indicate that Russula pallidirosea has an affinity to subgenus Heterophyllidia and suggest that it also has phylogeographic ties to Australasia. Both species were associated with the ectomycorrhizal tree Intsia bijuga.
Acknowledgments
The National Geographic Society is gratefully acknowledged for providing financial support for the field and laboratory work done for this project. This research was supported by the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, Utah State University, and approved as journal paper number 8853. The National Park of American Samoa and the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources in American Samoa are thanked for providing the necessary collecting permits and for giving helpful advice about collecting within the national park.