Tuula Niskanen

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · Identification and Naming

The authors describe a new Cortinarius species, C. habros, phylogenetically isolated within Telamonia and morphologically reminiscent of several sections of the subgenus. Résumé Les auteurs décrivent une nouvelle espèce de Cortinarius, C. habros, phylogénétiquement iso-lée au sein des Telamonia et rappelant morphologiquement plusieurs sections du s...

Fungi play vital roles in ecosystems as endophytes, pathogens and saprobes. The current estimate of fungal diversity is highly uncertain, ranging from 1.5 to 12 million, but only around 150,000 species have been named and classified to date. Since the introduction of DNA based methods for species identification, the number of newly described taxa h...

Family Cortinariaceae currently includes only one genus, Cortinarius, which is the largest Agaricales genus, with thousands of species worldwide. The species are important ectomycorrhizal fungi and form associations with many vascular plant genera from tropicals to arctic regions. Genus Cortinarius contains a lot of morphological variation, and its...

Gloeocantharellus andasibensis sp. nov. is recognized by orange-red basidiomata with a convex to plane, innately fibrillose and viscid pileus, ellipsoid to amygdaliform, small, verrucose basidiospores, and a distinct nrITS sequence. This is the first record of the genus from Madagascar. To improve the understanding of the nomenclature of the genus,...

Section Anomali is a species-rich group in North America belonging to Cortinarius , the most diverse genus in the Agaricales. This study is based on extensive morphological investigations and molecular methods using 191 nrDNA ITS sequence data and recovered 43 phylogenetic species from which 14 are described here as new to science. We sequenced ten...

The focus of this paper is the North American species of Cortinarius in subg. Leprocybe . Eighteen species, including twelve new ones, and two tentative (aff.) species, are delimited based on morphological and molecular data (DNA ITS-LSU sequences). Existing type specimens of species in subg. Leprocybe were also studied, and neo- or epitypes design...

This paper is a contribution to the current knowledge of taxonomy, ecology and distribution of South American Cortinarius (Pers.) Gray. Cortinarius is among the most widely distributed and species-rich basidiomycete genera occurring with South American Nothofagaceae and species are found in many distinct habitats, including shrublands and forests....

Recently, several saprotrophic genera have been found to invade/interact with plant roots in laboratory growth experiments, and this coincides with reports of abundant saprotrophic fungal sequences in plant roots. However, it is uncertain if this reflects field phenomena, and if reports on coincidentally amplified saprotrophs are simply coincidenta...

The genus Hygroaster (Hygrophoraceae, Hygrophorineae) is a small genus with a tropical distribution. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis, two new species, H. madagascarensis and H. andasibensis, are described from Madagascar. They are the first species of this genus described from Africa. To stabilize the nomenclature, the type specime...

The genus Hygroaster (Hygrophoraceae, Hygrophorineae) is a small genus with a tropical distribution. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis, two new species, H. madagascarensis and H. andasibensis, are described from Madagascar. They are the first species of this genus described from Africa. To stabilize the nomenclature, the type specime...

Alpine habitats are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to environmental change, however, little is known about the drivers of plant‐fungal interactions in these ecosystems and their resilience to climate change. We investigate the influence of the main drivers of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal communities along elevation and environmental gradient...

Scientific discovery, including naming new taxa, is important because without a scientific name, a species is invisible to science and the possibilities of researching its ecology, applications and threats, and conserving it, are greatly reduced. We review new scientific discoveries in the plant and fungal kingdoms, based largely on new names of ta...

Kew’s State of the World’s Plants and Fungi project provides assessments of our current knowledge of the diversity of plants and fungi on Earth, the global threats that they face, and the policies to safeguard them. Produced in conjunction with an international scientific symposium, Kew’s State of the World’s Plants and Fungi sets an important inte...

The website http://outlineoffungi.org, is launched to provide a continuous up-to-date classification of the kingdom Fungi (including fossil fungi) and fungus-like taxa. This is based on 1516 recent publications and on the outline of fungi and fungus-like taxa published recently (Mycosphere 11, 1060-1456, Doi: 10.5943/mycosphere/11/1/8). The website...

So far approximately 144,000 species of fungi have been named but sequences of the majority of them do not exist in the public databases. Therefore, the quality and coverage of public barcode databases is a bottleneck that hinders the study of fungi. Cortinarius is the largest genus of Agaricales with thousands of species worldwide. The most divers...

Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi are essential for the establishment of woody perennial plants in the European Alps. From continental to local scales, environmental conditions and plant host characteristics can predict EcM community structure and composition. However, it is unclear whether EcM communities of congeneric host species and their hybrids are...

Fungal diversity notes is one of the important journal series of fungal taxonomy that provide detailed descriptions and illustrations of new fungal taxa, as well as providing new information of fungal taxa worldwide. This article is the 11th contribution to the fungal diversity notes series, in which 126 taxa distributed in two phyla, six classes,...

We studied the South American species of Cortinarius section Thaumasti based on morphological and molecular data. Members of this group can easily be identified in the field because the basidiomata are small and Phlegmacium-like with a bulbous stipe and the universal veil in most species forms a distinct volva at the base of the stipe. The phylogen...

This article is the tenth series of the Fungal Diversity Notes, where 114 taxa distributed in three phyla, ten classes, 30 orders and 53 families are described and illustrated. Taxa described in the present study include one new family (viz. Pseudoberkleasmiaceae in Dothideomycetes), five new genera (Caatingomyces, Cryptoschizotrema, Neoacladium, P...

Environmental drivers of alpine ectomycorrhizal fungal communities.

Mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) have the greatest morphological diversity and complexity of any group of fungi. They have radiated into most niches and fulfil diverse roles in the ecosystem, including wood decomposers, pathogens or mycorrhizal mutualists. Despite the importance of mushroom-forming fungi, large-scale patterns of their evolut...

In this study, we document and describe the new Cortinarius section Austroamericani. Our results reveal high species diversity within this clade, with a total of 12 recognized species. Of these, only C. rufus was previously documented. Seven species are described as new based on basidiomata collections. The four remaining species are only known fro...

Cortinarius is one of the most species-rich genera of mushroom-forming fungi. Based on phylogenetic and morphological evidence, Cortinarius, sect. Riederi, is introduced at sectional level (= subsect. Riederi sensu Brandrud & Melot). The taxonomy, phylogeny, ecology and distribution of not only mainly European but also including some North American...

This chapter is an overview of the 2189 fungal species published as new to science in 2017, focussing on new mycorrhizal, pathogenic, edible fungi relatives, lichen and lichen-dwelling fungal species. The top country for discovery was China, with 35% of the new species, reflecting the world-leading scientific investment in fungal discovery in that...

Alpine ectomycorrhizal fungi, Environmental Drivers, European Alps

In this study, eight species of Chroogomphus are recognized from Europe: C. britannicus, C. aff. liformis 1, C. fulmineus, C. cf. helveticus, C. mediterraneus, C. cf. purpurascens, C. rutilus, and C. subfulmineus. Different candidates for the application of the name C. rutilus are evaluated and the best fit to the description is selected; lecto- an...

In this study, 49 species of Hydnum are recognized worldwide. Twenty-two of them are described here as new species. Epitypes are proposed for H. repandum and H. rufescens. The majority of the species are currently known only from a single continent. The barcodes produced in this study are deposited in the RefSeq database and used as a basis to name...

A new classification of several clitocyboid taxa is here proposed to accommodate results from multigenic phylogenetic inference. The analysis of ITS rDNA as well as a combined dataset including 18S and 28S rDNA, tef1 and rpb2 data, support significantly a shared monophyletic origin of the genera Pseudoclitocybe, Musumecia and Pogonoloma, and the sp...

Historical datasets of living communities are important because they can be used to document creeping shifts in species compositions. Such a historical data set exists for alpine fungi. From 1941 to 1953, the Swiss geologist Jules Favre visited yearly the region of the Swiss National Park and recorded the occurring fruiting bodies of fungi >1 mm (s...

Cortinarius is the largest genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi worldwide. Recent molecular studies have shown high levels of morphological homoplasy within the genus. Importantly, DNA phylogenies can reveal characteristics that have been either over- or underemphasized in taxonomic studies. Here we sequenced and phylogenetically analysed a large set of...

Seven species of Cortinarius, subgenus Telamonia, section Colymbadini and /Flavobasilis, are reported from conifer forests in the mountains of western North America. They typically produce basidiomes in the spring and summer. Only one species, C. colymbadinus, is widespread, occurring in Europe and western North America, but to date not reported fr...

Fungus-growing termites of the subfamily Macrotermitinae together with their highly specialized fungal symbionts (Termitomyces) are primary decomposers of dead plant matter in many African savanna ecosystems. The termites provide crucial ecosystem services also by modifying soil properties, translocating nutrients, and as important drivers of plant...

Brandrud T. E., Dima B., Liimatainen K. & Niskanen T. (2017) Telamonioid Cortinarius of the C. puellaris group from calcar-eous Tilia forests. – Sydowia 69: 37–45. Four species belonging to the Cortinarius puellaris group are presented, including the two new species C. biriensis, C. subpu-ellaris and the recently described C. puellaris. Based on ty...

This is a continuity of a series of taxonomic papers where materials are examined, described and novel combinations are proposed where necessary to improve our traditional species concepts and provide updates on their classification. In addition to extensive morphological descriptions and appropriate asexual and sexual connections, DNA sequence dat...

Five species of Cortinarius subgenus Callistei, are recognized in Europe and North America. Cortinarius callisteus, C. infucatus, and C. neocallisteus sp. nov. have a broad distribution, extending from western North America to Europe. Cortinarius tofaceus is known from eastern North America and Europe, while C. callistei sp. is known only from one...

Seven commonly used Friesian names of Cortinarius sect. Anomali, Spilomei, and Bolares are discussed. Neotypes for C. anomalus, C. spilomeus, and C. bolaris, as well as epitypes for C. albocyaneus, C. caninus, and C. tabularis are proposed. The distinction of these six species is supported by both morphological and rDNA internal transcribed spacer...

Notes on 113 fungal taxa are compiled in this paper, including 11 new genera, 89 new species, one new subspecies, three new combinations and seven reference specimens. A wide geographic and taxonomic range of fungal taxa are detailed. In the Ascomycota the new genera Angustospora (Testudinaceae), Camporesia (Xylariaceae), Clematidis, Crassiparies (...

Different distance-based threshold selection approaches were used to assess and compare use of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region to distinguish among 901 Cortinarius species represented by >3000 collections. Sources of error associated with genetic markers and selection approaches were explored and evaluated using MOTUs from genus and li...

Basidiomata were collected from Trabzon, Tokat, and Istanbul provinces between 2011 and 2015. Standard methods were used during collecting and microscopic investigations. Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus (R. Maire) Kuhner, Cortinarius humicola (Quel.) Maire, Cortinarius obtusorum Rob. Henry, Cortinarius rubicundulus (Rea) A. Pearson, Cortinarius sordes...

Two genera: Marchandiomyces, Rectipilus and 16 species of agaricoid and gastroid fungi (Basidiomycota): Clitopilus daamsii, Coprinopsis canoceps, Coprinopsis laanii, Cortinarius albolens, Cortinarius flexibilifolius, Cortinarius megacystidiosus, Cortinarius russulaespermus, Cortinarius tillamookensis, Inocybe assimilata, Laccaria chibinensis, Lacca...

This paper is a compilation of notes on 142 fungal taxa, including five new families, 20 new genera, and 100 new species, representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range. The new families, Ascocylindricaceae, Caryosporaceae and Wicklowiaceae (Ascomycota) are introduced based on their distinct lineages and unique morphology. The new Dothideomycet...

This paper is a compilation of notes on 142 fungal taxa, including five new families, 20 new genera, and 100 new species, representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range. The new families, Ascocylindricaceae, Caryosporaceae and Wicklowiaceae (Ascomycota) are introduced based on their distinct lineages and unique morphology. The new Dothideomycet...

Three species of Cortinarius subg. Phlegmacium, Cortinarius argutus Fr. and Cortinarius hedyaromaticus C. Cripps & O.K. Mill. (section Arguti stat. nov.) and Cortinarius talus Fr. (section Multiformes), are compared from western North America and Europe. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS region shows that C. argutus and C. hedyaromaticus are separat...

One genera of agaricoid fungi (Basidiomycota): Romagnesiella and 12 species are reported as new to Finland: Agaricus macrocarpus, Arrhenia obatra, Arrhenia obscurata, Arrhenia rigidipes, Coprinellus brevisetulosus, Coprinus candidatus, Entoloma plebejum, Hydnum vesterholtii, Inocybe phaeocystidiosa, Mycena clavata, Omphalina arctica and Romagnesiel...

Cortinarius disjungendus and morphologically similar species were studied using ITS sequences of nine type collections and 18 specimens in the study group, as well as 13 sequences from public sequence repositories, including sequences of three type specimens. In addition, previously published rpb2 sequences were used to provide the phylogenetic pos...

Cortinarius is a species-rich and morphologically challenging genus with a cosmopolitan distribution. Many names have not been used consistently and in some instances the same species has been described two or more times under separate names. This study focuses on subg. Phlegmacium as traditionally defined and includes species from boreal and tempe...

DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects us...

Plant pathogenic fungi are a large and diverse assemblage of eukaryotes with substantial impacts on natural ecosystems and human endeavours. These taxa often have complex and poorly understood life cycles, lack observable, discriminatory morphological characters, and may not be amenable to in vitro culturing. As a result, species identification is...

Two new Cortinarius species are described from European Quercus forests and one new combination is made based on molecular and morphological data. Cortinarius uraceomajalis is a vernal species currently only known from Hungary, Bulgaria and Italy, but likely is common throughout central and south-eastern Europe. Cortinarius uraceonemoralis is a wid...

Agaricoid fungi (Basidiomycota): Cortinarius chromataphilus, Cortinarius croceocaeruleus, Cortinarius disjungendulus, Cortinarius nolaneiformis, Cortinarius olididisjungendus, Cortinarius piceidisjungendus, Crepidotus stenocystis, Entoloma callirhodon, Entoloma rhombispo-rum, Hydropus marginellus, Macrocystidia cucumis var. latifolia, Russula cleme...