Morphological and Phylogenetic Evidence for Two New Lactarius Species (Russulales, Basidiomycota) from India

Abstract

Abstract Lactarius ferruginascens sp. nov. and L. indoaquosus sp. nov. are described from the East and South districts of Sikkim, a small Himalayan state in India. Macro- and micromorphological descriptions coupled with the illustrations and nrITS-based molecular analyses are given for both species. Lactarius ferruginascens is a species in L. subg. Plinthogalus with striking features such as a sticky pileus surface caused by the ixohymeniderm structure of the pileipellis, watery white latex which is turning rusty brown on the lamellae and the occurrence under Abies sp. in the subalpine mixed forest. Lactarius indoaquosus is a new representative of L. subg. Russularia with completely transparent and unchanging latex and is furthermore characterized by basidiospores with a zebroid ornamentation, the absence of hymenial macrocystidia and the occurrence under Castanopsis sp. in the temperate broadleaf forest. Both species are illustrated and compared with related taxa.