Two new forest pathogens in Phaeolus (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) on Chinese coniferous trees were confirmed by molecular phylogeny

Abstract

<i>Phaeolus schweinitzii</i> (Fr.) Pat. was originally described in Europe and is considered a common forest pathogen on conifers in the Northern Hemisphere. Our molecular phylogeny based on samples from China, Europe, and North America confirms that <i>P. schweinitzii</i> is a species complex, including six taxa. <i>P. schweinitzii</i> sensu stricto has a distribution in Eurasia; the samples from Northeast and Southwest China are distantly related to <i>P. schweinitzii</i> sensu stricto, and two new species are described after morphological, phylogenetic, and geographical analyses. The species growing on <i>Larix, Picea</i>, and <i>Pinus</i> in Northeast China is described as <i>Phaeolus asiae-orientalis</i>. Another species mostly occurring on <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> in Southwest China is <i>Phaeolus yunnanensis</i>. In addition, three taxa distributed in North America differ from <i>P. schweinitzii</i> sensu stricto. <i>Phaeolus tabulaeformis</i> (Berk.) Pat. is in Southeast North America, "<i>P. schweinitzii</i>-1" in Northeast North America, and "<i>P. schweinitzii</i>-2" in western North America.