Vararia subtropica sp. nov. (Peniophoraceae, Russulales), a coriaceous fungus from Yunnan Province, SW China

Abstract

A new species, Vararia subtropica, from Yunnan Province, SW China, is described and illustrated based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses. Vararia subtropica is characterized by the cream to buff hymenial surface, a dimitic hyphal system with generative hyphae with clamp connections, and cylindrical, slightly curved to allantoid basidiospores (7.1–11.3 × 2.7–5.2 µm). Sequences of ITS and nLSU were generated from the studied specimens, and phylogenetic analysis was performed with Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the new species belongs to the genus Vararia and is the sister species of V. daweishanensis. A description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results are provided. This discovery expands the known diversity of Vararia in subtropical Asia and improves our understanding of phylogenetic relationships within the genus.