Panus strigellus was first recorded in Amazonas State of Brazil. This edible mushroom has macroscopic characteristics similar to those of P. lecomtei. In this study, we used evidence obtained from a morphological comparison, molecular analyses and mating tests to clarify the taxonomic status of P. strigellus and show differences compared to the sympatric species of Panus. In addition, this paper discusses and reports some morphological characteristics of P. strigellus. The tetrapolar mating system of P. strigellus and the incompatibility between P. lecomtei and P. strigellus was confirmed. The geographical distributions of both species in the Americas are presented.

The genus Maasoglossum is examined using morphology, ecology, and molecular systematics of the internal transcribed spacer region and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene, all of which support the placement of Maasoglossum among the basal members of Geoglossomycetes. The morphology of the genus extends the range of ascocarp and ascospore development in Geoglossomycetes. The ecology and conservational significance of the genus is discussed, a nomenclatural transfer of Geoglossum aseptatum to Maasoglossum is made, and an emended description of Maasoglossum is provided.

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima, Euphorbiaceae) is a flowering plant indigenous to Mexico and Central America. The poinsettia is largely known for its red bracts and green foliage, and is widely used in winter festivities around temperate regions such as Christmas floral displays. A powdery mildew was found on this plant species in Java and Bali Islands of Indonesia in 2013. Morphological and molecular analyses revealed that this species is new to science. It is an asexual morph belonging to the genus Phyllactinia (syn. Ovulariopsis). The new species is described and illustrated as Phyllactinia poinsettiae sp. nov.

Phylloporus gajari, a new species, based on morphological and molecular data, is described and illustrated from tropical Asian forests dominated by Shorea robusta. It is morphologically circumscribed by its reddish brown to yellowish brown, sub-tomentose and rimose pileus when mature, sub-crowded cyanescent lamellae, red to reddish brown stipe, bacillate basidiospores, and habitat in forests dominated by Shorea robusta. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using the nuclear ribosomal large subunit RNA also supports the new species in Boletaceae. We compare it with phenotypically similar and molecular phylogenetically allied taxa.

New records of Phyllactinia, Parauncinula and Sawadaea species (Erysiphales) in Japan are reported with morphological and molecular data, including the first discovery of Ph. actinidiae-latifoliae in Japan, and the first Japanese record of Ph. pyri-serotinae on Aria alnifolia, Pa. septata on Quercus variabilis and Q. robur, and Sa. polyfida on Acer australe. In addition, Phyllactinia collections of K. Sawada deposited in TNS were re-examined and some of them were designated as lectotypes or syntypes.

An undescribed species of Laccaria was discovered in the Santuario del Bosque de Niebla of Xalapa, Mexico, in a montane cloud forest preserved under the protection of the Instituto de Ecología A.C. in Veracruz State. This new species is distinct based on basidiome morphology and supported by phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nuclear large subunit (nLSU) of the ribosomal RNA gene. Thirteen different collections obtained during 2012–2014, provided documentation of the broad morphological variation and confirmed the diagnostic color changes of this species. It is phylogenetically associated with Metasection Amethystina but lacks violet pigments in the mycelium and stipe base that are characteristic for species placed in that Metasection. Its relationship to other taxa in Laccaria is not obvious at this time. Descriptions, color images of the basidiomata, scanning electron photomicrographs of basidiospores and comparisons with similar taxa are presented.

Suillus luteus (Boletales, Agaricomycetes) associates solely with Pinaceae species as an ectomycorrhizal symbiont in the Northern Hemisphere. Prunus speciosa (Rosaceae) and Cedrela odorata (Meliaceae) naturally harbor arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The present study documents that S. luteus establishes root endophyte symbioses in vitro with somatic Prunus speciosa; however, it does not penetrate root tissues of somatic Cedrela odorata. With P. speciosa, the hyphae of S. luteus were heavily entangled in the intercellular space, unlike the rather straight hyphae of Tricholoma matsutake (Agaricales, Agaricomycetes). With C. odorata, S. luteus colonized only the surface of the exodermis and exhibited dark-brown mycorrhiza-like morphology. Prunus speciosa associated with S. luteus grew significantly better than that without the fungus, but C. odorata did not show significant beneficial effects when growing with the fungus. The data indicate that apparent Pinaceae-specific ectomycorrhizal fungi associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal broad-leaved plants in vitro, although the physical characteristics of the interactions vary depending upon the plant and fungal species.

A rust fungus found on Derris cf. trifoliata from the Philippines formed subcuticular spermogonia, Calidion-type aecia and uredinia, and telia on the infected leaves. Aeciospores and urediniospores were pedicellate and echinulate with two equatorial germ pores. The wall of two-celled pedicellate teliospores was irregularly ornamented with short tubercles. The fungus was identified as Puccinia acanthophora. Because of the spermogonium type and the host preference to the Fabaceae, the fungus was transferred to the genus Sorataea.

Grifola gargal is an edible mushroom with a characteristic almond flavor, and is found naturally in only limited areas of southern Argentina and Chile. The fruit body formations of G. gargal on wood-based substrates composed of a mixture of various hardwoods (mainly Quercus serrata) and/or Crytomeria japonica (sugi) were investigated. All 13 strains of G. gargal formed fruit bodies in the mixed hardwood medium, but the colors and morphological features of the fruit bodies were different for each strain. Of the strains tested, the strains GG010, GG006 and GG004 were suitable for commercial cultivation in mixed hardwood medium judging from their yield, biological efficiency (BE), cultivation period, color and mushroom shape. The fruit bodies of G. gargal (GG010) were formed even when sugi was added to the mixed hardwood medium (hardwood:sugi, 4:1 v/v). These results show that the Andean-Patagonic edible mushroom G. gargal can be produced at a reasonable cost in Japan using several strains and the commercially available mixed hardwood used for Lentinula edodes cultivation.

The ectomycorrhizal (EM) synthesis between Turbinellus floccosus with Abies religiosa was accomplished under controlled conditions by using seedlings planted in a sterilized peat moss-vermiculite substrate and cultured mycelium. Yellow to brownish EM root tips were observed 3 mo after inoculation. We identified the mycobiont of the synthesized EM through sequence similarity of the nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU) between three experimental sources: basidiomata, synthesized EM root tips and inoculated cultured mycelium. The morphological and anatomical characteristics of the synthesized EM root tips were presented and described.