Five new species of Cortinarius (Cortinariaceae) from Yunnan, China, based on molecular and morphological evidence

Cortinarius is a globally distributed, exceptionally species-rich genus of Cortinariaceae, serving as important ectomycorrhizal fungi. Yunnan province, located in southwestern China, boasts a vast array of environmental conditions and fungal resources, with numerous new Cortinarius species yet to be discovered. Based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic inference using a two-locus dataset, five novel species have been identified within the genus, namely C. brunneoverrucosus, C. coriaceus, C. fuscocandidus, C. neodisjungendus, and C. sinoconfirmatus.

Notably, two of these species (C. brunneoverrucosus and C. neodisjungendus) occur in subtropical areas, while the other three species (C. coriaceus, C. fuscocandidus, and C. sinoconfirmatus) inhabit subalpine temperate areas. Taxonomic descriptions for these five species are provided.