Two novel species of Rhodophana (Entolomataceae) from Pakistan

During this study, we describe two new species, Rhodophana pakistanica and R. bajaurica, from a temperate forest in northern Pakistan. These species were established as new taxa through molecular phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, 28 S, RPB 2, and TEF 1 - α regions of nrDNA, and through comparisons of their micro- and macro-morphological characteristics with those of other closely related taxa in the genus. Rhodophana bajaurica is characterized by its small basidiomata, velvety to densely tomentose pileus surface lacking differentiated squamulose, having ellipsoid to elongate, large basidiospores and clavate, lageniform to narrowly utriform, apex rounded to slightly swollen cheilocystidia, while R. pakistanica possesses a dark reddish-brown pileus with smooth to fibrillose surface, moderate size basidiospore and abundant cheilocystidia.

Full descriptions, illustrations, and multigene phylogenetic analyses of the proposed new species are provided.