Diversity of macrofungi in Dali University, Yunnan Province, China

Dali University, located in western Yunnan Province, southwest China, is a picturesque institution surrounded by diverse vegetation types and has rich macrofungal resources. However, the macrofungal diversity within the university campus has remained unexplored. Between 2020 and 2024, a comprehensive investigation was conducted to document the macrofungal species present on campus.

The study identified a total of 83 macrofungal species across 11 orders and 35 families, based on morphology and molecular sequence data of 485 collections; among them, three are described as new species: Clavaria lidaensis, C. minirubella and Marasmius lidaensis. Clavaria lidaensis is characterized by the incrustations’ fragile basidiomata, solitary, rarely scattered to gregarious, caespitose-connate at the base; fertile part subcylindric to fusiform, soft yellow to dark moderate orange, apex rounded, concolorous with fertile part, becoming dark orange with age; sterile part narrow, concolorous, without tomentum or mycelial patch at the base.

Clavaria minirubella is characterized by the fragile and simple basidiomata, tubular with obtuse apex; subcylindric to fusiform, dark red fertile part. Marasmius lidaensis is characterized by the medium-sized basidiomata, dark orange to slightly desaturated yellow pileus, stipe hollow, and abundant floccose on the surface and mycelium grown at the base. To resolve the taxonomic classification and explore the phylogenetic relatedness of the focal species, a combined dataset of ITS and nrLSU sequences was utilized for maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference.

These findings not only enrich the understanding of macrofungal diversity in the region but also highlight the potential for further discoveries and conservation efforts.