Healy R., Hobart C., Tocci G.E., Bóna L., Merényi Z., Paz Conde A., Smith M.E.
Vol. 7 (6) – 30 November 2015
doi: 10.25664/art-0160
Open Access
Abstract: Pachyphlodes is a pleiomorphic pezizalean truffle genus, originally described from Europe. Color is an important diagnostic character for the species in this genus, and is naturally, if unfortunately, obscured in dried herbarium specimens. Therefore, some notable experts have understandably misidentified some of the species in herbaria. This study was part of a larger effort to use molecular phylogenetic analyses followed by morphological study to sort the relationships and species limits within Pachyphlodes. One clade of Pachyphlodes that we refer to here as the /nemoralis clade was previously unrecognized for its unique spore ornamentation of coalesced spine tips present in all species in this clade studied to date. A North American species was misidentified as P. melanoxanthus, while a European species was misidentified as P. citrinus, or P. ligericus. Here we describe these two species in the /nemoralis clade as P. pfisteri from North America and P. nemoralis from Europe. We also link a mitosporic form to P. pfisteri, and revisit the concept of the mitosporic form called Glischroderma. We dedicate this paper to Richard P. Korf, who’s work on pezizalean anamorphs inspired this study
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