Ramaria species in Nothofagus forests of Patagonia, with the description of two new species

Abstract

Within the wide diversity of fungal species of the Patagonian Andes forests, species of Ramaria sensu lato are some of the most attractive, due to their coral-like, medium size, and colorful basidiomata. The genus was recognized as paraphyletic and is currently divided into four subgenera: Ramaria, Laeticolora, Lentoramaria, and Echinoramaria. In Patagonia (Argentina and Chile), 18 species of Ramaria have been reported associated with Nothofagaceae; however, their diversity and phylogenetic relationships are largely unknown. This study presents a detailed account of Ramaria in Patagonia, based on an integrative analysis of phylogenetic, macro-, and micro-morphological features. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nuclear 28S rDNA (LSU) genes were analyzed to identify specimens from Argentina and to examine their phylogenetic relationships with other Ramaria species. The phylogenetic analyses revealed six Ramaria species in Argentinian Patagonia: R. patagonica, R. botrytis, R. inedulis, R. paraconcolor, and two new phylogenetic groups that are proposed as new species: R. flavinedulis and R. dendrophora. Ramaria flavinedulis produces brightly colored yellow or yellow-orange basidiomata with a fused, twisted compound stipe, simple-septate basidia, and ellipsoid to cylindrical basidiospores. Ramaria dendrophora exhibits pale yellow to pale pink basidiomata and ornamented basidiospores with conspicuous and irregular warts. This study increased our knowledge of the phylogenetic diversity and taxonomy in Ramaria from the Patagonian Andes Forests compared with those found elsewhere.