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Tales of the Unexpected: Angiocarpous Representatives of the Russulaceae in Tropical South East Asia

Summary

This research describes six new species of underground mushrooms discovered in tropical forests of Southeast Asia. These fungi are unique because they produce their spores inside enclosed fruiting bodies rather than on gills like typical mushrooms. The study challenges previous assumptions that such enclosed mushrooms mainly evolved in dry climates for protection against moisture loss. Impacts on everyday life: – Improves our understanding of fungal diversity in tropical forests – Helps identify new species that may have potential applications in medicine or biotechnology – Contributes to knowledge about plant-fungal relationships in tropical ecosystems – Provides insights into fungal evolution and adaptation – Highlights the importance of protecting tropical forests as reservoirs of undiscovered species

Background

Sequestrate and angiocarpous basidiomata have developed in several groups of Agaricomycetes. Various selective pressures have been proposed to explain this transformation from agaricoid to gasteroid basidiomata. It is often assumed that changing environmental conditions led to enclosed basidiome morphology and eventually to hypogeous gasteroid fruiting bodies, offering protection against frost and moisture loss from the hymenium and thus preventing desiccation. Arid or seasonally dry climates thus exert a selection pressure towards a sequestrate fruiting body, especially in ectomycorrhizal fungi which provide plants with extra water through their mycelium and help them survive xeric conditions.

Objective

To describe and analyze six new sequestrate Lactarius species discovered in tropical forests of South East Asia, and discuss their phylogenetic relationships within the Russulaceae family.

Results

Six new sequestrate Lactarius species were described: L. pomiolens, L. saturnisporus, L. shoreae, L. echinellus, L. echinus, and L. falcatus. All species produce milky exudates or latex. Molecular phylogenetic analyses confirmed their placement within Lactarius, with L. falcatus belonging to L. subg. Russularia, while L. saturnisporus, L. echinus, L. echinellus and L. shoreae belong to L. subg. Plinthogalus. L. pomiolens has a more isolated position.

Conclusion

A striking diversity of sequestrate Russulales was encountered in tropical South East Asian forests. The study suggests that angiocarpous mushrooms are overlooked in these regions and that the phenology and ecology of tropical rainforest angiocarpous species deserve further investigation. The findings demonstrate that gasteroid species occur not only in dry climates but also have a strong presence in tropical rainforests.
  • Published in:Persoonia : Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Study,
  • Source: 10.3767/003158514X679119
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