Notes, outline and divergence times of Basidiomycota

The Basidiomycota constitutes a major phylum of the kingdom Fungi and is second in species numbers to the Ascomycota. The present work provides an overview of all validly published, currently used basidiomycete genera to date in a single document. An outline of all genera of Basidiomycota is provided, which includes 1928 currently used genera names, with 1263 synonyms, which are distributed in 241 families, 68 orders, 18 classes and four subphyla. We provide brief notes for each accepted genus including information on classification, number of accepted species, type species, life mode, habitat, distribution, and sequence information. Furthermore, three phylogenetic analyses with combined LSU, SSU, 5.8s, rpb1, rpb2, and ef1 datasets for the subphyla Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina are conducted, respectively. Divergence time estimates are provided to the family level with 632 species from 62 orders, 168 families and 605 genera. Our study indicates that the divergence times of the subphyla in Basidiomycota are 406–430 Mya, classes are 211–383 Mya, and orders are 99–323 Mya, which are largely consistent with previous studies. In this study, all phylogenetically supported families were dated, with the families of Agaricomycotina diverging from 27–178 Mya, Pucciniomycotina from 85–222 Mya, and Ustilaginomycotina from 79–177 Mya. Divergence times as additional criterion in ranking provide additional evidence to resolve taxonomic problems in the Basidiomycota taxonomic system, and also provide a better understanding of their phylogeny and evolution.

Epitypification of the Central African Cantharellusdensifolius and C.luteopunctatus allows for the recognition of two additional species

Cantharellusdensifolius and C.luteopunctatus are epitypified on the basis of recently collected specimens from the Central African rain forest that correspond in every way to their respective original descriptions. Sequences obtained from these new collections demonstrate that both epitypes represent distinct species that belong in different subclades of Cantharellussubg.Rubrinus. Previously, the name C.densifolius has been consistently misapplied to more or less similar species from the African woodland area, including C.densilamellatus sp. nov. which is described here, In addition, C.tomentosoides sp. nov., a rain forest species that is easily confused with C.densifolius, is described.