Pluteus brunneoalbus, a new species, and P. sepiicolor, a new record for China

Two species of Pluteus, namely P. brunneoalbus and P. sepiicolor, from China are reported and illustrated. Pluteus brunneoalbus is described as a new species in P. sect. Celluloderma. This species is characterized by a shallowly depressed pileus, a white stipe, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores 6-7 x 5-6.5 mu m, the presence of few scattered cheilocystidia, the presence of mostly clavate pleurocystidia, and a cutis type pileipellis. In the phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the new species appears as sister to P. hirtellus and P. squarrosus. In addition to the new species, another species, P. sepiicolor, is reported here as a new record for China. Molecular data support its conspecificity with a collection from Russia. Detailed morphological descriptions including illustrations of the two species from China, and their comparisons with the related taxa of Pluteus are also provided with phylogenetic placement.

Automated summary

Two species of Pluteus, P. brunneoalbus as a new species and P. sepiicolor as a new record in China, have been reported and illustrated. Detailed morphological descriptions with illustrations and comparisons with related taxa are provided, as well as their phylogenetic placement, enhancing the understanding of these two Pluteus species.