Taxomomy, ecology and phylogenetic relationships of Bovista pusilla and B-limosa in North Europe

Bovista limosa, described from Greenland, is a species characterised by a prominent, delimited peristome and a fimbriate stoma. Morphological observations have indicated the presence of a closely related species with different peristomal characters, observations that were further confirmed through a molecular phylogenetic study of the Lycoperdaceae where deviating sequences were tentatively named Bovista cf. limosa. Here, we show that Bovista limosa as presently understood consists of two species with slightly different morphology, different habitat preferences, and different albeit overlapping distribution ranges. The two species also have clearly distinct nuclear ribosomal sequences as evidenced by an analysis of the ITS and LSU regions. We demonstrate that Bovista cf. limosa is identical to Lycoperdon pusillum described by Batsch in 1789. Batsch's fungus has been variously interpreted and is sometimes treated as a nomen confusum. We resolve this confusion by selecting a lectotype from Batsch's original illustrations and an epitype from the material we have sequenced. A key to the small Bovista species discussed in the paper is provided.