Morchella nipponensis sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Pezizales): a paleoendemic species of section Morchella discovered in Japan

A previously unknown morel species apparently endemic to Japan is here described. Morchella nipponensis is proposed for this species. This new taxon displays archaic features recalling section Rufobrunnea (pileus lanceolate, few primary alveoli), and a yellow pileus similar to subsection Sceptriformis of section Morchella. The phylogenetic analysis of ITS rDNA, as well as RPB1, RPB2 and TEF1 genes from up to four collections suggests that this morel species represents a basal branch of section Morchella (yellow morels), for which the new subsection Japonicae is proposed.

Automated summary

A previously unknown morel species endemic to Japan, named Morchella nipponensis, is described in this study. This new taxon displays features resembling section Rufobrunnea and subsection Sceptriformis of section Morchella. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that this morel species represents a basal branch of section Morchella, and a new subsection Japonicae is proposed.