Phylogenetic and morphological evidence for Lactifluus robustus sp nov (Russulaceae) from southern China

A novel species, Lactifluus robustus sp. nov., collected from Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Guangdong Province, PR China (112 degrees 31' E23 degrees 10' N), is described based on evidence from morphology and phylogeny. Morphologically, L. robustus shows typical phenotypes of Lactifluus sect. Gerardii: brown pigmented pileus and stipe, palisade-like pileipellis, pale and distant lamellae, whitish spore print and reticulate spore ornamentation composed of interconnecting ridges, but it can be separated from related species by its especially robust stipe with less length/width ratio, smaller basidiospores and darker lamellar edge. Molecular analysis based on nuclear rDNA ITS and LSU, and protein-coding rpb2 confirms its distinct phylogenetic position in L. sect. Gerardii with strong support.