The contribution of tef-1 sequences to species delimitation in the Cantharellus cibarius complex in the southeastern USA

This study of the Cantharellus cibarius complex presents three new species for the southeastern USA based on recently collected material, as well as on revisions of type specimens and newly generated sequence data for the protein coding gene tef-1. Cantharellus lewisii sp. nov. is described for a southern species that was hitherto mistaken for the European 'C. amethysteus'. C. altipes sp. nov. is introduced for a taxon that may correspond to C. cibarius var. longipes Peck. C. tenuithrix sp. nov. is described as the American sister taxon of the European C. cibarius s.s. The current confusing concept of C. lateritius, in contradiction with the original diagnosis, is here stabilized by the choice of a sequenced epitype. Its separation from C. confluens nom. inval. needs additional sampling. Being invalid, further use of the name C. confluens is discouraged.