Combined phylogenetic and morphological studies of true morels (Pezizales, Ascomycota) in Cyprus reveal significant diversity, including Morchella arbutiphila and M. disparilis spp. nov.

Abstract

A detailed account of the genus Morchella in the island of Cyprus is presented, based on integrative phylogenetic, morphoanatomical, ecological, and chorological analyses. Eleven species are molecularly confirmed, nine of them previously unreported from the island. Notably, four species are recognized as new to science, including one species in Sect. Morchella and three in Sect. Distantes. Two of these are here newly described, as Morchella arbutiphila and Morchella disparilis, respectively, whilst the other two are provisionally assigned the phylogenetic codes Mes-28 and Mel-38. Following careful re-examination of the Morchella vulgaris clade, two closely related sister species are revealed, and the taxon Morchella dunensis is revived to accommodate Mes-17. A description for the widespread, yet poorly known Mediterranean species Morchella dunalii is further provided, and a detailed polythetic approach is introduced in systematics, to overcome the inherent difficulties associated with the morphological recognition of phylogenetically confirmed species. The presence on the island of five species of transcontinental distribution, accounting for nearly half of the total number of species recorded, sheds new light on the genus biogeography, questioning the hypothesis of recent anthropogenic dispersals of morel species. Overall, our results place Cyprus as a worldwide hotspot of Morchella diversity, establishing the island as a place of special interest in future studies aiming to decipher the evolutionary history and ecological trends within this iconic genus.