New Leccinum Species from Costa Rica

Abstract

The study and documentation of Costa Rican Boletaceae have been ongoing for some 16 years (e.g., G6mez 1992a, 1992b, 1996; G6mez & Singer 1984; Singer et al. 1983, 1990, 1991, 1992; Halling 1996; Singer & G6mez 1984). Previous efforts at documenting other larger fungi of Costa Rica were cited by Halling & Franco-M. (1996). A recent project, documenting Agaricales (including Boletaceae) of Costa Rican Quercus forests, has been underway since 1993 overseen by Gregory M. Mueller (Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago) and the present author.2 Species of Leccinum are uncommon in neotropical forests, compared to north temperate forests, due primarily to the paucity of suitable phanerogamic associates (such as Betula, Quercus, Populus and Pinaceae). For example, south of Nicaragua, Quercus appears to be the only traditional associate where it forms canopy stands at montane elevations (generally above 1500 m elevation). Halling (1989) described the first neotropical Leccinum (L. andinum) from Colombia. Two additional new species are described and illustrated here. Other known Costa Rican Leccinum species are listed in Table 1.