Thaxterogaster carneus (Cortinariaceae), a new species of Thaxterogaster sect. Vibratiles, from coniferous forests of Kashmir Himalaya, India

Abstract

A new myxacoid species of Thaxterogaster sect. Vibratiles, Thaxterogaster carneus is described from the coniferous forests of Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary in Kashmir Himalaya, India, based on morphological observations and molecular data of the nrDNA ITS and LSU regions. This species is morphologically distinguished from other species in section Vibratiles by the orange‐brown color of the pileus, the small spore size (X′ = 6.5 × 4 µm) with amygdaloid shape and verrucose ornamentation. The ITS sequence differed from other species by at least 13 substitutions and 10 indel positions, while the LSU sequence differed from other sequences at 12 positions by substitutions and indels. This is the first report of a species of Thaxterogaster sect. Vibratiles from the Indian subcontinent.