Lambertella (Rutstroemiaceae, Helotiales) from Northern Thailand

Abstract

Abstract During our excursions for discomycetes from 2019–2021 in forests and plantations in northern Thailand, several Lambertella-like specimens were found. Morphological observation and BLAST sequence data search confirmed that six newly collected specimens belong to Lambertella. Further phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses based on combined ITS and LSU sequence data and morphological examination coupled with chemical reactions, confirmed six Lambertella species. Lambertella aurantiaca was established as a new geographical record, and the other five specimens, L. fusoidea, L. phanensis, L. sessilis, L. takensis, and L. tectonae were introduced as novel species. The highlight of the current study is to contribute a complete morphological description of Lambertella aurantiaca since its introduction in 1964, emend the morphological criteria for Lambertella sensu stricto, and provide sequence data for all the Lambertella species described in the current study, including the extant species, L. aurantiaca for the first time, which are essential for future studies.