Phylloporia mutabilis sp. nov. from Benin, West Africa

Abstract

Phylloporia is a widespread genus of Hymenochaetales (Basidiomycota) with polyporoid basidiomata found mainly in the tropics. Species of Phylloporia are predominantly parasitic of woody plant hosts, while some species grow as saprotrophs. Data on the genus is still scarce for tropical Africa, where we expect a high diversity given the high plant diversity in this area. Two specimens of this genus were collected in Benin (West Africa) and analysed morphologically and phylogenetically based on a multigene dataset (ITS, LSU, EF1α). Strong support for a species new to science was found, described here as Phylloporia mutabilis. It differs from other Phylloporia species by stipitate, coriaceous basidiomata, earth coloured to dark brown when fresh and changing upon drying from golden to yellowish brown, the margin being large in young specimens, becoming narrower with maturity. Basidiomata of Phylloporia mutabilis grow on the soil under angiosperm trees in a dense dry forest, so its lifestyle (saprotrophic, parasitic or mycorrhizal) is not evident, and future ecological studies will be required to elucidate this aspect.