A new species of Hygrocybe from Kerala State, India

Abstract

Hygrocybe indica sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from Kerala State, India. Morphology-based methods and phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and nuclear large subunit (nrLSU) of the ribosomal RNA gene were employed to confirm the novelty of this species. The phylogenetic relationship inferred from independent nrLSU and nrITS sequence data matrices confirmed the difference of this new species from other species of Hygrocybe for which DNA sequences are available. The phylogenetic analyses clearly assigned H. indica to the subgenus Hygrocybe. A comprehensive description, photographs of the basidiocarps and the microstructures, and comparisons with morphologically similar and phylogenetically related species and phylograms to depict the placement of the new species are provided.