Five new species of Inosperma from China: Morphological characteristics, phylogenetic analyses, and toxin detection

A Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Contribution on Inosperma Section Inosperma (Agaricales, Inocybaceae) in Europe: Calamistratum and Geraniodorum Groups

The aim of this study is to carry out a taxonomic revision of the groups Calamistratum and Geraniodorum of the genus Inosperma sect. Inosperma in Europe. For this purpose, a multigenic phylogenetic analysis was carried out using the ITS, LSU, RPB1 and RPB2 markers, covering a total of 111 sequences, including those generated from the existing type-material collections. This analysis led to the recognition of nine clades or terminal groups for the European continent, correlating with nine morphological species. Three of them, I. calamistratum, I. neohirsutum sp. nov. and I. turietoense sp. nov., are distributed in humid and temperate forests, whereas I. geminum sp. nov., I. geraniodorum, I. gracilentum sp. nov., I. praetermissum comb. nov., I. subhirsutum and I. veliferum seem to be restricted to the colder altimontane, boreal and alpine climates. It is concluded that the study of morphological and ecological characteristics allows the recognition of species without the need for an often-subjective interpretation of organoleptic characteristics. Inocybe hirsuta is considered a synonym of Inosperma calamistratum, Inosperma praetermissum as a different species from I. calamistratum, and Inocybe geraniodora var. gracilenta f. salicis-herbaceae as a synonym of I. praetermissum. Four new species and one new combination are proposed. A key for the recognition of the European species is provided. Illustrations and photographs of macro- and micromorphological characters and SEM spores of all species are presented.

Phylogenetic analysis, morphological studies, element profiling, and muscarine detection reveal a new toxic Inosperma (Inocybaceae, Agaricales) species from tropical China

Tropical Asian collections of Inosperma are usually poisonous mushrooms that have caused many poisoning incidents. However, the species diversity and the toxic mechanisms of these Inosperma species are still unclear. In this study, we describe the discovery of Inosperma wuzhishanense sp. nov. from Wuzhishan City, Hainan Province, tropical China. The new species was identified based on morphological and multi-locus (ITS, nrLSU, and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses. The new species is characterized by its reddish-brown pileus, fibrillose stipes with finely protruding fibrils, rather crowded lamellae, smooth and ellipsoid basidiospores, and mostly clavate, thin-walled cheilocystidia. The new species is phylogenetically nested in the Old World tropical clade 2 and is sister to the tropical Indian taxa I. akirnum. Detailed descriptions, color photos of the new species, and comparisons with its closely related species are provided. Additionally, the muscarine content of the new species was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The muscarine contents ranged from 4,359.79 ± 83.87 mg/kg to 7,114.03 ± 76.55 mg/kg, 2,748.37 ± 106.85 mg/kg to 4,491.35 ± 467.21 mg/kg, and 2,301.36 ± 83.52 mg/kg to 2,775.90 ± 205.624 mg/kg in the stipe, pileus, and lamellae, respectively. The elemental composition and concentration were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A total of 24 elements were detected. Among the heavy metals detected, arsenic showed the highest level of toxicity with a concentration of 36.76 ± 0.43 mg/kg.

A new species of Inosperma, and first record of I. afromelliolens (Inocybaceae, Fungi) from West Africa

Here, we present the newly identified Inosperma macrocarpa and the first record of I. afromelliolens from West Africa. Inosperma macrocarpa is nested in an Old World Tropical clade, based on a molecular phylogeny inferred from the sequences of ITS, LSU, RPB2, and TEF1. Complete descriptions and illustrations, including photographs and line drawings, of the new species are presented. Morphological and molecular analyses based on collections from Benin confirmed the presence of I. afromelliolens in West Africa. Toxicity analysis showed that neither species contained muscarine, which further supports the hypothesis that the ability to produce muscarine is a derived trait of Inosperma.