Research identifies four new marasmius species in subtropical regions, suggesting increased species diversity in agaricales.
Marasmius is a large genus in Agaricales, exhibiting rich species diversity and a wide distribution. In this study, four new species of Marasmius belonging to the subgenus Globulares were identified in subtropical regions of China. Morphologically, M. blandus is characterized by a light orange pileus, with a non-striate surface, medium-sized basidiospores, and subfusiform to narrowly utriform pleurocystidia; M. xingshanensis is identified by a brown pileus, variably shaped pleurocystidia, and absence of cheilocystidia; M. vulgaris is identified by large basidiospores, which are up to 16.0 μm long, narrowly fusiform to lageniform pleurocystidia, often with capitate, papillate, or constricted moniliform structures at apices; M. subpurpureostriatus is recognized by a grayish-green pileus with deeply sulcate violet striae, lamellae distant, and clavate to fusoid-clavate basidiospores, which are up to 22.0 μm long. The distinct taxonomic status of these four new species was confirmed by their positions in the 4-locus (ITS, LSU, tef-1α , rpb2 ) phylogenetic trees. Detailed descriptions and morphological photographs of four new species are provided in this paper.
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Chen et al. (2025) studied this question.