Australasian truffle-like fungi. X. Gymnopaxillus (Basidiomycota, Austropaxillaceae)

Abstract

The genus Gymnopaxillus, previously known only from Chile and Argentina, has been found in south-eastern Australia. Two new species, G. nudus and G. vestitus, are described, and the generic description is emended to include hypogeous species with bilaterally symmetric spores and a peridium. Gymnopaxillus spp. are characterised by a yellow to golden-brown, bright cinnamon or ferruginous, loculate, columella-bearing gleba containing boletoid spores that appear vivid golden-yellow in KOH. Molecular phylogeny indicates that the genus is related to the Southern Hemisphere ectomycorrhizal genus Austropaxillus rather than to Paxillus and is placed in the Austropaxillaceae.