English
Taxonomic re-evaluation of Botryobasidium in Korea based on morphological observations and multigene phylogenetic analysis
Sung-Min Rho and Young-Woon Lim*
School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Biodiversity, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email: ywlim@snu.ac.kr
Botryobasidium (Botryobasidiaceae, Cantharellales) is a genus of wood-inhabiting saprotrophic fungi that is often overlooked due to its inconspicuous and ephemeral basidiomata. Taxa historically treated as Botryohypochnus and the asexual genus Haplotrichum are now integrated into Botryobasidium. Recent molecular studies have revealed substantial hidden diversity within the genus, particularly in Asia. In Korea, however, only seven species have been reported based on traditional taxonomy, and the true diversity of the genus remains poorly understood. To investigate the current status of Botryobasidium in Korea, specimens deposited as Botryobasidium, Botryohypochnus, and Haplotrichum in the Seoul National University Fungus Collection (SFC) were examined using phylogenetic analyses of ITS and LSU sequences. Microscopic observations revealed diagnostic characters of Botryobasidium, including right-angled hyphal branching and basidia bearing four to six sterigmata. By integrating morphological observations with phylogenetic evidence, nine distinct species were identified. Notably, all nine species were absent from the national inventory. Among them, four could not be assigned to any known species, while five are newly recorded for Korea. These findings indicate that the diversity of Botryobasidium in Korea has been substantially underestimated and provide a basis for re-evaluating previously reported species.
