English
First records of Sarcoscypha cf. occidentalis and Sarcoscypha vassiljevae in Korea based on morphological and ITS analyses
Dae Ho Kim1, Young-Nam Kwag1, Hyung So Kim1, Bun Youn Park1, Chang-Sun Kim2, and Sang-Kuk Han1*
1 Forest Biodiversity Research Division, Korea National Arboretum, Pocheon, Korea
2 Forest Biodiversity Conservation Division, Korea National Arboretum, Pocheon, Korea
*Email hansk75@korea.kr
Two Sarcoscypha species, S. cf. occidentalis and S. vassiljevae, are reported for the first time from Korea based on morphological observations and ITS sequence analyses. Several specimens collected from forested areas were examined to clarify their taxonomic identity. Morphological characteristics were documented, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using maximum likelihood analysis of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The specimens related to S. occidentalis showed morphological similarity to the species but differed in having completely sessile apothecia. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that sequences attributed to S. occidentalis formed two geographically distinct clades corresponding to North American and East Asian lineages. The Korean specimens were placed within the East Asian clade and are therefore provisionally treated as Sarcoscypha cf. occidentalis. Other specimens were identified as S. vassiljevae, characterized by ivory to pale cream hymenial surfaces and ellipsoid ascospores containing two prominent guttules. Their ITS sequences clustered with reference sequences of S. vassiljevae in phylogenetic analyses. These findings expand the known diversity of the genus Sarcoscypha in Korea and provide baseline information on the morphology and distribution of the genus in East Asia.
*This research was supported by the Korea National Arboretum (Project No. KNA 1-1-28-24-1).
