Two new species of Pholiota (Strophariaceae) from India

In the present study, two new species of Pholiota (Strophariaceae) viz. Pholiota fasciculata and Pholiota himalayensis belonging to subgenus Flammuloides are described based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The specimens were collected during the macrofungal expedition in different areas of Darjeeling Hills in the monsoon season 2019–2022. Pholiota fasciculata is characterized by its brightly coloured fruit bodies when young, prominent umbo at maturity, viscid when moist, ellipsoid to ovoid basidiospores with minute and inconspicuous germ pore, fusiform-lageniform pleurocystidia, some crystalline cap covering the apex and bundled cheilocystidia which cannot be separated easily. Pholiota himalayensis is characterized by having viscid fruit bodies, basidiospores with inconspicuous germ pore, pleurocystidia projecting prominently and similar in shape to cheilocystidia.