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Mycological Notes 42: A phylogenetic study of NZ wax-caps

Submitted by cooperj on Wed, 14/04/2021 - 8:13pm

FUNNZ 2021 Colloquium Abstract: New Zealand wax-caps are distinctive and frequently  observed fungi described in the genera Hygrophorus, Gliophorus, Humidicutis, Hygrocybe and ‘Camarophyllus’. They are especially common in wetter regions and in non-mycorrhizal forests. The number of described species has increased since Greta Stevenson’s initial survey in 1962, but their phylogenetic relationships have remained unstudied, and there has been no revision of the group since Egon Horak’s monograph in 1990 (which included 57 taxa). Here I  present the current phylogenetic framework including NZ taxa sequenced in recent years. I will briefly cover some of the issues raised around the use of existing names, undescribed taxa and species that need moving to different/new genera. This is a contribution to the preliminary work before a modern revision can be attempted.

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