Introduction

The genus Clitopilus (Fr. ex Rabenh.) P. Kumm. (Entolomataceae, Agaricales) is characterized by its clitocyboid, omphaloid to pleurotoid basidiomata, white to pinkish decurrent lamellae, flesh-pink spore deposits, and evenly cyanophilic wall of basidiospores with 5–12 longitudinal ridges (Singer 1986; Kluting et al. 2014; Jian et al. 2020a). About 40 species have been incorporated into this small genus to date (Kirk et al. 2008; Kluting et al. 2014; Kumla et al. 2019; Jian et al. 2020a, 2020b; Baroni et al. 2020). Species of this small genus are widely distributed and usually considered saprotrophic, but some species (e.g., C. hobsonii (Berk.) P.D. Orton) have also been reported to form ectomycorrhiza with Quercus L. (Peng et al. 2021).

A suite of taxonomic studies on Clitopilus has been conducted in China, especially in recent decades. Specifically, Yang (2000) first recorded a tropical species with a detailed description in Yunnan, namely C. crispus Pat., relative to simple records of the predecessors (Chang and Mao 1995; Bi et al. 1997). Then, Zang (2001) published the first new species, C. gigantosporus M. Zang. However, the basidiospores recorded in the original document are typical of basidiospores found in the bolete genus Boletellus Murrill. Furthermore, the saprophytic type and smooth basidiospores observed from the holotype did not match the characteristic longitudinally ridged basidiospores of species of Clitopilus (Jian et al. 2020a). Yang (2007) also published a new species, C. amygdaliformis Zhu L. Yang, another tropical species found in Yunnan and Taiwan, China. Afterwards, Deng et al. (2013a, 2013b) proposed two new species, C. subscyphoides W.Q. Deng et al. and C. ravus W.Q. Deng & T.H. Li. Wang et al. (2017) discovered a subalpine new species named C. fusiformis Di Wang & Xiao L. He. Recently, Jian et al. (2020a, 2020b) systematically studied this genus and contributed five new species. To date, there are nearly ten species in China.

This study examines specimens collected from Yunnan and Guangdong provinces. They are all similar to formerly published species. The specimens obtained from northwestern Yunnan were close to the European species C. abprunulus S.P. Jian et al. The other samples gathered from Guangdong resembled to C. albidus K.N.A. Raj & Manim. and C. subscyphoides, respectively. Further morphological research and molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrated two new species of Clitopilus, and one represented the rediscovery of C. subscyphoides. Therefore, all three species are described herein.

Materials and methods

Sample collections and morphological studies

Table 1 contains detailed information about the specimens utilized in this study. Macroscopic descriptions were based on field notes and digital images. We got the colour codes (hex triplet) from ColorHexa (https://www.colorhexa.com), using the digital images of basidiomata. The code represents a colour using six characters, ranging from 0 to 9 and a to f. It consists of three parts, each with two characters, that correspond to the red, green, and blue components of the colour. The description of basidiomata, like shape and size, and the morphological classification method of Clitopilus followed the rules stipulated by Jian et al. (2020a). The voucher specimens were placed in the two herbaria: the Cryptogamic Herbarium of the Herbaria of Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KUN-HKAS), and the Fungarium of the Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China (GDGM).

Table 1 Collection information of voucher specimen and GenBank accession numbers for sequences used in phylogenetic analyses
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Sections cut from dried samples were rehydrated for microscopic examinations in a 5% KOH solution. Basidiospore measurements followed Jian et al. (2020a). The ornamentation of basidiospores was observed using a ZEISS Sigma 300 scanning electron microscope (SEM) (Oberkochen, Germany), and the detailed SEM procedure was followed by Jian et al. (2020a).

Molecular phylogenetic analyses

Genomic DNA was extracted from the materials dried with silica gel using the CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) procedure (Doyle and Doyle 1987). RPB2 (the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II) was used to determine the phylogenetic position due to its sufficient nucleotide variation to infer evolutionary relationships. This was one of the fragments recommended by Co-David et al. (2009), Baroni and Matheny (2011), and Kluting et al. (2014) in Entolomataceae Kotl. & Pouzar. The primer pairs bRPB2-6F (5’-TGGGGYATGGTNTGYCCYGC-3’) and bRPB2-7.1R (5’-CCCATRGCYTGYTTMCCCATDGC-3’) were used for PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) amplification. Besides the above gene, other genes were also sequenced, uploaded and made available in GenBank in NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) to support the extra reliability for these new species, such as the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS), the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1) and the ATPase subunit 6 (ATP6). The PCR protocol was chiefly referred to as a touchdown method in Kluting et al. (2014) and was executed as follows:

  • an initial incubation of 94 °C for 5 min;

  • 12 cycles of 94 °C for 1 min, 67 °C for 1 min, decreasing 1 °C each cycle and 72 °C for 1.5 min;

  • 36 cycles of 94 °C for 45 s, 55 °C for 1 min, 72 °C for 1.5 min;

  • a final extension period at 72 °C for 7 min.

The Gel Extraction and PCR Purification Combo Kit (Spin-column, Bioteke, Beijing) were used to purify PCR products, which were then sequenced on an ABI-3730-XL sequence analyzer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) using the same primers as in the amplification. Newly generated and previous sequences used in our research are shown in Table 1.

Sequencher 4.1.4 (Gene Code Corp., Ann Arbor, MI) was employed to concatenate sequences obtained from forward and reverse directions, and to delete some regions contained heavy peaks at the beginning or end. Sequences were aligned using MAFFT 6.8 (Katoh et al. 2005) and then manually checked in BioEdit 7.0.9 (Hall 1999). Under the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the best-fitted substitution model for RPB2 was found by MrModeltest 2.3 (Nylander 2004). Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) analyses in RAxML 7.2.6 (Stamatakis 2006) and MrBayes 3.2.3 (Ronquist and Huelsenbeck 2003), respectively. Clitocella mundula (Lasch) Kluting et al. and Clitocella colorata L. Fan & N. Mao were chosen as outgroups due to the close kinship between Clitocella Kluting et al. and Clitopilus. The GTRGAMMAI model (Stamatakis 2006) was used for ML analyses, with statistical support for internodes acquired via non-parametric bootstrapping with 1000 replications. The best-selected model was employed for BI analyses, and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) chain ran for two million generations. The STOPRULE command was set to STOPVAL = 0.01, and trees were sampled every 100 generations. To achieve suitably large Effective Sample Size (ESS) values (> 200), Tracer 1.5 (http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/software/tracer/) was used to determine chain convergence. The trees were summarised using the sump and sumt commands with a 25% burn-in, and statistical results were produced.

Results

Phylogenetic analyses

There was no topological inconsistency between ML and BI. Consequently, only the phylogenetic tree inferred from the ML strategy is shown, with the statistical results of both ML (Bootstrap Supports, BS) and BI (Posterior Probabilities, PP) shown on the branches (Fig. 1). GTR + I + G model was the best model for ML and BI analyses, and the RPB2 sequence dataset comprised 722 characters including gaps (see Supp. Info.).In the phylogenetic tree, the specimens collected from Yunnan were clustered in a distinct clade within the Clitopilus sect. Clitopilus (Fr. ex Rabenh.) P. Kumm.; some specimens collected from Guangdong were located in the Clitopilus sect. Crispi S.P. Jian & Zhu L. Yang; furthermore, the residual specimens gathered from Guangdong were placed in the Clitopilus sect. Scyphoides Singer gathering with “C. subscyphoides” (MF946581).

Fig. 1
figure 1

Phylogenetic relationships among representative species of Clitopilus are inferred from RPB2 dataset through both ML and BI methods (only show the ML tree). The supported branches show bootstrap supports (BS > 50%) and posterior probabilities (PP > 0.90). Sequences from type specimens (holotype, epitype or isotype) are marked. The red-covered portion means new taxa, and the blue-covered portion means the rediscovered species

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Morphological observations and SEM

Besides the molecular phylogenetic analyses, the morphological characters provide more valuable information. The images of fresh basidiomata and habitats of the new species and C. subscyphoides are provided in Fig. 2. Characteristics of the basidiospore ornamentations of three species are shown in Fig. 3. The comparison of morphological characters among these new species and their similar species are shown at Table 2.

Fig. 2
figure 2

Basidiomata of Clitopilus. a, b: Clitopilus highlandensis (a, KUN-HKAS 117632, holotype; b, KUN-HKAS 68389); c, d: Clitopilus subalbidus (c, GDGM 72219, holotype; d, GDGM 72229); e, f: Clitopilus subscyphoides (e, GDGM 73056, epitype; f, GDGM 72683). Bar = 10 mm

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Fig. 3
figure 3

Basidiospores of Clitopilus reveal by SEM. a, b: Clitopilus highlandensis (KUN-HKAS 68389); c, d: Clitopilus subalbidus (GDGM 72229); e, f: Clitopilus subscyphoides (e, GDGM 72683; f, GDGM 73056, epitype). Bar = 2 μm

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Table 2 The comparison of morphological characters among C. highlandensis, C. subalbidus, C. subscyphoides and similar species
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Taxonomy

Clitopilus highlandensis S.P. Jian, X.H. Wang & Zhu L. Yang sp. nov. Figs. 2a–b, 3a–b, 4a–c

Fig. 4
figure 4

Microscopic features of Clitopilus highlandensis (KUN-HKAS 117632, holotype). a Basidiospores; b Hymenium and subhymenium; c Lamellar trama. Bars: a = 5 μm, b = 10 μm, c = 20 μm. Drew by XH Wang

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MycoBank MB844797

Holotype: China, Yunnan Province, Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County, Tongdian Town, Longtan Village, E 99°27′, N 26°36′, alt. 3039 m, single on soil, in mixed broadleaf-coniferous (Quercus and Pinus L.) forest, 17 August 2020, X.H. Wang 8007 (KUN-HKAS 117632). GenBank: ITS = ON999061; LSU = ON999062; RPB2 = OP006563; TEF1 = OP006564.

Etymology: “highlandensis” is proposed due to its occurrence on Yunnan Plateau.

Diagnosis: Clitopilus highlandensis is close to C. abprunulus but differs from the latter by its smaller size of basidiomata and larger basidiospores.

Description: Basidiomata clitocyboid, small to medium-size. Pileus 21–42 mm wide, convex; surface greyish (#807d84) to greyish yellow (#f1e2cb), minutely tomentose; margin slightly incurved, even; context about 3 mm thick, white (#ffffff). Lamellae decurrent, yellowish white (#e7d7b6) to pinkish (#e4c084), dense and crowded, edges entire and concolorous, lamellulae numerous. Stipe 10–25 × 2–6 mm, eccentric, subcylindrical or little twisty, whitish yellow or yellowish, smooth or minutely pruinose; the base slightly inflated, with white (#ffffff) mycelium. Odor none.

Basidiospores (8) 9–12.5 × (5) 5.5–7 (7.5) μm, Lm × Wm = 10.26 (± 0.93) × 6.25 (± 0.47) μm, Q = 1.33–1.92 (Qavg = 1.64 ± 0.14) [60/3/2], pale yellow–brown, broadly fusiform, subovoid in profile and face view, strongly angled in polar view with 6–8 obvious longitudinal ridges. Basidia 30–45 × 8–12 μm, clavate, hyaline, 2- or 4-spored. Lamellar trama subregular, composed of two types of hyphae, one type cylindrical about 2–7 μm in diam., the other shorter and inflated 20–27 × 10–13 μm. Lamellae edges fertile. Pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia absent. Pileipellis a cutis composed of radially arranged regular hyphae, hyphae thin-walled, hyaline, smooth, cylindrical, 2–6 μm in diam.; pileal trama composed of hyaline, filamentous, and thin-walled hyphae, hyphae 2–5 (8) μm in diam. Stipitipellis a cutis composed of compactly arranged, regular, thin-walled, and hyaline hyphae 3–6 μm in diam., terminal hyphae slightly cylindric or clavate, 20–36 × 4–6 μm. Caulocystidia absent. Clamp connections absent.

Ecology and distribution: Single, scattered or in groups on soil in mixed broadleaf-coniferous (Quercus and Pinus) forest, distributed in Yunnan Province, China, August.

Additional specimens examined: China, Yunnan Province, Lijiang City, Gucheng District, Jinshan Town, alt. 2600 m, scattered or in group on soil, in mixed broadleaf-coniferous (Quercus and Pinus) forest, 18 August 2010, X.T. Zhu 213 (KUN-HKAS 68389).

Notes: Clitopilus highlandensis belongs to C. sect. Clitopilus (Fig. 1). This new taxon is similar to C. abprunulus, C. brunneiceps S.P. Jian & Zhu L. Yang, C. fusiformis, C. griseobrunneus T.J. Baroni & Halling, C. prunulus (Scop.) P. Kumm. and C. yunnanensis S.P. Jian & Zhu L. Yang. Clitopilus abprunulus is found across Europe (UK, Switzerland and North Macedonia), which differs from C. highlandensis by its larger basidiomata (medium-sized to large), smaller basidiospores (Lm × Wm = 9.39 × 6.34 μm), and lower altitude (1000 m) (Jian et al. 2020b). Clitopilus brunneiceps has a wide distribution from southwest to northeast China, differing from C. highlandensis by its grey pileus, filamentous hyphae (4–10 μm in diam.) in lamellar trama and pigments in pileipellis (Jian et al. 2020a). Clitopilus fusiformis is a subalpine species, but grows at higher places (> 3400 m) with larger and fusiform basidiospores (10.5–14 × 5–7 μm) (Wang et al. 2017). The neotropical species C. griseobrunneus occurs in Costa Rica, charactered with medium to large-sized fruit body, brown pileus, larger and amygdaliform basidiospores (9.7–16.9 × 5.7–7.9 μm) (Baroni and Halling 2000). For C. prunulus, which is supposed to distribute in Europe and North America (Kummer 1871; Singer 1946), it is charactered by white and convex pileus, and fusiform basidiospores. The last species C. yunnanensis is also described from Yunnan province, but differs from C. highlandensis by its brown pileus with a central stipe, and gelatinized pileipellis (Jian et al. 2020a).

Clitopilus subalbidus S.P. Jian, W.Q. Deng & Zhu L. Yang sp. nov. Figs. 2c–d, 3c–d, 5a–c

Fig. 5
figure 5

Microscopic features of Clitopilus subalbidus (GDGM 72219, holotype). a Hymenium and subhymenium; b Basidiospores; c Lamellar trama. Bars: a = 10 μm, b = 5 μm, c = 20 μm. Drew by SP Jian

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MycoBank MB844783

Holotype: China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, Tianhe District, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, E 23°11′, N 113°21′, alt. 31 m, scattered or in group on soil, in evergreen broad-leaved forest, 15 June 2018, Ming Zhang & W.Q. Deng (GDGM 72219). GenBank: ITS = ON963951; LSU = ON963945; RPB2 = ON959185; TEF1 = ON959190; ATP6 = ON959179.

Etymology: “sub-” (Latin) means “near”, referring to its morphological and phylogenic similarity to C. albidus.

Diagnosis: Clitopilus subalbidus is close to C. albidus but differs from the latter by its inflated hyphae in lamellar trama and larger basidiospores.

Description: Basidiomata omphaloid to clitocyboid, small to medium-size. Pileus 7–42 mm wide, concave; surface white (#ffffff) to dirty white (#e0e4d2), usually minutely tomentose or smooth; margin slightly incurved when young, then straight, even or undulate; context about 1 mm thick, whitish (#fcfcfc) to white (#ffffff). Lamellae decurrent, white (#ffffff) when young, then pinkish (#ffc0cb) or carnation (#ff748c), dense and crowded, edges entire and concolorous, lamellulae numerous. Stipe 10–21 × 4–5 mm, eccentric, subcylindrical, usually concolorous with pileus, smooth or minutely pruinose; the base slightly inflated, with white (#ffffff) mycelium. Odor none. Taste a little bitter.

Basidiospores 4.6–5.5 (6) × 4–5 μm, Lm × Wm = 5.10 (± 0.24) × 4.33 (± 0.32) μm, Q = (1.00) 1.04–1.30 (1.37) (Qavg = 1.18 ± 0.08) [44/2/2], hyaline, broadly ellipsoid, subglobose to globose, subovoid to ellipsoid in profile and face view, slightly angled in polar view with 8–9 inconspicuous or obscure longitudinal ridges. Basidia 18–22 × 6–8 μm, clavate, hyaline, 4-spored; sterigmata up to 3 μm. Lamellar trama subregular, composed of two types of hyphae, one is cylindrical and interwoven 3–6 μm in diam., the other is shorter and inflated hyphae, 15–20 × 10–18 μm; oleiferous hyphae rare. Lamellae edges fertile. Pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia absent. Pileipellis a cutis composed of more or less radially arranged regular hyphae, hyphae thin-walled, hyaline, smooth, cylindrical, 4–6 μm in diam., with some oleiferous hyphae; the subpellis non-obvious separated; pileal trama composed of hyaline, oblong-ovoid or sausage-shape, inflated hyphae, hyphae 7–12 μm in diam., oleiferous hyphae present. Stipitipellis a cutis composed of compactly arranged, regular, thin-walled, and hyaline hyphae 3–6 μm in diam. Caulocystidia absent. Clamp connections absent.

Ecology and distribution: Scattered or in groups on soil in evergreen broad-leaved forest, distributed in Guangdong Province, China, June.

Additional specimens examined: China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, Tianhe District, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, E 113°21′, N 23°11′, alt. 31 m, scattered or in group on soil, in evergreen broad-leaved forest, 15 June 2018, Ming Zhang (GDGM 72229).

Notes: Clitopilus subalbidus belongs to C. sect. Crispi (Fig. 1). This species is similar to C. albidus, C. apalus (Berk. & Broome) Petch, C. chalybescens T.J. Baroni & Desjardin, C. crispus Pat., C. orientalis T.J. Baroni & Watling, and C. sinoapalus S.P. Jian & Zhu L. Yang. Clitopilus albidus, found at Kerala State (India), has slightly gelatinized hyphae in pileipellis, without inflated cells in lamellar trama, and smaller basidiospores (4–5.5 × 3–4.5 μm) (Raj and Manimohan 2018). Clitopilus apalus, discovered at Sri Lanka, is characterized by the solid and longer stipe (15–45 × 3–15 mm), and larger basidiospores (6–8.5 × 4.5–5.5 μm) with 9–11 longitudinal ridges (Pegler 1977). Clitopilus chalybescens, firstly depicted at Thailand, has infundibuliform, scissile and white with pale greyish blue staining pileus, longer and slender stipe (20–50 × 2–4 mm), and larger basidiospores (5.5–7.5 × 3.6–4.8 μm) (Baroni et al. 2001). The tropical species C. crispus, originally described at Vietnam, differs by the fine ridges on the pileus margin, and larger basidiospores (6.2–7.6 × 4–5.3 μm) with 9–12 longitudinal ridges (Patouillard 1913; Baroni and Watling 1999). Clitopilus orientalis, distributed at Malaysia and India, is distinct from C. subalbidus by its radiately ridged pileus, ellipsoid or short-ellipsoid and larger basidiospores (6–9 × 3.8–5.5 μm) (Baroni and Watling 1999; Raj and Manimohan 2018). Clitopilus sinoapalus, known from South China, differs from C. subalbidus by its white to yellowish pileus, narrower hyphae (4–12 μm in diam.) in lamellar trama and by its presence at higher elevations (> 1000 m) (Jian et al. 2020a).

Clitopilus subscyphoides W.Q. Deng, T.H. Li & Y.H. Shen Figs. 2e–f, 3e–f, 6a–b

Fig. 6
figure 6

Microscopic features of Clitopilus subscyphoides (GDGM 73056, epitype). a Hymenium and subhymenium; b Basidiospores. Bars: a = 10 μm, b = 5 μm. Drew by SP Jian

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MycoBank MBT10007955

Epitype: China, Guangdong Province, Shaoguan City, Renhua County, Danxia Mountain, E 113°43′, N 25°2′, alt. 281 m, scattered or in group, on soil, in laurisilvae forest, 9 June 2018, X.R. Zhong (GDGM 73056, here designated). GenBank: ITS = ON963954; LSU = ON963948; RPB2 = ON959187; TEF1 = ON959191; ATP6 = ON959182.

Description: Basidiomata omphaloid, small. Pileus 3–10 mm wide, applanate to concave; surface chalk white (#ffffff), usually smooth; margin incurved when young, then straight, even or undulate, sometimes striate; context less than 1 mm thick, chalk white (#ffffff). Lamellae subdecurrent to decurrent, white (#ffffff) to very light gray (#ebebeb), close, edges entire, concolorous with lamellae, or occasionally very pale yellow (#ffffeb), lamellulae numerous. Stipe 8–13 × 1–2 mm, central, cylindrical, usually concolorous with pileus, finely pruinose all over; the base slightly inflated, with white (#ffffff) mycelium. Odor none.

Basidiospores 6–8 × 4–5 μm, Lm × Wm = 6.68 (± 0.48) × 4.58 (± 0.33) μm, Q = 1.28–1.67 (1.76) (Qavg = 1.46 ± 0.11) [60/3/3], hyaline, broadly ellipsoid in profile and face view, slightly angled in polar view with 8–10 inconspicuous facets produced by obscure longitudinal ridges, also with minute transverse folds under SEM. Basidia 16–25 × 6–9 μm, clavate, hyaline, 4-spored; sterigmata up to 4 μm long. Lamellar trama regular, composed of 3–7 μm in diam., thin-walled, hyaline hyphae, oleiferous hyphae also present. Lamellae edges fertile. Pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia absent. Pileipellis a cutis composed of radially arranged subregular hyphae, hyphae thin-walled, hyaline, smooth, cylindrical, 3–6 μm in diam., with some oleiferous hyphae; pileal trama regular, composed of hyaline, thin-walled, cylindrical hyphae, hyphae 4–7 μm in diam. Stipitipellis a cutis composed of compactly arranged, regular, thin-walled, and hyaline hyphae 3–5 μm in diam., sometimes crossed with some erect cylindrical end cells; Stipe trama regular, with thin-walled, and hyaline hyphae 4–6 μm in diam. Caulocystidia absent. Clamp connections absent.

Ecology and distribution: Scattered or in groups on soil in broad-leaved forest, distributed from Southeast China to India, May to June.

Additional specimens examined: China, Guangdong Province, Yangchun City, Ehuangzhang Nature Reserve, alt. 200 m, scattered on soil in laurisilvae forest, 18 August 2004, T.H. Li & L.M. Wu (GDGM 24141, holotype); Shaoguan City, Renhua County, Danxia Mountain, E 113°43′, N 25°2′, alt. 281 m, scattered or in group on soil, in laurisilvae forest, 8 June 2018, C.Q. Wang (GDGM 72195); Zhanjiang City, Nansan Island, Aimin Park, E 110°46′, N 21°17′, alt. 21 m, scattered or in group on soil, in laurisilvae forest, 15 May 2018, Ting Li, Hao Huang & Yong He (GDGM 72683).

Notes: Clitopilus subscyphoides belongs to C. sect. Scyphoides due to the small omphaloid fruiting body, and transverse folds on basidiospores (Figs. 1, 3e–f). It is characterized by its small, white, omphaloid basidiomata, concave pileus with a central stipe, absence of hymenial cystidia, and broadly ellipsoid basidiospores with 8–10 obscure longitudinal ridges and transverse folds.

We have carefully studied the holotype of C. subscyphoides (GDGM 24141), but this specimen was in a poor condition and only the immature basidiospores connected with basidia were observed. The efforts to obtain the sequences of holotype failed. The newly collected samples have the key characters of this species given in the original description (Deng et al. 2013b). Moreover, the sequences from our samples coincided with sequences of the new record of C. subscyphoides from India (Raj and Manimohan 2018). In order to elaborate the concept of C. subscyphoides consistently, the specimen (GDGM 73056) is designated here as an epitype of C. subscyphoides with new DNA nucleotide sequences and a more complete morphological description presented.

This species is similar to C. peri (Berk. & Broome) Petch and C. scyphoides (Fr.) Singer. Clitopilus peri, originally described at Sri Lanka, differs from C. subscyphoides by its higer Qavg (2.14) and fewer longitudinal ridges (6–9) (Pegler 1977). Besides, C. peri is often gregarious on rotting leaves, while C. subscyphoides occurs only on soil (Deng et al. 2013b). The temperate species C. scyphoides usually has higher Q value, fewer lamellae (Noordeloos 1984, 1988) and occurs in Europe (Singer 1986).