A new species of Lenzitopsis (Thelephorales,Basidiomycota) and its phylogenetic placement

Lenzitopsis (Thelephorales, Basidiomycota), typified by Lenzitopsis oxycedri, was monotypic before we described the second species of this genus, Lenzitopsis daii in this study. L. daii resembles L. oxycedri in producing lenzitoid hymenophore as well as brown hyphae and echinulate spores, but it differs from the type species by its annual basidiocarps, amyloid spores and growth exclusively on Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae). In the phylogenetic perspective inferred with nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences, the two species were separated from each other and formed a strongly supported clade in the Thelephorales. The two Lenzitopsis species showed a more than 5% difference in internal transcribed spacer sequences. Lenzitopsis species are wood-decaying fungi, and this is the second genus of the order where mycorrhizal life style is unknown, besides of Amaurodon.