Phaeoclavulina and Ramaria (Gomphaceae, Gomphales) from Nam Nao National Park, Thailand

Abstract

Phaeoclavulina and Ramaria are two related genera of coral fungi that have highly branched basidiomata. Most of them are edible and they are commonly found in Nam Nao National Park, Phetchaboon, Thailand. This paper describes samples collected during 2008-2009 in order to expand our current knowledge of the species composition of Thai coral fungi. Collected specimens were identified by macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics including scanning electron microscopy analysis of spore details, from which two genera and 11 species were found. Of these 11 species, eight are new records for Thailand (Ramaria botrytoides, R. conjunctipes, R. cystidiophora var. fabiolens, R. flava, R. rubripermanens, R. sanguinipes, R. sino-conjunctipes and R. velocimutans). The taxonomy of all 11 species and a key to the two genera and 11 species are provided. A phylogenetic tree for the genetic relationship of the 11 species, based upon the amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) of the ITS1-5.8SITS2 rRNA gene fragment, revealed a coefficient of 93% for distinguishing the identity of each species. Interestingly, the two Phaeoclavulina species did not group together and separately from the Ramaria, but rather grouped apart from each other and within two of the Ramaria groups.