First taxonomic report of six unrecorded Basidiomycota macrofungi from South Korea

Abstract

Macrofungi remain underexplored in various regions of the world. Because macrofungi play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems, it is essential to investigate their biodiversity in such regions. In this study, we aimed to comprehensively investigate the macrofungal diversity of Taebaeksan National Park, South Korea. We sampled macrofungi from the park in 2023 and conducted detailed morphological observations and molecular analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA. Our analysis revealed six previously unknown species: Cortinarius iliopodius, Cotylidia fibrae, Fulvoderma australe, Lyophyllum infumatum, Russula velenovskyi, and Strobilomyces cingulatus. Herein, we provide detailed morphological descriptions, high-resolution photographs, and molecular phylogenetic analyses to support the taxonomic placement and identification of these taxa. Our findings enable a more comprehensive understanding of macrofungal biodiversity in this region.