Lentinula madagasikarensis sp. nov., a relative of shiitake mushrooms from Madagascar

We describe the first species of Lentinula from Africa, Lentinula madagasikarensis sp. nov. The new taxon, which was collected from central Madagascar, is strikingly similar to L. edodes, the shiitake mushroom. A BLAST search using ITS sequences from L. madagasikarensis as the query retrieves a mix of Lentinula, Gymnopus, Marasmiellus, and other members of Omphalotaceae as the top hits. A 28S phylogeny of the Omphalotaceae confirms placement of L. madagasikarensis within Lentinula. An ITS phylogeny places L. madagasikarensis as the sister group of L. aciculospora, which is a neotropical species. Lentinula madagasikarensis is characterized by robust basidiomata with vinaceous pilei, prominent floccose scales near the pileus margin, florets of sphaeropedunculate cheilocystidia, and subcylindrical basidiospores. This report constitutes a 4 000-mile, trans-oceanic range extension for Lentinula.