Distribution and phylogeography of the genus Mattirolomyces with a focus on the Asian M. terfezioides haplotypes

Mattirolomyces is an edible commercial sequestrate genus that is globally distributed. From the five described taxa of this genus, Mattirolomyces terfezioides is the most common species in Asia. Our recent attempts to locate M. terfezioides outside its current distribution area in China documented its first records in areas of poplar trees with the lowest known temperature and precipitation averages ever recorded for this species. This peculiar ecology was not reflected on the species-morphological features nor on its phylogenetic position in the genus. The first attempt to apply the phylogenetic network approach to Mattirolomyces revealed its geographic origin in the Asian-Pacific areas prior to frequent long-distance migration events. Based on data from recent study areas, we found that the collections from Inner Mongolia and the Shanxi province were similar to European collections. Asian haplotypes were less distant from the outgroup comparing to collections from Europe, supporting the hypothesis that M. terfezioides was originated from this Chinese area and was subsequently transported to Europe. Exploring M. terfezioides ecology and its mycorrhiza potential to grow in association with poplars would be of great importance for planning cultivation projects of this valuable desert truffle species in Central and Eastern China, a currently underexploited economic sector that deserves further ecological and M. terfezioides mycorrhizal synthesis investigations.