title: True morels (Morchella, Pezizales) of Europe and North America: evolutionary relationships inferred from multilocus data and a unified taxonomy.
abstract: Applying early names, with or without original material, to genealogical species is challenging. For morels this task is especially difficult because of high morphological stasis and high plasticity of apothecium color and shape. Here we propose a nomenclatural revision of true morels (Morchella, Pezizales) from Europe and North America, based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of portions of the genes for RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) and second largest subunit (RPB2), translation elongation factor-1α (TEF1), the nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, along with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS), and partial nuc 28S rDNA D1-D2 domains (28S). The 107 newly sequenced collections were from both continents, including 48 types, together with previously published sequences. Names are applied to 30 of the 65 currently recognized genealogical species. Results of the present study revealed that the number of Morchella species in Europe (n = 21) is nearly identical to that in North America (n = 22). Only seven species were found on both continents, consistent with previous reports of high continental endemism within the genus. Presently it is not possible to tell whether the transoceanic disjunctions were due to human activities, migration across a Bering land bridge or long-distance dispersal. In an effort to stabilize the taxonomy, due in part to the recent publication of synonyms for 11 of the species, accepted names are presented together with their corresponding later synonyms. A new subclade that includes holotypes of M. castanea and M. brunneorosea is identified in sect. Morchella (Esculenta Clade). Lectotypes for Morchella deliciosa, M. eximia and M. tridentina are designated here, as well as epitypes for M. dunalii, M. eximia, M. purpurascens and M. vulgaris. Morchella conica was determined to be illegitimate, and further research is required to determine the identity of M. elata and M. inamoena.
authors.affiliation: UMR 5175 CEFE, INSERM, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, France franck.richard@cefe.cnrs.fr.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: UMR 5175 CEFE, INSERM, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bellanger
authors.affiliation: 56 place des Tilleuls, F-60400 Pont-l'Evêque, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clowez
authors.affiliation: Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Foodborne Pathogens and Mycology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 61604.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.affiliation: University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.affiliation: UMR 5175 CEFE, Université de Montpellier, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sauve
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences végétales et fongiques, faculté des sciences pharmaceutiques et biologiques, Univ Lille Nord de France, F-59000 Lille, France, and EA 4483, UFR Pharmacie, F-59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Régis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Courtecuisse
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences végétales et fongiques, faculté des sciences pharmaceutiques et biologiques, Univ Lille Nord de France, F-59000 Lille, France, and EA 4483, UFR Pharmacie, F-59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Pierre-Arthur
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Moreau
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005060:Europe; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006802:Human Activities; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009656:North America; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: Ascomycota; Morchellaceae; Pezizomycetes; nomenclature; taxonomy