title: Lichenomphalia altoandina, a new species of Hygrophoraceae from the Chilean Altiplano.
abstract: Lichenomphalia is a lichenized agaric genus characterized by its omphalinoid basidiomes. Lichenomphalia species are associated with unicellular green algae in the genus Coccomyxa and are mainly distributed in polar and alpine habitats. The aim of this work is to describe L. altoandina, a new species from northern Chile that grows among cushion plants over 3000 m above sea level in the Andes Mountains. The species is remarkable for living in highly saline environments, in some cases virtually on salt crusts. Lichenomphalia altoandina differs from other known species and particularly from L. aurantiaca, the most morphologically similar species, in its smooth and broader stipe and its slightly larger spores. Lichenomphalia altoandina is also morphologicaly and ecologically more similar to the core Lichenomphalia clade. Our phylogenetic study based on nuclear rDNA ITS and partial 28S sequences shows that L. altoandina belongs to the Protolichenomphalia clade and is sister to an unknown lineage, L. aff. umbellifera, from New Zealand.
authors.affiliation: a Biota Gestión y Consultorías Ambientales, Ltda. Miguel Claro 1224, Providencia , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandoval-Leiva
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste, IBONE (UNNE-CONICET) . Sargento Cabral 2131, CC 209 Corrientes Capital , CP 3400 , Argentina.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niveiro
authors.affiliation: c Laboratorio de Sistemática y Evolución de Plantas, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza , Universidad de Chile . Casilla 9206 , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Urbina-Casanova
authors.affiliation: c Laboratorio de Sistemática y Evolución de Plantas, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza , Universidad de Chile . Casilla 9206 , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scherson
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002677:Chile; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008853:Microscopy; D010802:Phylogeny; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics; D054712:Salinity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; D012987:Soil
keywords: Basidiomycota; Chile; Lichenomphalia aurantiaca, L. chromacea; basidiolichen; phylogeny