Taxonomy of Geastrum species in the neotropics has been subject to divergent opinions among specialists. In our study, type collections were reassessed and compared with recent collections in order to delimit species in Geastrum, sect. Myceliostroma, subsect. Epigaea. A thorough review of morphologic features combined with barcode and phylogenetic analyses (ITS and LSU nrDNA) revealed six new species (G. neoamericanum, G. rubellum, G. brunneocapillatum, G. baculicrystallum, G. rubropusillum and G. courtecuissei). In additon, the presence of hairs on the exoperidium, a commonly used feature to diagnose Geastrum species, proved to be ineffective because it is a derived character within subsect. Epigaea.

Studies have demonstrated that many cosmopolitan species actually consist of divergent clades that present high levels of morphological stasis throughout their evolutionary histories. Phallus indusiatus s.l. has been described as a circum-tropical species. However, this distribution may actually reflect the lack of taxonomic resolution due to the small number of diagnostic morphological characters, which leads to the identification of new records as populations of P. indusiatus. Here, we examine the diversity of P. indusiatus-like species in Brazilian Amazonia. We show a clear congruence between detailed morphological data and ITS, nuc-LSU and atp6 based phylogenetic analyses and three new species are described within the Brazilian indusiate clade. These results highlight the importance of more detailed investigation, with the inclusion of molecular information, in Neotropical fungi.

Based on morphological and molecular analysis, we describe the new species Geastrum verrucoramulosum, discriminated from other species in the section Exareolata mainly by an elongated, verrucose, branched stipe. This new species is currently known from two forest locations in central and southwestern Amazonia. Species description, images, and taxonomic discussion of both morphological and molecular data are provided.

In our study, seventy specimens from Brazilian herbaria, as well as from NY and PDD, identified as Morganella, were analyzed. They included the paratype of M. mexicana and holotypes of M. arenicola, M. albostipitata, M. compacta, M. nuda, M. rimosa. Specimens were studied morphologically and used for DNA extraction and amplification of ITS and LSU nuclear ribosomal DNA. New sequences were obtained and compared with homologous sequences from GenBank. As a result of these analyses, a new species and six new combinations are proposed. Morphological review and discussion are provided for the species from Brazil.

The Amazon Forest is a hotspot of biodiversity harboring an unknown number of undescribed taxa. Inventory studies are urgent, mainly in the areas most endangered by human activities such as extensive dam construction, where species could be in risk of extinction before being described and named. In 2015, intensive studies performed in a few locations in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest revealed three new species of the genus Scleroderma: S. anomalosporum, S. camassuense and S. duckei. The two first species were located in one of the many areas flooded by construction of hydroelectric dams throughout the Amazon; and the third in the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, a protected reverse by the INPA. The species were identified through morphology and molecular analyses of barcoding sequences (Internal Transcribed Spacer nrDNA). Scleroderma anomalosporum is characterized mainly by the smooth spores under LM in mature basidiomata (under SEM with small, unevenly distributed granules, a characteristic not observed in other species of the genus), the large size of the basidiomata, up to 120 mm diameter, and the stelliform dehiscence; S. camassuense mainly by the irregular to stellate dehiscence, the subreticulated spores and the bright sulfur-yellow colour, and Scleroderma duckei mainly by the verrucose exoperidium, stelliform dehiscence, and verrucose spores. Description, illustration and affinities with other species of the genus are provided.

En este trabajo se presentan registros de Geastraceae en el noreste brasileño, recolectados en losremanentes de las formaciones vegetales de la Mata Atlántica y los relictos de Mata Atlántica “Brejo deAltitude”. Las especies se han identificado sobre la base de la macro y micro morfología con ayuda de laliteratura específica. Once especies se distribuyen en dos géneros:Geastrum fimbriatum, G. javanicum,G. lageniforme, G. lloydianum, G. minimum, G. pectinatum, G. rusticum, G. schweinitzii, G. setiferumyG. triplexyMyriostoma coliforme. Nueve de estos registros son nuevos para Rio Grande do Norte, cincopara Paraíba y cinco para Ceará.Geastrum minimumes el primer registro para el nordeste de Brasil,G. rusticumes la primera cita para la región semiárida, mientras queG. pectinatumyM. coliformesonlos primeros registros para el nordeste de la Mata Atlántica ylos relictos de Mata Atlántica “ Brejo deAltitude”. También se incluyen observaciones taxonómicas del hábitat y la distribución de las especiesen Brasil.