Morphology, multilocus phylogeny, and toxin analysis reveal two new species of Amanita section Amanita (Amanitaceae) from China

Globally, many species of Amanita sect. Amanita (Amanitaceae, Agaricales) cause poisoning after consumption. Amanita flavomelleiceps sp. nov. and Amanita parvisychnopyramis sp. nov., two new species of A. section Amanita from China, are described here.

Morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on five genes (ITS, nrLSU, RPB 2, TEF 1 - α, and TUB 2) revealed these two taxa as distinct species. Amanita flavomelleiceps sp. nov. is characterized by a yellowish-to-yellow pileus covered by verrucose volval remnants; a subglobose basal bulb with shortly limbate; subglobose to broadly ellipsoid, inamyloid basidiospores. Amanita parvisychnopyramis sp. nov. is characterized by a brownish pileus covered by subconical volval remnants; an ovate basal bulb with a cream limbate; and subglobose-to-broadly ellipsoid, inamyloid basidiospores.

Screening for the most notorious toxins by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS) revealed the presence of ibotenic acid (IBO) and muscimol (MUS) in A. parvisychnopyramis and the absence of these toxins in A. flavomelleiceps.