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Turkish Journal of Botany

DOI

10.55730/1300-008X.2788

Abstract

The genus Parasola is sparsely documented in Pakistan with almost all of its reports from lowlands or northern areas of the country. In this study, we describe a new species, Parasola cinnamomescens, from the Thal Desert, a subtropical region located in Punjab Province, Pakistan. Evidence from morphology and DNA sequence data encompassing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) and D1/D2 domain of the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal DNA (28S) reveals that this species is divergent from all previously known species and confirms its placement in Parasola sect. Conopileae. It is recognized by convex to hemispherical or broadly conical dull orange or yellow to light gray pileus; light reddish gray lamellae; light reddish gray or shiny white stipe; basidiospores ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid in side view, ovoid to broadly ellipsoid in frontal view; golden to dark brown sclerocystidia; and polymorphic cheilo-, pleuro-, pileo-, and caulocystidia. This discovery demonstrates the diversity of Parasola species in the Thal Desert of Punjab, Pakistan, and underlines the need for thorough attention to the fungal flora of this region.

Keywords

Cystidia, Khushab, macrofungi, phylogenetic analyses, taxonomy, Thal Desert

First Page

606

Last Page

619

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