Cortinariaceae represents one of the most species-rich and taxonomically diverse families within the order Agaricales. As a part of the ongoing efforts to document its hidden diversity, extensive macrofungal surveys were conducted in two different states of India, viz., Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh, resulting in the discovery of two noteworthy species belonging to the genera Cortinarius and Phlegmacium. Cortinarius himachalensis is readily distinguished by a prominently umbonate pileus, a slightly curved stipe with a tapered base, and elliptical to pip-shaped basidiospores. In contrast, Phlegmacium subalpinum is characterized by a dry pileus surface, amygdaliform to citriform shaped basidiospores, and a double-layered pileipellis lacking a gluten layer. Species delimitation was supported by detailed morpho-taxonomic analyses in combination with molecular phylogenetic inferences using nuclear markers, nrITS and nrLSU. Phlegmacium subalpinum was resolved using a two-locus dataset (nrITS and LSU), whereas C. himachalensis was established based on nrITS sequence data alone. These findings contribute to the growing understanding of Cortinariaceae diversity in the Indian Himalaya.
Bose et al. (Wed,) studied this question.