Hypholoma himalayense M. Ayyub & Niazi, sp. nov

Figs. 2A–C, 3A–E

MycoBank Number: MB 847052

Etymology: —The epithet “ himalayense ” refers to the great Himalayan range of Pakistan where the sampling sites are located.

Diagnosis:— Hypholoma himalayense is characterized by its smooth or pulvinate pileus; without a veil; clustered habitat, found on decaying wood, and its nrITS datasets differ from sequences of other Hypholoma species.

Holotype: — PAKISTAN. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Abottabad District, Khanspur, 34.0214° N, 73.4247° E, 2575 m a.s.l, Misbah Ayyub & A. R. Niazi, 2 August 2019, Hp15 (LAH02819), GenBank accession: OP824375

Description:—Basidiomata medium-sized. Pileus 3‒7cm broad, dull orange (7.5YR 7/6) in the center to yellowish (10YR 7/6) towards the margin, plano-convex, rigid, surface smooth, glabrous when young, dry, incurved margins and whitish cracks at maturity, Lamellae dull yellow-orange (7.5YR 6/4), adnate, crowded, crisped at ends, 1‒2 tiers of lamellulae; Stipe 2.1‒6.4 × 0.4‒0.9 cm, light yellow (7.5YR 8/3), central, equal, fibrillose. Volva and annulus absent.

Basidiospores [80/7/3] (9.7‒)9.5–12.28(‒11.59) × (8.24‒) 7.91 × 10.74 (‒10.28) µm, Q =1.2‒1.14 µm, avL × avW = 10.7 – 10.3 µm, Qav = 1.03, obovoid, inamyloid, apiculate, guttulate, hyaline in KOH. Basidia 62.01–44.54 × 15.03–13.11 µm, thin-walled, clavate, hyaline with KOH. Pleurocystidia 29.83‒50.06 × 6.75–14.75 µm, narrowly utriform, hyaline in KOH. Cheilocystidia 16.03‒20.06 × 5.45–11.06 µm Pileipellis 3.68‒6.66 µm in diam, septate, branched, thin-walled, and hyaline. Stiptipellis 3.6‒5.7 µm in diameter, septate, branched, parallel, thin-walled, hyaline hyphae. Clamp connections absent.

Habit and Habitat: —growing solitary or gregarious on decaying wood in the mixed pine forest of Pakistan.

Material examined:— PAKISTAN. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Mansehra District, Shogran, Kaghan valley, 2362 a.s.I., 27 August 2020, Misbah Ayyub & A. R. Niazi, (CHP03, LAH27820), GenBank accession: OP824374 18 September 2020, Misbah Ayyub & A. R. Niazi, (CHP25, LAH18920). GenBank accession: OP824376