Polyporus hapalopus sp nov (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) from China based on morphological and molecular data

Polyporus sensu lato is understood to be a polyphyletic genus, including two narrowly defined genera (Favolus and Neofavolus), two subclades (Melanopus and Polyporellus), and some scattered species. In this study, Polyporus hapalopus is described and illustrated as a new species on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence. This species is characterized by laterally stipitate, imbricate and large basidiocarps (up to 40 cm diam.), grapefruit odor when fresh, angular pores with lacerate dissepiments, soft (when fresh) to tough (when dry) context, a dimitic hyphal system in context and stipe with variable wide skeleto-binding hyphae, a monomitic hyphal system in trama, and cylindrical basidiospores bearing one or two guttules. Phylogenetically, on the basis of the combined internal transcribed spacer and nuclear large subunit rDNA sequences, P. hapalopus is nested within the Polyporus sensu lato clade, but is separated from four previously established subclades and from other known species.