Hidden fungal diversity from the Neotropics: Geastrum hirsutum, G. schweinitzii (Basidiomycota, Geastrales) and their allies

Taxonomy of Geastrum species in the neotropics has been subject to divergent opinions among specialists. In our study, type collections were reassessed and compared with recent collections in order to delimit species in Geastrum, sect. Myceliostroma, subsect. Epigaea. A thorough review of morphologic features combined with barcode and phylogenetic analyses (ITS and LSU nrDNA) revealed six new species (G. neoamericanum, G. rubellum, G. brunneocapillatum, G. baculicrystallum, G. rubropusillum and G. courtecuissei). In additon, the presence of hairs on the exoperidium, a commonly used feature to diagnose Geastrum species, proved to be ineffective because it is a derived character within subsect. Epigaea.This work was supported by: (TA and JS) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES—Brazil) for the PhD scholarships awarded to Thiago Accioly and Julieth Sousa (PDSE-2017); (IGB and MPM) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq—Brazil, Projeto Pesquisador Visitante Especial PVE/407474/2013–7, María P. Martín and Iuri G. Baseia); (PAM, MR and MG) The French Laboratories of Excellence Labex TULIP (ANR-10-LABX-41; ANR-11-IDEX-0002-02) and Labex CEBA (ANR-10-LABX-25-01), the National Forest Office (ONF, France), the program ANR E-TRICEL (National Research Agency, France) and the DREAL Martinique (France) provided financial support for this study.Peer reviewe