Mycobiology.  2014 Sep;42(3):221-228. 10.5941/MYCO.2014.42.3.221.

Molecular Taxonomical Re-classification of the Genus Suillus Micheli ex S. F. Gray in South Korea

• Min YJ
• Park MS
• Fong JJ
• Seok SJ
• Han SK
• Lim YW

• KMID: 2312751
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5941/MYCO.2014.42.3.221

Abstract

The fungal genus Suillus Micheli ex S. F. Gray plays important roles in the survival and growth of plant seedlings. Humans have utilized these ectomycorrhizal fungi to enhance the nutrient uptake and defense systems of plants, particularly in the reforestation of coniferous forests. The genus Suillus is easily distinguishable by its distinctive morphological features, although the morphology of the fruiting body does not facilitate reliable interspecies discrimination. On the basis of micro-morphological features and internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis, we found that 51 of 117 Korean Suillus specimens had initially been misidentified. The list of the 12 Suillus species previously recorded in Korea was re-evaluated and revised to only eight distinct species: S. americanus, S. bovinus, S. granulatus, S. grevillei, S. luteus, S. pictus, S. placidus, and S. viscidus. We provide taxonomical descriptions for six of these species from the sample specimens.

Keyword

Ectomycorrhizal fungi; Internal transcribed spacer; Seoul National University Fungal Collection; Suillus; S. luteus

MeSH Terms

Coniferophyta
Discrimination (Psychology)
Fruit
Fungi
Humans
Korea
Plants
Seedlings
Sequence Analysis