Sparassis fanjingshanensis, a new species of Sparassidaceae from Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in China

Researchers have identified Sparassis fanjingshanensis, a new species of fungus belonging to the Sparassidaceae family, from Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in China. This discovery, based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses using genetic markers (ITS, LSU, and rpb2), reveals that the species forms a distinct monophyletic clade closely related to Sparassis subalpina. Notably, it is characterized by large basidiomata with light-gray to light-khaki, compactly arranged flabellae featuring unique concentric ring ornamentation on its stem. The fungus was found exclusively in the Abies fanjingshanensis community of Fanjing Mountain's massy dwarf forest, representing a rare and localized taxon among four known Sparassis species in East Asia.

HE, R.-J., YANG, H., WEI, C.-M., FENG, L.-J., ZHANG, Z.-C., & GU, C.-H. (2024). Sparassis fanjingshanensis, a new species of Sparassidaceae from Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in China. Phytotaxa, 633(3), 283–290. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.633.3.8