Russula (Russulales, Agaricomycetes) associated with Pinus spp. plantations from northeastern Argentina

Abstract

Russula comprises more than 3,000 species worldwide and is a characteristic genus of the coniferous forests of the northern hemisphere. The forest plantations with non-native species in the northeastern Argentina, such as pine or eucalyptus, provide the biotic and environmental conditions for the establishment of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with these forest plantations. Due to the complexity of identifying Russula at specific level, morpho-anatomical, scanning electron microscopy, and phylogenetic (ITS) analysis were used to identify the specimens. As result, three Russula species, R. recondita, R. sardonia, and R. sororia, are described in detail and illustrated, none previously known to Argentina. Also, two of them, R. recondita and R. sororia, represent new records for South America.