The genus Laccaria is a type of cosmopolitan and ecologically important fungal group. Members can form ectomycorrhizal associations with numerous trees, and some species are common edible fungi in local markets. Although some new species from China are recently published, the species diversity of Laccaria is still unclear in China. In this study, some samples of Laccaria were collected from southern China, and morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses based on the multilocus dataset of ITS-LSU-tef1-rpb2 confirmed five new species. Laccaria miniata, L. nanlingensis and L. neovinaceoavellanea were collected from subtropical broad-leaved forests, and L. rufobrunnea and L. umbilicata were collected from subtropical mixed forests of southwest China. Full descriptions, illustrations, comparisons with similar species and phylogenetic analysis are provided.

Cantharellus is a well-known genus of edible mushrooms, belonging to the family Hydnaceae in the class Agaricomycetes. In this study, a phylogenetic overview of Cantharellus subg. Cinnabarinus and C. subg. Parvocantharellus in China is carried out with the description of four new species. Species description are based on morphological characters of basidiomata and phylogenetic analyses of multi-locus dataset of 28S + tef1 + rpb2. Among the new species, two species, C. chrysanthus and C. sinocinnabarinus, belong to C. subg. Cinnabarinus and two new species, C. convexus and C. neopersicinus, belong to C. subg. Parvocantharellus. Species delimitation characters of the new taxa are compared with closely related species. In addition, three new records of Cantharellus are reported for China: C. albovenosus and C. citrinus of subg. Cinnabarinus and C. koreanus of subg. Parvocantharellus. A key to the species of subg. Cinnabarinus in China was provided.

Three new species of Gerronema are discovered from southern China. Gerronema angustum is characterized by its small basidiomata, greenish-green pileus, slender stipe, narrow, and close lamellae. Gerronema pubescence is characterized by its pubescent pileus when young, yellowish white to pale yellow lamellae that are lighter towards the margin, narrowly cylindrical to lageniform pleurocystidia, and absent cheilocystidia. Gerronema rhizomorpha is characterized by its yellowish white to brown pileus, well-developed rhizomorphs at the stipe base, absent cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia, and not growing on rotten wood. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of nrITS + nrLSU support the species delimitation. In this study, detailed descriptions, photos of the basidiomata, line drawings, and discussions with related species are comprehensively provided. A key to the known Gerronema species in China is also provided.

A cup fungus producing ascomata on senescing to dead rhizomes of bamboo in East China is described as Pseudoplectania mystica sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Pezizales) based on morphological, ecological and phylogenetic evidence. Some sequences of unidentified endophytic fungi uploaded to the GenBank database by other researchers were also identified as P. mystica in our phylogeny. By checking the original literature of these sequences, P. mystica was further found to act as an endophyte in a broad range of host plants including Aegiceras, Cinnamomum, Dendrobium and Lindera, probably lurking in the tissues of the host plants as invisible mycelium in most cases and only producing visible ascomata following senescence of the host tissues. Such ecology and a combination of all its morphological characteristics make P. mystica recognizable from other known species of Pseudoplectania. This study contributes to the understanding of the species diversity and lifecycle of Pseudoplectania.

Pluteus aurantioruber from southern China (Guangdong Province) is described as a new species. It is characterized by a bright orange-red to orange pileus, a reddish orange, orange, yellowish to semi-translucent stipe covered with tiny scales formed by clustered, clavate to fusiform caulocystidia, 26‒50 × 10‒21 μm, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose basidiospores, 6–8 × 5–7 μm, clavate and rostrate cheilocystidia, a hymeniderm to epithelium type pileipellis, and growing in soil or with moss. Data from the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) region shows that this species is nested in Pluteus sect. Celluloderma and grouped with the other species with rostrate cheilocystidia. A comprehensive description and illustrations are provided, with its phylogenetic placement based on nrITS also evaluated and including comparison to morphologically similar taxa and phylogenetically related species.