Cystolepiota Singer is rarely studied in Southeast Asia; here, we survey and describe three new species of Cystolepiota from tropical Laos and Thailand. Cystolepiota pyramidalis is related to C. fumosifolia (Murrill) Vellinga and C. pseudofumosifolia M.L. Xu & R.L. Zhao, but it is distinguished by pale to pastel yellow lamellae. Second, Cystolepiota thailandica differs from other members in the genus by the greyish-orange granulose or powdery pileus and stipe covering made up of globose to subglobose and sphaeropedunculate elements. Furthermore, Cystolepiota rhodella is characterized by the pink-violet granulose covering of the pileus and stipe and white lamellae with distinctly violet edges. Each species is provided with a full description of the morphological characters, photos in situ, line drawings of the microcharacters, discussion of related and similar species, and molecular data.

In our ongoing research on lepiotaceous taxa (Agaricaceae s.l.) in Laos and northern Thailand, we focus here on Chlorophyllum, Clarkeinda, Macrolepiota, Pseudolepiota, and Xanthagaricus. Collections were obtained from various habitats, including agricultural habitats, grasslands, and rainforests. A total of 12 taxa were examined and investigated. Of these 12, two are new for science; viz. Xanthagaricus purpureosquamulosus with brownish-grey to violet-brown squamules on a pale-violet to violet background; it shares the pileus color with X. caeruleus and X. ianthinus, but differs in other characters; and Macrolepiota excelsa, rather similar to M. procera but related to M. detersa. Two species, Pseudolepiotazangmui and Xanthagaricus necopinatus are recorded for the first time in Thailand. Four species of Chlorophyllum and a total of four species of Macrolepiota were found, viz., C. demangei and C. hortense with white basidiospores, C. molybdites and C. globosum with green basidiospores, M. detersa, M. dolichaula, the new M. excelsa, and M. velosa. Another rather common striking species is Clarkeinda trachodes, with yellow-green basidiospores. Each species is described in detail, with color photographs and line drawings. Phylogenetic analyses based on internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) region, the large subunit nuclear ribosomal (nrLSU) DNA and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) genes provide evidence for the placement of the species covered.

We present Cystolepiota flavolamellata a new species discovered in the tropical regions of Thailand and Laos. Morphological characters and multigene phylogenetic analyses, which encompass ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tef1 sequences, distinguish this species. Cystolepiota flavolamellata exhibits the following unique set of characteristics: basidiomata covered with light brown to brown granules or large pyramidal squamules; free yellowish white to light yellow lamellae; broadly ellipsoid to oblong-amygdaliform to ovoid basidiospores; absence of pleurocystidia; variably shaped cheilocystidia, i.e., oblong, clavate with or without appendicular apex, conical to utriform, fusiform; an epithelium for the pileus and stipe covering; and presence of clamp connections. Molecular analyses based on multiple genes confirm its separation from other known and sequenced Cystolepiota species.

The genus Scleroderma (Sclerodermataceae) contains gasteroid ectomycorrhizal fungi and is distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical regions. Fresh specimens were collected in Thailand and report three undescribed species and one new record for the country. These species were characterized by photographs of freshly collected basidiomes, and their macro- and microscopic features were compared with those of known species of Scleroderma. Additionally, DNA sequence data were generated for four loci, including the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1-α), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2). A multi-locus phylogeny was constructed to confirm their taxonomic placement.

A study of diversity of Lepiota species in northern Thailand was carried out in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces during the period 2007–2010. In total, 73 Lepiota mushrooms were collected representing 33 species from five sections. The distribution of these Lepiota species were as follows: 11 species of section Stenosporae, 8 of Ovisporae, 6 of Lepiota, 5 of Lilaceae, and 3 of Echinatae. The highest diversity of Lepiota species was found in the section Stenosporae as indicated by the H′ index (2.20), followed by Lepiota (1.7), Ovisporae (1.54), Lilaceae (1.42), and Echinatae (0.87). The species number of Lepiota was generally high in Mae Sa Valley (8), Forest of Pha Deng Village (7), Forest of Doi Ngaem (6), and Forest of Pong Duaed (5). The most commonly found species were L. furfuraceipes (14.1 %), L. sp. 6 (10.9 %), L. citrophylla (7.81%), L. aspera and L. fraterna (6.25%). Appearance of Lepiota species throughout the season is dependent on rain and humidity and the highest number of Lepiota species appeared in June to August, when high rainfall occurs. This study is one of the pioneering works dealing with the Lepiota species in Thailand in terms of their diversity and distribution.

The growing demand for sustainable alternatives to animal and synthetic leathers has accelerated interest in mycelium-based materials as an eco-friendly solution for the fashion industry. This study explores the potential of mushroom mycelium to create leather-like materials that align with circular fashion principles. Five species of edible and medicinal mushrooms were cultivated on sawdust substrates and evaluated for their growth performance, physical properties, and suitability as leather substitutes. Growth analysis revealed distinct species-specific behaviors: Cubamyces flavidus and Lentinus squarrosulus exhibited rapid colonization, achieving full substrate coverage within five days and forming dense mycelial networks at 14 days. In contrast, despite growing more slowly, Sanghuangporus vaninii and Ganoderma gibbosum formed thicker, more compact mats that might be suitable for strong leather-like materials. Visual and structural assessments showed diverse textures, colors, and hyphal architectures resembling natural leather. Physical characterization revealed shrinkage ranging from 13.17% to 24.09%, higher than for cow tanned leather (>5%) and PU microfiber (0.1–1.2%), suggesting a need for stabilization treatments. Apparent densities ranged from 0.13 g/cm³ to 0.30 g/cm³, lower than those of cow leather (0.49 g/cm³) and PU leather (0.38 g/cm³), highlighting species-specific hyphal structures that influence flexibility, porosity, and strength. SEM imaging confirmed the presence of interwoven hyphal mats resembling the fibrous architecture of natural leather, with S. vaninii showing the most uniform and continuous structure. Water absorption was significantly higher in mycelium sheets, consistent with their microporous nature, though S. vaninii showed the lowest uptake, reflecting possible natural water absorption. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed three-stage degradation profiles, with S. vaninii and G. gibbosum retaining >35% mass at 400 °C, indicating strong thermal stability for processing techniques such as hot pressing and finishing. Overall, the results demonstrate mycelium-based leathers as a biodegradable, low-impact alternative that can replicate the visual and functional characteristics of traditional leather, with opportunities for further improvement in substrate optimization, eco-tanning, surface coating, and scalable production toward a sustainable fashion future.