Within the genus Mycena, species exhibiting brownish basidiomata present considerable challenges in identification due to similar coloration. This study underscores the significance of pileipellis types and cheilocystidia characteristics as critical in delimiting brownish Mycena species. To clarify the principal taxonomic characters and their utility in distinguishing between brownish Mycena species, a morphological taxonomy and phylogenetic analysis were performed. Five new species from China were introduced and characterized through a comprehensive morphological anatomy and phylogenetic substantiation: M. campanulatihemisphaerica sp. nov., M. digitifurcata sp. nov., M. kunyuensis sp. nov., M. limitis sp. nov., and M. oryzifluens sp. nov. Discussions of these taxa are supplemented with morphological illustrations. The phylogenetic relationships were inferred using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood methods based on sequences from the internal transcribed spacer and the large subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal RNA. With the addition of these five new species, the worldwide count of brownish Mycena increases to 94, and a key to the 29 known species of brownish Mycena from China is presented.

Crepidotus subg. Dochmiopus contributes to more than half of Crepidotus species and exhibits highly hidden diversity. However, C. subg. Dochmiopus is challenging to study because the basidiomata of C. subg. Dochmiopus species are usually small and white, inconspicuous interspecific distinctions, and possess a familiar complex. In this study, we utilized a variety of characteristics for species identification, including habitat, presence or absence of a stipe in mature specimens, pileipellis and cheilocystidia patterns, whether the lamellae edges are fimbriated, and other characteristics. Above all, cheilocystidia and pileipellis patterns will be important in C. subg. Dochmiopus research. Based on the present specimens, we constructed a multigene phylogenetic tree (ITS + LSU) and recognized four new species: C. lamellomaculatus sp. nov., C. capitatocystidiatus sp. nov., C. succineus sp. nov., C. clavocystidiatustustus sp. nov. Detailed morphological descriptions, photographs, line drawings and comparisons with closely related taxa for the new species are provided. The current phylogenetic analysis does not support the previously classifications, indicating that the classification of Crepidotus requires re-evaluation. But the existing molecular datasets and species’ descriptions are insufficient to fully resolve the classification. Further integration of new gene segments and a comprehensive review of morphological characteristics will reveal a natural classification for Crepidotus.

Crepidotus is an essential group of saprotrophic fungi within ecosystems and exhibits a widespread global distribution. In China, approximately 80 species have been discovered, most of them being collected from humid monsoonal climate zones of China. In this paper, we report on several specimens of Crepidotus collected from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, an arid area of China characterised by a continental climate. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses revealed two taxa: the first record for China of Crepidotus stenocystis Pouzar and a new species Crepidotus cinereofuscus sp. nov. C. stenocystis is a wood-inhabiting saprotrophic fungus, belonging to C. subg. Dochmiopus sect. Sphaeruli Hesler & Smith because of the presence of clamp connections and subglobose verrucose basidiospores. Phylogenetically, the Chinese sequence of C. stenocystis formed a strongly-supported clade with other reliable sequences. C. cinereofuscus is a soil-saprotrophic fungus, classified in C. subg. Dochmiopus sect. Autochthoni Consiglio & Setti because of its smooth basidiospores and clamp connections. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that C. cinereofuscus is closely related to Crepidotus clavocystidiatus M.H. Han, Q. Na & Y.P. Ge, but it is clearly separated and formed a distinct clade. C. cinereofuscus is also different from C. clavocystidiatus in morphological characteristics. Detailed species descriptions, photographs and line drawings of these taxa are provided. This study enhances our understanding of Crepidotus diversity in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, raising the total number of Crepidotus species reported from this region to seven.

Poria cocos (syn. Wolfiporia cocos) is an obligate saprophytic fungus that can produce sclerotia only when cultivated on pine wood. Despite its wide cultivation, the nutritional adaptation of this fungus to pine substrate and the host defensive responses triggered during colonization remain poorly characterized. Elucidating how Poria cocos colonizes pine and triggers host defenses is critical to uncover its nutrient dependence. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that protein degradation, carbon metabolism, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, and proteasome pathways were the major enriched pathways, indicating that a large amount of pine wood protein was degraded after Poria cocos colonization. Consistent with these omics signatures, the fungus acquired its primary nitrogen source via breakdown of pine structural and metabolic proteins, while pine carbohydrates acted as its main carbon source. Nutritional profiling confirmed the depletion of soluble protein and total sugars in pine wood, alongside elevated defensive polyphenols and flavonoids, reflecting an active stress response from viable pine parenchyma cells upon colonization. No significant shifts in mineral element concentrations were detected in colonized pine wood, indicating that Poria cocos selectively absorbs target minerals without altering the overall mineral pool of host wood tissue. Collectively, this work elucidates the core nutritional strategy of Poria cocos during pine colonization and identifies key molecular clues to advance optimized artificial cultivation, laying a solid theoretical foundation for revealing its obligate saprophytic lifestyle.