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.

Obesity is an unhealthy condition associated with various diseases characterized by excess fat accumulation. However, in China, the prevalence of obesity is 14.1%, and it remains challenging to achieve weight loss or resolve this issue through clinical interventions. Sanghuangpours vaninii (SPV) is a nutritional fungus with multiple pharmacological activities and serves as an ideal dietary intervention for combating obesity. In this study, a long-term high-fat diet (HFD) was administered to induce obesity in mice. Different doses of SPV and the positive drug simvastatin (SV) were administered to mice to explore their potential anti-obesity effects. SPV regulated weight, serum lipids, and adipocyte size while inhibiting inflammation and hepatic steatosis. Compared with the vehicle-treated HFD-fed mice, the lowest decreases in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were 9.72%, 9.29%, and 12.29%, respectively, and the lowest increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was 5.88% after treatment with different doses of SPV. With SPV treatment, the analysis of gut microbiota and serum lipids revealed a significant association between lipids and inflammation-related factors, specifically sphingomyelin. Moreover, Western blotting results showed that SPV regulated the toll-like receptor (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in HFD-diet mice, which is related to inflammation and lipid metabolism. This research presents empirical proof of the impact of SPV therapy on obesity conditions.

Gomphidius albipes, a new species of Gomphidiaceae from the Greater Khingan Mountains, northeastern China, is described using morphological and phylogenetic data. It is morphologically similar to G. maculatus based on the orange pileus and thick gills but can be easily distinguished by the smooth stipe apex. Phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region rDNA data clearly supports G. albipes as a distinct taxon in the genus Gomphidius. The original biotope photographs, illustrations of microscopic characters and a phylogenetic tree of Gomphidius are provided.

Only two species of Hohenbuehelia, a globally distributed genus, are present in subtropical and tropical areas of China. Here, we describe and illustrate two additional subtropical species of Hohenbuehelia from Guangxi Province. Hohenbuehelia longzhousis can be differentiated from similar Hohenbuehelia species by its large size and its flesh- to pale-flesh-surfaced basidiomata, whereas H. cepistipes can be distinguished by its unique sturdy, thick stipe, an undulating to wavy margin of pileus. On the basis of morphology, the two species are distinct from all other species in the genus, which is a conclusion also strongly supported by the results of a phylogenetic analysis. Images of the original habitats and microstructures of the two new species are presented, and a revised taxonomic key for Chinese Hohenbuehelia is provided.