Inonotus s. l. in Argentina — Morphology, cultural characters and molecular analyses

A survey of the hymenochaetaceous Inonotus in Argentina was conducted. At least seven Inonotus sensu stricto species were recorded for the region. These are I. ochroporus, I. patouillardii, I. pertenuis, I. quercustris, I. rickii, I. serranus and I. texanus. A detailed description of each species is given, and a key for their identification is provided. Each morphospecies could also be distinguished from both RFLPs and sequence data obtained from PCR products of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (ITS). A high level of nucleotide sequence variation was found among Inonotus. Molecular data also indicate that one morphospecies, I. patouillardii, may in fact represent two distinct species. Both cultural and molecular data support the view that Ptychogaster cubensis represents an anamorphic state of I. rickii. Two new combinations are proposed, namely Phellinus crustosus and Inocutis jamaicensis. I. pertenuis is reported for the first time from Argentina.