A new Amazonian species of Calocera with dendroid and multi-headed basidiocarp

During a biodiversity survey of Amazonian jelly fungi, we collected a unique dacrymycetous fungus. This fungus is characterized by stipitate, branched and multi-headed basidiocarps with fascicled marginal hyphae on the sterile parts of the basidiocarps and narrow cylindrical to navicular basidiospores. No dacrymycetous species with these morphological characteristics has been reported. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA sequences, the new specimens belong into the Dacrymycetaceae lineage. As an appropriate genus cannot be inferred from the phylogeny, we describe this fungus as a new species, Calocera arborea, based on its morphological characters.

► We collected a new dacrymycetous species with dendroid multi-headed basidiocarps from Amazonia. ► A molecular phylogeny indicated that this fungus is in its own clade within the Dacrymycetaceae. ► The fungus is described as a new species, Calocera arborea.