Frequent circumarctic and rare transequatorial dispersals in the lichenised agaric genus Lichenomphalia (Hygrophoraceae, Basidiomycota)

► We report the first bipolar phylogeographic study on the genus Lichenomphalia. ► We found high circumarctic gene flow preventing pronounced genetic differentiation. ► However, divergent lineages corresponded to the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. ► These suggest frequent circumarctic and rare transequatorial dispersal. ► This polar divergence is different from patterns observed in other bipolar fungi.