Nine Unrecorded Species of Phanerochaete (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) in Korea

Phanerochaete is one of the largest genera of the family Phanerochaetaceae within the order Polyporales, characterized by membranaceous basidiome and ellipsoid to cylindrical basidiospores. As white-rot saprotrophs, Phanerochaete species produce ligninolytic enzymes to degrade lignin and cellulosic materials. Several species have been applied to bioremediation, biopulping, and bioethanol industries due to their enzymatic abilities. While 123 Phanerochaete species have been reported globally, only 13 have been identified in Korea. To narrow this gap, we conducted a nationwide collection of specimens from 2008 to 2024. Subsequently, a comprehensive morphological and multi-marker phylogenetic analyses were performed using the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (nLSU) regions. From 17 specimens, nine unrecorded Phanerochaete species were identified, namely P. albocremea, P. australis, P. cystidiata, P. fusca, P. parmastoi, P. porostereoides, P. rhizomorpha, P. subcarnosa, and P. taiwaniana. This study contributes to expand the known diversity of Phanerochaete in Korea, elucidating the morphological features and phylogenetic relationships of these previously unrecorded species.