Peniophora pseudonuda is a synonym of P. laeta

Abstract

Peniophora laeta is easily recognized because it is restricted to Carpinus as host in Europe, and the reddish yellow basidioma is provided with prominent teeth or hyphal pegs, disrupting the bark when developing. P. pseudonuda was earlier not even thought of as related to P. laeta, because basidiomata are smooth and developing on the bark. Moreover, basidioma initiation starts with a thin layer of brown-pigmented hyphae on the bark surface. This gives a bluish tint to the mature basidioma, which is in striking contrast to the orange-yellow basidiomata found in P. laeta. Nevertheless, both ITS sequences and crossing tests show that P. pseudonuda is conspecific with P. laeta. This was supported also by similarities in spores, basidia, and cystidia morphology.