Laetiporus (Laetiporaceae, Basidiomycota) in tropical Africa is represented by a single Afromontane lineage and four species, including Laetiporus discolor, Laetiporus oboensis, sp. nov., Laetiporus tenuiculus, sp. nov., and Laetiporus sp. 1.

Abstract

The tropical African Laetiporus species are revised, based on morphological, ecological, distribution, and phylogenetic data. Laetiporus discolor, originally described from insular Mauritius, is accepted for the species spanning over the African eastern mountain ranges. Laetiporus oboensis and Laetiporus tenuiculus are described as new from the African equatorial insular São Tomé, based on phylogenetic, morphological, and distribution data. Laetiporus oboensis is characterized by compound basidiomes, with densely imbricated pilei in pale orange tint, a lobed margin, 3-4 pores/mm, and basidiospores averaging 4.8 × 3.7 μm. Laetiporus tenuiculus has mostly solitary, small, thin basidiomes, with pale flesh to pale orange pileus, an incised margin, 4-5 pores/mm, and basidiospores averaging 5.4 × 4.2 µm. A fourth species, known from two isolates from Ethiopian highlands, but for which voucher specimens were not available for description, is uncertain. These four species form an African endemic lineage, whose distribution is Afromountainous.