The genus Hyphodontia in the Patagonian Andes forests of Argentina

The genus Hyphodontia is reviewed for southern Argentina from specimens gat hered on Nothofagus spp., Austrocedrus chilensis, Drymis winteri, Maytenus magellanica and Berberis ilicifolia. Sixteen species are reported, five of which are new taxa, namely, Hyphodontia crassisipora, H. gamundiae, N. hjor tstamii, H. magnifica and H. pumilia. A new name and new combinations are p roposed for names of species not found in the area but similar to some of t he described taxa: Hyphodontia cunninghamii nom. nov., H. subscopinella com b. nov. and N. rickii comb. nov. Several of the new taxa have thick-walled spores that may be cyanophilous and metachromatic. These characters, typica l of the genus Hypochnicium, are shown to fit within Hyphodontia, given oth er morphological features typical of the genus, i.e., hyphal features, basi diome construction, and morphology of cystidia and basidia. A dichotomous k ey to the sixteen taxa in Patagonia is provided.