Australasian truffle-like fungi. X. Gymnopaxillus (Basidiomycota, Austropaxillaceae)

The genus Gymnopaxillus, previously known only from Chile and Argentina, ha s been found in south-eastern Australia. Two new species, G. nudus and G. v estitus, are described, and the generic description is emended to include h ypogeous species with bilaterally symmetric spores and a peridium. Gymnopax illus spp. are characterised by a yellow to golden-brown, bright cinnamon o r ferruginous, loculate, columella-bearing gleba containing boletoid spores that appear vivid golden-yellow in KOH. Molecular phylogeny indicates that the genus is related to the Southern Hemisphere ectomycorrhizal genus Aust ropaxillus rather than to Paxillus and is placed in the Austropaxillaceae.