Russula foetentoides (Russulales, Russulaceae) - a new species from Pakistan

A new species, Russula foetentoides (Russulaceae) is proposed from the Himalayan moist temperate forests of Pakistan. This species is distinguished macromorphologically by its yellowish brown, glabrous, gelatinous basidiocarps with no, or only slight striations radiating from the margin and micromorphologically by basidiospores showing distinctly large ornamentation with line-connectors forming a partial reticulum, which differ from those of the closely related R. foetens. The morphological characteristics are illustrated in detail and compared with closely related species reported from the Himalayan range. Identification of R. foetentoides is also supported by the phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer ITS regions of ribosomal DNA. A provisional key is also provided to separate Pakistani species from closely related sub-continental species of Russula from the Himalayan forests.