Lepiota aurantiolutea (Agaricales, Verrucosporaceae), a new species from Shandong Province, China

A new species Lepiota aurantiolutea is described and illustrated from Puzhao Temple of Mount Tai Scenic Area (Tai’an City, Shandong Province, China), based on morphological and molecular evidence. Our phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS), the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal DNA (LSU) and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) support the inclusion of this new species in the genus Lepiota as it forms an independent clade in the phylogenetic tree. Morphologically, Lepiota aurantiolutea differs from any known species by the combination of a reddish orange pileus covering forming squamules on a pale yellow background, a yellow stipe bearing fine white pubescence and orange to red squamules at the middle and base.