Molecular evidence for novel Cantharellus (Cantharellales, Basidiomycota) from tropical African miombo woodland and a key to all tropical African chanterelles

The authors present a combined morphological and molecular approach of the genus Cantharellus in Africa. Morphological descriptions and detailed illustrations are provided for five new species from the Zambezian savannah woodlands in tropical Africa: C. afrocibarius, C. gracilis, C. humidicolus, C. miomboensis and C. tanzanicus . A maximum likelihood analysis of tef-1 sequences obtained for 83 collections of Cantharellus that are representative of all major groups in world wide Cantharellus, places a total of 13 African chanterelles, including the five newly described taxa. The recognition of a separate genus Afrocantharellus is rejected. An identification key based on the re-examination of all existing type material is provided for all presently known African Cantharellus .