Amanita species within section Caesareae from the highlands of Laos

Specimens of Amanita sect. Caesareae , collected in Xieng Khouang and Vientiane provinces in Laos from highland forests dominated by members of Fagaceae and Pinaceae , are studied based on morphological characters and analyses of ITS sequences. Two species, namely A. princepoides and A. chepangianoides , are reported as new, both found in association with Fagaceae , whereas A. pseudoprinceps and A. subhemibapha , recently described from China and A. rubromarginata from Japan, are confirmed from Laos and found in forests with Fagaceae and Pinaceae . The phylogenetic analyses to recognize the Amanita species showed that the golden-brown to greyish orange A. princepoides and the dominantly white A. chepangianoides cluster with A. aporema , A. chepangiana , A. egregia , A. princeps and A. pseudoprinceps. A dichotomous key to identified and likely occurring Amanita species in Laos within sect. Caesareae is also provided.