Taxonomy of Merulius eurocephalus (Berk. & Br.) Petch v/s Bondarzewia berkeleyi (Fr.) Bond. & Sing. (Basidiomycota: Agaricomycetes): synonym status reviewed

• Main Authors: Manoj Kumar, Nirmal Sudhir Kumar Harsh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society 2014-11-01
• Series: Journal of Threatened Taxa
• Subjects: Merulius pseudolacrymans, Merulius similis, Polyporus eurocephalus, Serpula similis.
• Online Access: http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/1661
• ISSN: 0974-7893; 0974-7907

<p>The current study is an attempt made to overcome the confusion concerning nomenclature and synonym status of <em>Merulius</em> <em>eurocephalus </em>(Berk. and Br.) Petch with <em>Bondarzewia</em> <em>berkeleyi </em>(Fr.) Bond. &amp; Sing.  An examination of herbarium specimens and literature review revealed that the two fungi are morphologically and microscopically dissimilar.  We recognise <em>M</em>. <em>eurocephalus</em> reported from India as <em>Merulius</em> <em>similis</em> Berk. &amp; Br. with the valid name being <em>Serpula similis</em> (Berk. &amp; Br.) Ginns.  We also reached the conclusion that <em>Bondarzewia berkeleyi</em> is not the synonym of <em>M. eurocephalus.</em><strong></strong></p>