ABSTRACT: Lepiota magnispora shows morphological and molecular variation: three groups can be distinguished, each with its own distribution area. A closely related taxon, Lepiota spheniscispora spec. nov., is described from central coastal California. It differs morphologically from L. magnispora in the overall yellow-brown colours of the pileus, lacking a contrasting dark brown centre. A sister taxon of L. cystophoroides is described, viz., L. scaberula spec. nov., characterized by a scurfy pileus surface, non-dextrinoid and metachromatic spores, and inconspicuous cheilocystidia.

KEYWORDS: Geographical variation, ITS-sequences, Lepiota magnispora, cryptic species

NOMENCLATURAL NOVELTIES:
Lepiota scaberula Vellinga, p. 290
Lepiota spheniscispora Vellinga, p. 288