Taxonomic Studies on Lentinus tuberregium (GQ292711) Tamil Nadu, India

The genus Lentinus is a white rot fungus, with many taxonomic controversies and it has attracted the attention of many mycologists for many years. Basidiospore shape, size and structure and pileal surface have been used as primary taxonomic character in the identification of Lentinus spp. However, high levels of phenotypic plasticity and descriptive key led many taxonomists to explore chemical and molecular methods to distinguish the species of Lentinus. Phylogenetic studies were initiated in Lentinus during 1990’s based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 26SrDNA. Their studies implied the significance of ITS gene in systematic.