Helicogloea candida Z. W. Zheng, Q. X. Guan & F. Wu sp. nov.

Figs 2, 3

Holotype.

China • Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Linan County, West Tianmu Mountain, 30°19'45"N, 119°26'19"E, 510 m a. s. l., 14 September 2025, on rotten angiosperm wood, F. Wu leg., Wu 4197 (BJFC 064313, holotype).

Etymology.

Candida (Lat.): refers to the new species having whitish basidiomes.

Description.

Basidiomes annual, resupinate, gelatinous when fresh, hyaline to whitish, first pustulate to slightly cerebriform, then fusing together and turning semi-translucent and waxy, hymenial surface often tuberculate, up to 4 cm long, 1 cm wide and 0.1 cm thick, almost invisible when dry. Hyphal system monomitic, simple septate, hyaline, thin- to slightly thick-walled, 3–5.5 µm in diam. Probasidia abundant, saccate, 14.9–32.5 × 7.5–11.4 µm. Basidia tubular-clavate, thin-walled, 4 - celled, more or less straight to somewhat sinuous, 41.3–70.2 × 5.5–9.2 μm, sterigmata straight to curved, up to 5 µm long. Basidiospores germinating by germ tubes, ellipsoid to oblong ellipsoid, hyaline, thin-walled, (7.6 –) 8.9–13.6 (– 14.1) × (4.3 –) 4.4–8.9 (– 9.7) μm, L = 11.1 μm, W = 7.14 μm, Q = 1.50–1.68 (n = 120 / 4).

Additional specimens examined (paratypes).

China • Guangxi Auto. Reg., Baise, Leye County, Huangjingdongtiankeng National Forest Park, 24°48'42"N, 106°22'14"E, 1048 m a. s. l.; 8 September 2024, on fallen angiosperm branch, F. Wu leg., Wu 2967 (BJFC 047276), Wu 2973 (BJFC 047282) • Yunnan Province, Wenshan County, Jiguan Mountain, 23°19'6"N, 104°26'48"E, 1742 m a. s. l.; 11 August 2024, on fallen angiosperm branch, F. Wu leg., Wu 2924 (BJFC 047233).