A novel species of Lepiota sect. Lepiota (Agaricaceae) from Jammu and Kashmir, India

Lepiota rufobrunnea is proposed as a new species from Jammu and Kashmir, India based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) nrDNA region. Lepiota rufobrunnea was found on dead and decayed debris of needles of Cedrus deodara. It is characterized by light brown to brownish orange pileus with obtuse reddish-brown umbo covered with scales in concentric fashion, with snow white, hairy cortinate appendages, pileus covering a trichoderm type composed of elongate thick-walled elements with granular contents. A comprehensive description, illustrations, and comparisons with morphologically similar and related taxa are provided.