A new species of genus Russula subsect. Ilicinae (Russulaceae) from Kashmir Himalaya based on morphology and molecular phylogeny

Russula indoilicis is proposed herein as a new mushroom taxon from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India based on morphological features and ITS-based molecular phylogeny. This species belongs to Russula subg. Heterophyllidia subsect. Ilicinae. Russula indoilicis is characterized by light grey to greyish orange pileus, white lamellae turning light orange to golden yellow or golden brown to darker with age, basidiospores with isolated spines and small warts that never form any reticulum, ixotrichoderm nature of pileipellis (covered with thick gluten layer), hymenial cystidia mainly with appendiculate apex, and growing under Cedrus deodara dominated coniferous forests. A detailed description accompanied with colour photographs of the basidiomata, illustrations of the main anatomical features, nrITS-based molecular phylogeny and comprehensive comparisons with similar species is provided.