Molecular variation in the Postia caesia complex

DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) and small‐subunit of mitochondrial ribosomal DNA (mt‐rDNA) were obtained from 12 different collections initially identified as either Postia caesia or P. subcaesia based on morphological criteria. Sequences of ITS from British collections separate into three clear groups, each with identical sequences, regardless of the lignicolous host and distribution. These British collections can be distinguished morphologically as two groups, (a) thick and larger basidiomata (1.5–5.0 × 2.0–6.0 × 3.0–15 cm) with a strigose to tomentose pileus and (b) thin and smaller basidiomata (0.5–2.0 × 1.0–2.5 × 1.5–4.0 cm) with a smooth pileus. The former were all collected from hardwoods and the latter from both hardwoods and coniferous woods. Group (a) corresponds to one of the sequence groups, but group (b) displays two different sequences. Two collections from Norway, one from each of the morphological groups, exhibit further sequence variation within the ITS regions, although closer to those of British group (b). Representative sequences of mt‐rDNA from each of the three British ITS sequence groups remain distinct, but those from the two Norwegian collections, however, are identical to one of the British groups. Further comparison of basidiospore size revealed no clear distinction among these groups, although the ratio of spore length to spore width is generally greater in group (a). Although there is no clear separation of these collections into two species, there is a clear tendency of variation at both morphological and molecular levels, among them. Differences in morphology and DNA sequences do not warrant species recognition, but do demonstrate high variability within the species complex.