Phylogenetic placements and cultural characteristics of species isolated from ectomycorrhizas.

Pure cultures of were isolated from ectomycorrhizal root tips in plantations in Hokkaido, Japan. Their phylogenetic relationships as well as vegetative hyphal characteristics on culture media were reported. Phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer within ribosomal DNA settled well-supported eight lineages within , and clades in . Three and one lineages were grouped with undescribed species of clade in Japan and that of the group in China, respectively. Two lineages were closely associated to but distinct from an undescribed species of clade in Japan. One lineage did not group with any sequences in the International Nucleotide Sequence Database (INSD), proposing a new taxon in the group. One lineage was grouped with in clade. All strains in each lineage displayed yellowish white, thin, filamentous colonies on Melin-Norkrans agar medium. Various differences in morphological characteristics of hyphae on pure cultures of various strains were noted, but they were frequently uncommon among strains of the same taxa. Isolation from ectomycorrhizal root tips can be among the effective ways to acquire pure cultures of strains.