XVI International Botanical Congess

Cookeina, a tropical/sub-tropical genus of discomycetes, produces large, brightly colored apothecia. Some Cookeina have limited regional distributions, others are pan-tropical. Within these widespread species, color variations and morphological variations have been observed, even within a single habitat (i.e. a single log). Color variations and geographic distribution are therefore being investigated to gain further resolution within a clade. Nucleotide sequences from both ITS and LSU regions (with morphological evidence) support that species in Cookeina resolve into distinct clades according to color and/or geographic location.