A True global hotspot of biodiversity: discovery of Geastrum crystallinum sp. nov. and Geastrum complanatum sp. nov. (Basidiomycota, Geastraceae) for Brazilian Cerrado

In the present study, two new species of Geastrum Pers., with distinctive characteristics, are recorded for the first time for science in areas of the Brazilian Cerrado biome: Geastrum complanatum sp. nov. and Geastrum crystallinum sp. nov. Morphological characters and the placement of the species in the phylogenetic analyses indicate that Geastrum complanatum sp. nov. belongs to the Sect. Geastrum, Subsect. Sulcostomata, and G. crystallinum sp. nov. is inside the Sect. Corollina, Subsect. Marginata. Detailed morphological and phylogenetic descriptions of the new taxa are provided, along with a map of the collection site, photographs of macroscopic structures in the field, and images of microscopic structures under light and scanning electron microscopes.