Leucocoprinus beninensis Sarawi, sp. nov., a new species of Agaricaceae from Benin

Leucocoprinus beninensis Sarawi, sp. nov., is described here as a new species from Benin, West Africa, based on morphological and phylogenetic investigation. Leucocoprinus beninensis Sarawi, sp. nov., differs from known species of Leucocoprinus Pat. and closely related species of Leucoagaricus (Locq. Ex) Singer by the combination of basidiomata with reddish brown, light brown to brown squamules on a white background, a change of colour of the basidiomata to blue-green or grey-blue when dried, the absence of cheilocystidia, and small amygdaliform to ellipsoid basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the nrDNA ITS region reveal that sequences of Lc. beninensis Sarawi, sp. nov., cluster with sequences of Lc. cf. caerulescens (Peck) J.F. Liang, Zhu L. Yang & J. Xu, Lc. cinnamomeodiscus Asif, Saba & M. Raza, Lc. irinellus (Chalange) Kun L. Yang, Jia Y. Lin & Zhu L. Yang, Lc. sericifer (Locq.) Asif, Saba & Vellinga, and Lc. viriditinctus (Berk. & Broome) Asif, Saba & Vellinga.