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Identification keys to smut fungi (Ustilaginomycotina p.p. and Microbotryales) of 14 selected host plant families and 51 keys to 92 selected host plant genera are presented to facilitate world-wide identification of these plant parasitic microfungi.

A lichen survey of the Donetsk Upland (SE Ukraine) was conducted based on data collected between 2005 and 2007 and a detailed review of the literature. A total of 233 species (221 lichens and 12 lichenicolous fungi) were recorded. Five species are recorded for the first time for Ukraine: Caloplaca raesaeneni, Cladonia magyarica, C. peziziformis, Endococcus rugulosus and Rinodina cf. guzzinii. A large number of species are new records for particular biogeographic regions, including 22 species new for the plain part of Ukraine, 15 for the steppe zone of Ukraine and 145 for the Donetsk Upland. Several of the species listed here were only recently first reported for Ukraine. Some misunderstood or questionable literature records from the Donestk Upland, such as Caloplaca teicholyta, Diploschistes scruposus, Lecanora frustulosa, Rinodina exigua and Thrombium cretaceum, are discussed.

Two different coelomycetous fungi were screened for the production of taxol, an anticancer drug. Taxol production was confirmed by following methods Ultra Violet (UV) spectroscopic analysis, Infra Red analysis (IR), High performance liquid chromatography analysis (HPLC) and Liquid chromatography mass spectrum (LC-MASS), and the taxol compared with authentic taxol. The fungal taxol was identical to authentic taxol. The taxol produced by the above fungi were tested against cancer A549 cell line.

Fourteen species of hypogeous fungi have been collected and studied in the province of Castellón in Spain. Significant diagnostic characters are given for some of them. Several species that belong to the Basidiomycota are of special interest: Alpova microsporus, Hymenogastser bulliardii, H. hessei, H. luteus, H. lycoperdineus, H. muticus, H. niveus and Protoglossum aromaticum (= Hymenogaster remyi).

An historical account is given of the smut fungus, Ustacystis waldsteiniae, which is parasitic on members of Rosaceae. This is followed by a short characterisation of the unispecific genus Ustacystis, and a detailed, illustrated description of U. waldsteiniae. Synonyms of the genus and species, host plant range and geographic distribution are also provided.

An historical account of the smut genus Vankya and its type species, V. ornithogali. is given. It is apparent that V. ornithogali does not infect Ornithogalum, only species of Gagea, and that the genus Vankya is restricted to host plants in the Liliaceae s.str. It is shown for the first time that there are sterile cells between the spores of species of Vankya. Detailed descriptions of Vankya and its three species, including the new V. lloydiae on Lloydia triflora, are provided as well as synonyms, host plant ranges, geographic distributions and a key to the species. A lectotype is designated for Ustilago heufleri.

Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological studies, three new cryptic species of
Microbotryum, M. silenes-dioicae on Silene dioica, M. shykoffianum on Dianthus sylvestris, and M. carthusianorum on Dianthus carthusianorum, are described and illustrated. For Ustilago superba on Dianthus superbus, a new combination in Microbotryum, M. superbum, is proposed.

After a short review of the genus Boerlagiomyces, a short description of B. websteri is given and illustrated from material found in Hungary on old cherry stones.

Three names of families in the Pucciniomycotina, Spiculogloeaceae, Erythrobasidiaceae, and Naohideaceae, are validated.

Six species and one subspecies of Rhizocarpon are reported from the Razavi Khorasan province of north east Iran. Rizocarpon saurinum is new to Asia, being previously reported only from western U.S.A. (Colorado and Utah), and Rhizocarpon macrosporum and R. geographicum subsp. tinei are new to Iran. The lichenicolous fungus Endococcus macrosporus is also reported for the first time from Iran.

Data on 30 species of agaricoid basidiomycetes searched out for the first time in the Western Caucasus are given. As a result, the species diversity of studied region is estimated at 867 agarics taxa.

In addition to the 46 known smut fungi of Bolivia, a further 16 species are reported as new to Bolivia, three of which are new to science, viz. Moreaua scirpi, Sporisorium christineae and Tilletia spinulosa. New host plants are given for four smut fungi.

The sporodochial hyphomycete genus Cheiromycella is briefly discussed, including nomenclature and taxonomy of its type species, C. microscopica. C. foliicola, a new species of this genus on leaves of Alnus fruticosa from Russia, is described, illustrated and compared with other species of Cheiromycella. Coniothecium chomatosporum var. variegatum is reassessed after examination of type material and reduced to a synonym of Coniosporium spadiceum, a new combination proposed for the anamorph of Hysterium insidens. A key to the species of Cheiromycella is provided.

Fifty-eight species and seven varieties of fungi and one protozoan associated with Cistus spp. have been collected and studied in the Sierra Calderona Nature Reserve, Castellón–Valencia, Spain. Significant diagnostic characteristics are given for some of them. Several species that belong to Myxomycota, anamorphic fungi and Basidiomycota are of special interest: Agrocybe ochracea, Cladosporium tenuisimum, Cortinarius scobinaceus var. volvatus, var. nov., Entoloma malenconii, Gymnopus lanipes, Hebeloma plesiocistum, Inocybe amblyspora, I. splendens, Inocybe cf. squarrosa, Lindbladia tubulina, Lyophyllum cistophilum, Melanoleuca polioleuca, M. subpulverulenta, Panaeolina foenisecii, Tomentellopsis pusilla and Tulostoma macrocephalum.

This is the first combined checklist of corticioid and polypore species from the territories in the Caucasus region, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Caucasus, NE Turkey, and N–NW Iran. Altogether 389 corticioid and 246 polypore species are known from the area, 74 of which are reported as new to the entire region. Each record includes literature references, and, when available, selected unpublished specimens deposited in herbaria or collected recently are listed. The distribution of each species in the Caucasian countries is summarized, and brief notes are provided for some species. Finally, a table and a diagram representing the number of corticioids and polypores and the ratio of these in each country are provided. The checklist aims to serve as a baseline for more detailed studies of wood-inhabiting basidiomycetes in the Caucasus region. The importance of this catalogue for fungal conservation is also mentioned.

Information about the first finding in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula of Boletus roseoalbidus (= Xerocomus roseoalbidus) is presented. A description and illustrations are provided upon the Bulgarian collections. Cytospora sacculus on Ailanthus altissima is a new record for Bulgaria. Four ascomycetes, Hyponectria buxi, Plagiosphaera immersa, Pleuroceras pleurostylum, Pseudovalsa umbonata, are reported for the first time from Bulgaria.