Mycological Research News features: MR impact factor rises ; Functional profiling of a yeast genome; and Lichens respond to global warming.

Molecular and morphological approaches to the recognition of ectomycorrhizal fungi are compared. The core group of Peziza is re-assessed molecularly and morphologically, leading to some revision in species concepts and names, and the species of Amanita in the Iberian Peninsula are compared by restriction analysis. A high-density genetic linkage map for Lentinula edodes has been developed, and length polymorphisms discovered in races of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. Fatty acid composition is demonstrated as having potential in the intrageneric classification of Pleurotus.

Soil-binding mucilage production is documented in a soil basidiomycete.

Ultrastructural studies concern the development of Pseudocercospora mori on mulberry leaves, and the lichenicolous lichen Rimularia insularis on Lecanora rupicola.

A revision of Ravenelia in Argentina is presented, and two new thermotolerant Thielavia species have been discovered and compared molecularly with others in the genus. A fossil Anzia from the European Tertiary is also described.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Anzia electra, Ravenelia argentinica, Thielavia arxii, and T. intermedia spp. nov.