Three new species and two new records of Hydnum (Hydnaceae, Cantharellales) from the Dabie Mountains, China

<i>Hydnum</i> (<i>Hydnaceae</i>, <i>Cantharellales</i>), one of the edible ectomycorrhizal fungi, is characterized by a spine-bearing hymenophore. It is widely distributed in temperate regions and forms stable symbiotic relationships with <i>Fagaceae</i> and <i>Pinaceae</i>. During a survey of macrofungi in the Dabie Mountains region of China, ten specimens of <i>Hydnum</i> were collected. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis using three genetic markers (ITS + nrLSU + <i>tef</i>1-α), three new species (<i>H. luteoalbum</i>, <i>H. albodentum</i>, and <i>H. albotomentosum</i>) were identified and described, and two species newly recorded from the Dabie Mountains (<i>H. berkeleyanum</i> and <i>H. pallidomarginatum</i>) were reported. <i>H. luteoalbum</i> is distinguished by a white pileus covered with white tomentum, dagger-shaped or sword-like spines, and broadly ellipsoid basidiospores. <i>H. albodentum</i> is characterized by a pale brown pileus and subelliptical basidiospores (8.0-8.5 × 6.0-7.0 μm; av. Q = 1.17). <i>H. albotomentosum</i> features smaller basidiocarps, extremely short spines (0.5-2 mm), and globose to subglobose basidiospores. This study enriches the known taxonomic diversity of <i>Hydnum</i> and provides a dichotomous key to the species of <i>Hydnum</i> in China to facilitate species identification.