The taxonomy of Hohenbuehelia auriscalpium (Fungi, Basidiomycota, Pleurotaceae) and its putative synonym H. abietina is evaluated based on material from natural forests in the Czech Republic and Ukraine. The rare species H. josserandii is described in detail based on rich collections from Boubínský prales virgin forest in the Czech Republic.
All specimens were studied both morphologically and molecularly (ITS and 28S nrDNA, EF1-). The recently published conclusion that H. auriscalpium and H. abietina are conspecific was confirmed.
The species grows on wood of deciduous trees as well as conifers. The thickness of the gelatinous pileus layer and the presence or absence of pileocystidia proved to be taxonomically irrelevant.
One collection from the studied dataset significantly deviates by its DNA sequences and may represent a separate taxon close to H. auriscalpium. Another collection originally identified as H. auriscalpium turned out to be H. tremula.
A higher range of some morphological characters was found in H. josserandii as compared with published data. The species prefers wood of Abies alba, namely branches of trees which fell 2-3 years ago.