Three mycocinogenic strains representing the genus Cryptococcus were isolated on glucuronate agar from plants and turf collected in the Prioksko-terrasny biosphere reserve (Russia). These isolates fit the standard description of Cryptococcus laurentii, but differ from its type strain in both their mycocin-sensitivity profiles and the killing patterns of their mycocins. Sequence analyses of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA and of the internal transcribed spacer region confirmed that these isolates represent two novel species, for which the names Cryptococcus nemorosus sp. nov. (type strain VKM Y-2906(T)) and Cryptococcus perniciosus sp. nov. (type strain VKM Y-2905(T)) are proposed. Morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as mycocinotyping and molecular analysis, show a close affinity between these two novel anamorphic species and the teleomorphic species Papiliotrema bandonii (Tremellales).