Species in Microdochium, potential agents of biocontrol, have often been reported as plant pathogens, occasionally as endophytes and fungicolous fungi. Combining multiple molecular markers (ITS rDNA, LSU rDNA, TUB2 and RPB2) with morphological characteristics, this study proposes three new species in the genus Microdochium represented by seven strains from the plant hosts Miscanthus sinensis and Phragmites australis in Hainan Island, China. These three species, Microdochium miscanthi sp. Nov., M. sinense sp. Nov. and M. hainanense sp. Nov., are described with MycoBank number, etymology, typification, morphological features and illustrations, as well as placement on molecular phylogenetic trees. Their affinity with morphologically allied and molecularly closely related species are also analyzed. For facilitating identification, an updated key to the species of Microdochium is provided herein.
The fungal genus Gnomoniopsis (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales) has been reported all around the world and isolated from multiple plant hosts. Based on multilocus phylogenies from a combined dataset of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the ribosomal RNA gene cluster, and partial regions of translation elongation factor 1 alpha (tef1) and partial beta-tubulin (tub2), in conjunction with morphological characteristics, we describe and illustrate herein four new species, including Gnomoniopsisdiaoluoshanensis sp. Nov., G. lithocarpi sp. Nov., G. mengyinensis sp. Nov. and G.yunnanensis sp. Nov. Alongside this, their similarity and dissimilarity to morphologically-allied and phylogenetically-related species are annotated and discussed. For facilitating future identification, we update the key to all species currently recognized in this genus.
Coniella has a wide distribution as plant pathogens, saprobes and endophytes. Some Coniella species infect leaves, fruits, stems and roots of plants. A coniella-like species was isolated from symptomatic leaves of Castanea mollissima (Fagaceae) from orchard in Tai’an City, Shandong Province, China. Based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF1-α sequence data and morphology, Coniella castanea sp. nov. is introduced. A detailed description and illustration has been provided and new specieswas compared with related taxa.
During a survey of microfungi on symptomatic leaves from Photinia serratifolia (Desfontaines) Kalkman, an interesting species of asexual ascomycetes were found. Based on multilocus phylogenies from a combined dataset of genes encoding internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU), translation elongation factor 1 alpha (tef1), part of the beta-tubulin gene region (tub2), and partial RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), in conjunction with morphological characteristics, we describe a new genus of Tubakiaceae, Ellipsoidisporodochium gen. nov. (type species: Ellipsoidisporodochium photiniaesp. nov.). The genus has fusoid to ampulliform sporodochia and obovoid to ellipsoid conidia. Their relatedness to allied taxa are also annotated and discussed.
During our ongoing survey of dematiaceous hyphomycetes associated with dead branches in tropical forests, eight Acrodictys isolates were collected from Hainan, China. Morphology from the cultures and phylogeny based on partial small subunit (SSU), entire internal transcribed spacer regions with intervening 5.8S (ITS), partial large subunit (LSU) of rRNA gene, partial beta-tubulin (tub2), and partial RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) genes were employed to identify these isolates. As a result, four new species, namely Acrodictys bawanglingensis sp. nov., A. diaoluoshanensis sp. nov., A. ellisii sp. nov., and A. pigmentosa sp. nov., are introduced. Illustrations and descriptions of the four taxa are provided, along with comparisons with closely related taxa in the genus. For facilitating relative studies, an updated key to all accepted species of this genus is also compiled.
Porodaedalea species, members of the order Hymenochaetales, are widely distributed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and are known for their saprophytic, pathogenic, and medicinal properties. Currently, genomics has become a mainstream approach for exploring the potential applications of fungi, but the genomics studies on Porodaedalea remain extremely limited. In this study, we employed third-generation sequencing technology to obtain high-quality genomes of Porodaedalea mongolica and Porodaedalea schrenkiana using an assembly strategy optimized for assembling highly heterozygous genomes. Functional annotation and comparative genomic analyses revealed the lignocellulose decomposition strategies of Porodaedalea species, and explored their potential biological functions and patterns of their evolution history. These genomic resources provide the valuable foundation for future potential applications of the Porodaedalea species in the industrial and medical fields.