Eight hyphomycetes were collected as part of an investigation into the diversity of hyphomycetous fungi in China. Based on morphology and multi-loci (LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2) phylogenetic analyses, five new taxa, including a new Aquapteridospora species A. hyalina and four novel Distoseptispora species, viz D. aquisubtropica, D. septata, D. tropica, and D. wuzhishanensis were introduced in Distoseptisporales (Sordariomycetes). Two new habitat records, viz Distoseptispora pachyconidia and D. xishuangbannaensis were firstly reported. Also provided in this study are detailed descriptions of eight new collections and a revised phylogenetic tree for the Distoseptisporales.

Endophytic fungi are a remarkably diverse group of microorganisms that have imperceptible associations with their hosts for at least a part of their life cycle. The enormous biological diversity and the capability of producing bioactive secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyketides have attracted the attention of different scientific communities, resulting in numerous investigations on these fungal endophytes. During our surveys of plant-root-based fungi in the mountain areas of Qingzhen, Guizhou Province, several isolates of endophytic fungi were identified. In this study, a novel endophytic fungus was discovered in the roots of a medicinal plant (Orixa japonica) in Southern China and introduced as a new species (Amphisphaeria orixae) based on morphological evidence and molecular phylogenetic analysis (combined ITS and LSU sequence data). To the best of our knowledge, A. orixae is the first reported endophyte as well as the first hyphomycetous asexual morph in Amphisphaeria. A new isocoumarin, (R)-4,6,8-trihydroxy-5-methylisochroman-1-one (1), and 12 known compounds (2–13) were isolated from the rice fermentation products of this fungus. Using 1D- and 2D-NMR, mass spectrometry, and ECD studies, their structures were identified. The antitumor activity of these compounds was tested. Unfortunately, none of the compounds tested showed significant antitumor activity.

Endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal ferns serve as significant natural resources for drug precursors or bioactive metabolites. During our survey on the diversity of endophytic fungi from Dicranopteris species (a genus of medicinal ferns) in Guizhou, Apoiospora was observed as a dominant fungal group. In this study, seven Apiospora strains, representing four new species, were obtained from the healthy plant tissues of three Dicranopteris species—D. ampla, D. linearis, and D. pedata. The four new species, namely Apiospora aseptata, A. dematiacea, A. dicranopteridis, and A. globosa, were described in detail with color photographs and subjected to phylogenetic analyses using combined LSU, ITS, TEF1-α, and TUB2 sequence data. This study also documented three new hosts for Apiospora species.

During our investigations of saprobic fungi, five fungal collections from terrestrial habitats in China and Thailand were examined using both morphological and multi-gene phylogenetic approaches (LSU, ITS, tef1-α, and rpb2), resulting in the identification of three novel species: Helicosporium rubrum, Neohelicomyces maolanensis, and N. subtropicus. Helicosporium and Neohelicomyces are morphologically similar in their asexual morphs but can be distinguished based on their molecular phylogenetic data. In this study, our new species, Helicosporium rubrum, represents the fourth sexual species within the genus, characterized by yellow-brown ascomata and fusiform ascospores. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, phylogenetic analysis results, and corresponding notes are provided to clarify the distinctions between these new species and related taxa.

Roussoella guttulata sp. nov. (Roussoellaceae) was found on bamboo culms collected in the northeast of Thailand. Roussoella guttulata differs from other species in having immersed, gregarious, black pseudoascostromata, single and central ostiole with periphyses, thin-walled peridium composed of cells of textura angularis to textura prismatica and yellowish brown ascospores. The multigene phylogenetic analysis shows that the new species forms a distinct lineage basal to R. hysterioides, R. japanensis, R. scabrispora and R. verrucispora. The new species is compared with closely related Roussoella species. A full description, color photo plates and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of the new species are provided.

Four stains were isolated from two fresh twigs of Helwingia himalaica and two dead woods during investigations of micro-fungi in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analyses of four gene regions LSU, ITS, SSU and tef1-α revealed the placement of these species in Montagnula. Based on the morphological examination and molecular data, two new species, M. aquatica and M. guiyangensis, and a known species M. donacina are described. Descriptions and illustrations of the new collections and a key to the Montagnula species are provided. Montagnula chromolaenicola, M. puerensis, M. saikhuensis, and M. thailandica are discussed and synonymized under M. donacina.