Species of Pseudoplagiostomataceae were mainly introduced as endophytes, plant pathogens, or saprobes from various hosts. Based on multi-locus phylogenies from the internal transcribed spacers (ITS), the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), partial DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit two gene (rpb2), the partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1α), and the partial beta-tubulin gene (tub2), in conjunction with morphological characteristics, we describe three new species, viz. Pseudoplagiostoma alsophilae sp. nov., P. bambusae sp. nov., and P. machili sp. nov. Molecular clock analyses on the divergence times of Pseudoplagiostomataceae indicated that the conjoint ancestor of Pseudoplagiostomataceae and Apoharknessiaceae occurred in the Cretaceous period. and had a mean stem age of 104.1 Mya (95% HPD of 86.0–129.0 Mya, 1.0 PP), and most species emerged in the Paleogene and Neogene period. Historical biogeography was reconstructed for Pseudoplagiostomataceae by the RASP software with a S–DEC model, and suggested that Asia, specifically Southeast Asia, was probably the ancestral area.
The genus Apiospora includes endophytes, pathogens and saprobes, with a wide host range and geographic distribution. In this paper, six Apiospora strains isolated from diseased and healthy tissues of bamboo leaves from Hainan and Shandong provinces in China were classified using a multi-locus phylogeny based on a combined dataset of ITS, LSU, tef1 and tub2, in conjunction with morphological characters, host association and ecological distribution. Two new species, Apiospora dongyingensis and A. hainanensis, and a new record of A. pseudosinensis in China, are described based on their distinct phylogenetic relationships and morphological analyses. Illustrations and descriptions of the three taxa are provided, along with comparisons with closely related taxa in the genus.
Species of Pestalotiopsis were mainly introduced as endophytes, plant pathogens or saprobes from various hosts. In this study, ten strains were isolated from Ficus macrocarpa, Phoebe zhennan and Spatholobus suberectus in China. Based on multilocus phylogenies from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1α) and the partial beta-tubulin gene (tub2), in conjunction with morphological characteristics, we describe three new species, viz., Pestalotiopsis ficicola sp. nov., P. phoebes sp. nov. and P. spatholobi sp. nov.
Absidia is distributed worldwide and primarily isolated from soil, feces, and decaying plants. The genus was initially classified into Absidiaceae and then Mucoraceae, and currently belongs to Cunninghamellaceae and is further divided into Absidia s.s., Lichtheimia, and Lentamyces. Three new species of Absidia s.s. are identified and described from soil in Hainan Province of China based on morphological characteristics, molecular data, and maximum growth temperatures as well. They are named based on distinct shapes of projections on columellae: A. crystalloidessp. nov. (crystal-like), A. pacificasp. nov. (pacifier-like), A. pateriformissp. nov. (bowling-like). In SSU-ITS-LSU-TEF-Act phylogram, the A. crystalloides is closely related to A. oblongispora and A. heterospora, the A. pacifica is a sister group with A. edaphica, and the A. pateriformis has a close relationship with A. jiangxiensis. This study enriches the species diversity of Absidia in China.
The genus Phyllosticta has been reported worldwide and contains many pathogenic and endophytic species isolated from a wide range of plant hosts. A multipoint phylogeny based on gene coding combinatorial data sets for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU rDNA), translation elongation factor 1α (TEF1α), actin (ACT), and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), combined with morphological characteristics, was performed. We describe three new species, P. fujianensis sp. nov., P. saprophytica sp. nov., and P. turpiniae sp. nov., and annotate and discusse their similarities and differences in morphological relationships and phylogenetic phases with closely related species.
The fungal genus Phyllosticta has been reported from all around the world and accommodates numerous pathogenic and endophytic species isolated from a wide range of plant hosts. Based on multilocus phylogenies from a combined dataset of genes encoding internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU rDNA), translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1α), actin (ACT) and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), in conjunction with morphological characteristics, we describe two new species P. oblongifoliaesp. nov. and P. pterospermisp. nov., as well as a new Chinese record P. capitalensis. Their similarity and dissimilarity to morphologically-allied and phylogenetically-related species are also annotated and discussed.