During our investigation of palm fungi in Thailand, two interesting taxa from Elaeis guineensis and Metroxylon sagu (Arecaceae) were collected. Based on phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset of ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tub2 nucleotide sequences as well as unique morphological characteristics, we introduce the new genus Haploanthostomella within Xylariales, and a new species Endocalyx metroxyli. Additionally, in our study, the genus Endocalyx is transferred to the family Cainiaceae based on its brown conidia and molecular phylogenetic evidence.

During the investigations of discomycetes in Yunnan, China, five species of Tatraea were discovered on decayed, decorticated oak trees or unidentified wood. All species have typical disc-like, large fruiting bodies with grey, brown or greyish-green colors. The ITS sequence analysis showed that they belong to Tatraea (Helotiaceae, Helotiales) and the LSU and ITS combination revealed a different topology within the genus. Four species, T. clepsydriformis, T. griseoturcoisina, T. yunnanensis and T. yuxiensis were established as new species, and T. aseptata was collected and described on oak woods. The pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test results indicated that there is no significant genetic recombination (Φw = 1.0) between all related species pairs. All the species described here are supported by descriptions, illustrations and multi-gene analyses.

This study isolated endophytic fungi of the genus Nigrospora from Aquilaria sinensis (Chinese agarwood) in Guangxi, China. Through rigorous morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analyses, we have identified two new species (N. guangxiensis and N. pubeiensis) and two new host-recorded species (N. oryzae and N. camelliae-sinensis). The morphological analysis revealed that the new species align with the genus-level definition of Nigrospora in colony morphology, conidiophores, and conidial characteristics. However, they were distinguished from known species by finer features such as conidial dimensions and conidiogenous structures. For instance, conidiophores in Nigrospora are typically differentiated from hyphae, characterized by dark pigmentation, which is consistent with broader taxonomic descriptions. Molecular phylogeny, based on concatenated datasets of the ITS, TEF1-α, and TUB2 loci, showed that N. pubeiensis is most closely related to N. chinensis, while N. guangxiensis forms a distinct basal clade relative to these two groups. Additionally, N. oryzae and N. camelliae-sinensis were first recorded on A. sinensis, expanding their known host ranges. The study enriches the taxonomic framework of Nigrospora by providing novel data from China, emphasizing the importance of integrating morphological and molecular approaches in fungal systematics. It also underscores the ecological diversity of fungal-host interactions in agarwood-producing trees, a topic explored in related research on endophytic fungi. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of fungal diversity and their ecological roles in agarwood-producing trees, and they pave the way for further research in this area.

During our investigation of microfungi on grasslands in Yunnan Province, China, three new fungal taxa associated with grasses were collected. Morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses of the combined SSU, LSU, ITS,tef1-α, andrpb2loci based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference were used to reveal the taxonomic placement of these fungal taxa. This study introducesParastagonospora yunnanensis,Para. zhaotongensis,Phaeoseptoriella poaceicola. Parastagonospora yunnanensisis characterized by ampulliform or globose to subglobose conidiogenous cells, with conidia that are cylindrical to subcylindrical, 0–1-septate, rounded at the apex and slightly truncate at the base.Parastagonospora zhaotongensisfeatures similar globose to subglobose conidiogenous cells but with 0–3-septate, cylindrical to subcylindrical conidia.Phaeoseptoriella poaceicolais distinguished by its globose to subglobose conidiogenous cells and phragmosporous conidia that are initially hyaline, turn pale yellowish at maturity, and are 7-septate, cylindrical to subcylindrical, either straight or slightly curved. These discoveries underscore the significance of exploring and accurately identifying fungal taxa within Ascomycota, highlighting the species richness and potential for new species discoveries in grass-based habitats. The findings from this study expand our understanding of the taxonomy and phylogeny of grassland-associated Ascomycota, providing a foundation for further ecological and taxonomic studies of these fungi within their natural environments.