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In this study, four new species of Phragmidium were proposed based on morphological and molecular characters. In morphology, Phragmidium rosae-roxburghii sp. nov. was distinguished to related taxa by its unique square to diamond-shaped urediniospores; Ph. rubi-coreani sp. nov. differed from Ph. barclayi and Ph. cibanum because of teliospores with fewer cells and shorter pedicels; urediniospores of Ph. potentillaefreynianae sp. nov. were bigger than Ph. duchesneae-indica; and Ph. rosae-laevigatae sp. nov. produced bigger urediniospores than Ph. jiangxiense. The phylogenetic analyses based on the combination of two loci (ITS and LSU) also supported our morphological conclusion. In the meantime, three previously known species were also described herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucommia ulmoides is a rare tree species in China with high medicinal and gum value. Nine strains of hyphomycetous fungi were isolated from the leaf litter of E. ulmoides in Guizhou Province. Preliminary identifications based on ITS indicated that they belong to the genus Cladosporium. Morphology and phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the nrDNA, the partial translation elongation factor 1-a (tef1) gene and partial of actin (act) gene confirmed that the strains represent four species, including two novel taxa, viz., Cladosporium eucommiae and C. guizhouense and two new substrate records for known species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A definition of the Goniurosaurus yingdeensis group is presented in this study, on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on a series of additional specimens. Moreover, a new species of this group, Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov., is proposed for northern Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from the other two congeners of this group by the following unique characters: one or two internasals; enlarged supraorbital tubercles absent; paravertebral tubercles between limb insertions 27-29; dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 21-24; ten precloacal pores in males and absent in females; body bands with black spots; iris orange-red. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five Curvularia strains isolated from diseased leaves of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) in Guangxi Province, China, were examined. NCBI-Blast searches of ITS sequences suggested a high degree of similarity (99-100%) to Curvularia akaii, C. akaiiensis, C. bothriochloae, C. heteropogonis and C. sichuanensis. To accurately identify these strains, we further analysed their morphology and phylogenetic relationships based on combinations of ITS, GAPDH, and tef1 gene sequences. Morphological observations indicated that the key character differing from similar species was conidial size, whereas phylogenetic analyses indicated that the five strains represent one species that is also distinct from C. akaii, C. akaiiensis and C. bothriochloae by conidial size and conidiophore length. Thus, the strains examined are found to represent a new species described herein as Curvularia nanningensis. The pathogenicity test on the host and detached leaves confirmed the new species to be pathogenic on Cymbopogon citratus leaves. Standardised requirements for reliable identification of Curvularia pathogens are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three strains of the genus Diaporthe were isolated from different plant hosts in south-western China. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined ITS, ß-tubulin, tef1 and calmoudulin dataset indicated that these strains represented three independent lineages in Diaporthe. Diaporthe millettiae sp. nov. clustered with D. hongkongensis and D. arecae, Diaporthe osmanthi sp. nov. grouped with D. arengae, D. pseudomangiferae and D. perseae and Diaporthe strain GUCC9146, isolated from Camellia sinensis, was grouped in the D. eres species complex with a close relationship to D. longicicola. These species are reported with taxonomic descriptions and illustrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cryptic species, which were previously reported as Amolops ricketti, are revealed on the basis of significant morphological and genetic divergences. Amolops sinensis sp. n. from central Guangdong, northeastern Guangxi and southwestern Hunan can be distinguished by the longitudinal glandular folds on the skin of the shoulders and other character combinations. Amolops yatseni sp. n. from the coastal hills of west Guangdong can be distinguished by the dense tiny round translucent, or white, spines on the dorsal skin of the body, dorsal and dorsolateral skin of the limbs, and other character combinations. The phylogenetic interrelationships of the A. ricketti group have been inferred as (A. wuyiensis + A. ricketti) + (A. yunkaiensis + (A. albispinus + (A. sinensis sp. n. + A. yatseni sp. n.))). This work indicates that the current records of A. ricketti might be a species complex composed of multiple species, and further work is needed to figure out this puzzle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myricaria species in China occur mostly in the major high-altitude mountain areas in and around the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The one major exception to this is M. laxiflora which is restricted to the Three Gorges mountain region. In this study, we investigate species-level phylogeographical patterns of Myricaria species in western China and the origin of M. laxiflora. The results show that most chloroplast haplotypes are species-specific, except for one haplotype which is shared by three widespread species. Higher haplotype diversity within the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau region supports the hypothesis that the Himalayas are the centre of origin for Myricaria. The phylogeny of Myricaria was geographically structured, and an estimated Bayesian chronology suggested the main divergence events occurred during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene (~1.46–2.30 million years ago). The overall phylogeographical pattern was characterized by vicariance events and regional demographical expansion, reflecting a major influence of geological and climatic events on the evolution of Myricaria species. Our data suggest that M. laxiflora has an ancient origin, but has experienced recent population expansion through the Three Gorges Valley. The origin of M. laxiflora was estimated to be during the Early Pleistocene but its demographical expansion was more recent at about 0.015 million years ago. This highlights the unique phylogeographical history of the Three Gorges mountain region, and the deep imprint of the watercourse connections of the Yangtze River Valley on the phylogeographical structure of the species in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]