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Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua is a perennial herb of the Asparagaceae family that is used for both dietary and medicinal purposes in China. In September 2019, a new leaf spot disease on Polygonatum cyrtonema was detected and is currently widespread in Huaihua, Hunan Province, China. Pathogenic fungi were isolated and purified from samples of diseased tissue that were collected for morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies. The pathogen was identified using multilocus (ITS, TEF-1, and TUB2) phylogenies, as well as morphological characters, and was found to be clustered but separately divergent from species of Pestalotiopsis . However, there were significant morphological differences between the pathogen and similar species. The pathogen was finally identified as a new species that was designated Pestalotiopsis xuefengensis . This is the first report of Pestalotiopsis xuefengensis serving as the causal agent of gray leaf spot on Polygonatum cyrtonema . This study will provide useful information for the diagnosis and management of this disease., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

During a survey of endophytic fungi in plant roots in secondary forests in Yunnan, China, a novel ascomyceteous taxon, Beltrania sinensis , was isolated from Quercus cocciferoides Hand.-Mazz. and Fraxinus malacophylla Hemsl. This novel species is characterized by having oval or obovoid conidiogenous cells with several apical, flat-tipped denticles, and biconic, aseptate, smooth, pale brown conidia with a hyaline to subhyaline equatorial transverse band and apical tubular appendage. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and the LSU rRNA gene confirmed its novel species status within the genus Beltrania . Here, the novel species is described and illustrated, and a taxonomic key to species in the genus Beltrania is provided.

Two new species and a new combination of Hypoxylon from Texas were identified and described based on morphological, multigene phylogenetic (ITS [nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2], 28S [5' 1200 bp of nuc 28S rDNA], RPB2 [partial second largest subunit of the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II], TUB2 [partial β-tubulin ] ), and chemotaxonomic data. Hypoxylon olivaceopigmentum is characterized by its pulvinate to glomerate stromata, olivaceous KOH-extractable pigments, equilateral ascospores, and indehiscent perispore. Hypoxylon texense can be distinguished from morphologically similar species by its rust to dark brick KOH-extractable pigments and the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profile of its stromatal secondary metabolites. Hypoxylon hinnuleum is proposed as the sexual morph of Nodulisporium hinnuleum , featuring dark vinaceous glomerate stromata with dark brick KOH-extractable pigments composed of cohaerin-type azaphilones and smooth equilateral ascospores with indehiscent perispore. Based on these diagnostic characters, H. hinnuleum forms a complex with H. croceum and H. minicroceum . More than 50 ITS sequences with high identity originating from North American and East Asian environmental isolates formed a well-supported clade with the type of N. hinnuleum , demonstrating the widespread distribution of the species complex. In addition, updated descriptions and comprehensive illustrations with detailed information on the diagnostic features of H. fendleri and H. perforatum are provided. The multilocus phylogenetic reconstruction of Hypoxylon supported the status of the new species and broadened the knowledge about intergeneric relationships.

This study investigates the diversity and taxonomy of Cryptosphaeria species occurring in the western United States on the basis of morphological characters and multilocus phylogenetic analyses of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region, parts of a β-tubulin gene, the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit gene and the nuclear ribosomal large subunit gene. Cryptosphaeria multicontinentalis sp. nov is described from the Sierra Nevada and central coast of California on Populus tremuloides, P. balsamifera subsp. trichocarpa and P. fremontii. Cryptosphaeria pullmanensis is reported from a wide geographic area in the western United States on the main host, P. fremontii. The pathogen C. lignyota is reported for the first time from the Sierra Nevada of California on P. tremuloides. The phylogenetic analyses showed that C. multicontinentalis is a sister species to C. lignyota. Both species were closely related to C. subcutanea and more distantly related to C. pullmanensis. Characteristics of both teleomorph and anamorph of the newly introduced species C. multicontinentalis are described and illustrated., (© 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.)

Phylogenetic analyses based on a broad taxonomic sampling of Ascotricha were conducted using the sequences of nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, along with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS), partial nuc 18S rDNA (18S) and partial β-tubulin gene (TUB2). Hypoxyloid Xylariaceae and xylarioid Xylariaceae were inferred as two distinct lineages in the Xylariaceae in the combined ITS-TUB2 phylogeny. Within xylarioid Xylariaceae species of Ascotricha form a monophyletic group. Two new marine algae-associated fungi, Ascotricha longipila and A. parvispora, are described on the basis of morphological and molecular characters and the combination, A. sinuosa, is proposed. A synopsis of the morphological characters and a dichotomous key to Ascotricha species are provided., (© 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.)

Morphological and molecular analyses demonstrate that Coniolariella gamsii and Coniolaria murandii are distinct species. The latter species is validated here as Coniolariella macrothecia. A key to the five species of the genus is provided.

Fungus-growing termites live in obligate mutualistic symbiosis with species of the basidiomycete genus Termitomyces, which are cultivated on a substrate of dead plant material. When the termite colony dies, or when nest material is incubated without termites in the laboratory, fruiting bodies of the ascomycete genus Xylaria appear and rapidly cover the fungus garden. This raises the question whether certain Xylaria species are specialised in occupying termite nests or whether they are just occasional visitors. We tested Xylaria specificity at four levels: (1) fungus-growing termites, (2) termite genera, (3) termite species, and (4) colonies. In South Africa, 108 colonies of eight termite species from three termite genera were sampled for Xylaria. Xylaria was isolated from 69% of the sampled nests and from 57% of the incubated fungus comb samples, confirming high prevalence. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS region revealed 16 operational taxonomic units of Xylaria, indicating high levels of Xylaria species richness. Not much of this variation was explained by termite genus, species, or colony; thus, at level 2-4 the specificity is low. Analysis of the large subunit rDNA region, showed that all termite-associated Xylaria belong to a single clade, together with only three of the 26 non-termite-associated strains. Termite-associated Xylaria thus show specificity for fungus-growing termites (level 1). We did not find evidence for geographic or temporal structuring in these Xylaria phylogenies. Based on our results, we conclude that termite-associated Xylaria are specific for fungus-growing termites, without having specificity for lower taxonomic levels.

A new Rosellinia species, R. capetribulensis isolated from Calamus sp. in Australia is described. R. capetribulensis is characterized by perithecia immersed within a carbonaceous stroma surrounded by subiculum-like hyphae, asci with large, barrel-shaped amyloid apical apparatus and large dark brown spores. Morphologically, R. capetribulensis appears to be similar to R. bunodes, R. markhamiae and R. megalospora. To gain further insights into the phylogeny of this new taxon we analyzed the ITS-5.8S rDNA using maximum parsimony and likelihood methods. In addition, a morphological dataset also was analyzed phylogenetically to investigate possible affinities. ITS rDNA based phylogenies reveal that R. capetribulensis is closely related to other Rosellinia species showing closest affinity to R. arcuata, RL necatrix and R. pepo. However, analysis of R. capetribulensis forms an unsupported branch sister to these taxa. Results from the morphological matrix indicate a close morphological affinity to members of Rosellinia subgenus Rosellinia. Despite that ITS rDNA and morphological analyses present difficulties in constructing a proper phylogenetic framework among Rosellinia and allied genera, there is sufficient evidence to support the establishment of the new taxon in the genus Rosellinia. The morphological similarities and differences between R. capetribulensis and allied genera such as Astrocystis and Entoleuca are also briefly discussed.