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The genus Melanconis (Melanconidaceae, Diaporthales) in the strict sense is here re-evaluated regarding phylogenetic structure, taxonomy, distribution and ecology. Using a matrix of sequences from ITS, LSU, ms204, rpb2, tef1 and tub2, eight species are recognised and their phylogenetic positions are determined. Based on phylogenetic, morphological and geographical differentiation, Melanconis marginalis is subdivided into four subspecies. Melanconis italica is reduced to a subspecies of Melanconis marginalis. The two species Melanconis larissae from Betula sp. and M. pacifica from Alnus rubra are described as new. Melanconis alni and M. stilbostoma are lectotypified and M. alni, M. marginalis and M. stilbostoma are epitypified. All GenBank sequences deposited as Melanconis alni are shown to actually represent M. marginalis and those as M. marginalis belong to the newly described M. pacifica. Currently, Alnus and Betula are the sole host genera of Melanconis. All species and subspecies are (re-)described and illustrated. In addition, the neotypification of Melanconium pterocaryae is here validated.

Melanconis-like fungi are distributed in several families of Diaporthales, mainly Juglanconidaceae, Melanconidaceae, Melanconiellaceae and Pseudomelanconidaceae. A new Melanconis-like genus of Pseudomelanconidaceae was discovered on branches of Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) in southern China, which was confirmed by both morphology and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, tef1a and rpb2 sequences. The new genus Micromelanconis is characterized by two types of conidia from natural substrate and manual media of PDA, respectively. Conidia from Chinese chestnut branches are pale brown, ellipsoid, multiguttulate, aseptate with hyaline sheath. While conidia from PDA plates are pale brown, long dumbbell-shaped, narrow at the middle and wide at both ends, multiguttulate, aseptate, and also with hyaline sheath. All Pseudomelanconidaceae species were only reported on tree branches in China until now. More interesting taxa may be discovered if detailed surveys on tree-inhabiting fungi are carried out in East Asia in the future.

Diaporthalesis an important ascomycetous order comprising phytopathogenic, saprobic, and endophytic fungi, but interfamilial taxonomic relationships are still ambiguous. Despite its cosmopolitan distribution and high diversity with distinctive morphologies, this order has received relativelyiaceae,Macrohilaceae,Melanconidaceae,Pseudoplagiostomaceae,Schizoparmaceae,StilbosporaceaeandSydowiellaceae. Taxonomic uncertainties among genera are also clarified and recurrent discrepancies in the taxonomic position of families within theDiaporthalesare discussed. An updated outline and key to families and genera of the order is presented.

The genus Melanconis (Melanconidaceae, Diaporthales) in the strict sense is here re-evaluated regarding phylogenetic structure, taxonomy, distribution and ecology. Using a matrix of sequences from ITS, LSU, ms204, rpb2, tef1 and tub2, eight species are recognised and their phylogenetic positions are determined. Based on phylogenetic, morphological and geographical differentiation, Melanconis marginalis is subdivided into four subspecies. Melanconis italica is reduced to a subspecies of Melanconis marginalis. The two species Melanconis larissae from Betula sp. and M. pacifica from Alnus rubra are described as new. Melanconis alni and M. stilbostoma are lectotypified and M. alni, M. marginalis and M. stilbostoma are epitypified. All GenBank sequences deposited as Melanconis alni are shown to actually represent M. marginalis and those as M. marginalis belong to the newly described M. pacifica. Currently, Alnus and Betula are the sole host genera of Melanconis. All species and subspecies are (re-)described and illustrated. In addition, the neotypification of Melanconium pterocaryae is here validated.

Diaporthales is a fungal order comprising important plant pathogens, saprobes and endophytes on a wide range of woody hosts. It is often difficult to differentiate the pathogens in this order, since both the morphology and disease symptoms are similar among the various species. In the current study, we obtained 15 representative diaporthalean isolates from six tree hosts belonging to plant families Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae, and Ulmaceae from Mount Dongling in China. Six species were identified residing in four families of Diaporthales (Diaporthaceae, Erythrogloeaceae, Juglanconidaceae and Melanconidaceae). Based on morphological comparison and the phylogenetic analyses of partial ITS, LSU,cal,his3,rpb2,tef1-αandtub2gene sequences, we identified five known species (Diaporthe betulina,D. eres,D. rostrata,Juglamconis oblongaandMelanconis stilbostoma) and one novel species (Dendrostoma donglinensis). These results represent the first study of diaporthalean fungi associated with canker and dieback symptoms from Mount Dongling in Beijing, China.

Melanconis-like species comprise latent fungal pathogens with a wide range of woody hosts. Taxonomy of these pathogens is difficult due to their uninformative descriptions and similar asexual morphology. Based on molecular phylogenies, many species of this group were placed in various families of Diaporthales. In this study, eight species of melanconis-like fungi were isolated from Betulaalbosinensis, B.platyphylla (Betulaceae), Cornuscontroversa (Cornaceae), Corylusmandshurica (Betulaceae) and Juglansregia (Juglandaceae) in China. These species were phylogenetically placed in three families of Diaporhthales, i.e. Juglanconisjuglandina, J.oblonga (Juglanconidaceae), Melanconiellabetulicolasp. nov., M.corylinasp. nov. (Melanconiellaceae), Melanconisbetulae, Ms.itoana, Ms.stilbostoma (Melanconidaceae) and one new genus, Sheathospora (Melanconiellaceae). Sheathospora is proposed to accommodate Melanconiellacornuta with conical and discrete pycnidia with aseptate, hyaline, cylindrical to ellipsoidal conidia with distinct hyaline sheath on branches of Cornuscontroversa. Combined analyses of ITS, LSU, CAL, RPB2 and TEF1-α sequence data were used to construct the molecular phylogeny. Additionally, we provided separate phylogenetic trees for three families (Juglanconidaceae, Melanconidaceae and Melanconiellaceae) to show the species distribution of melanconis-like fungi in China.

In this study we accept 25 families in Diaporthales based on phylogenetic analyses using partial ITS, LSU, rpb2 and tef1-α gene sequences. Four different families associated with canker and dieback of tree hosts are morphologically treated and phylogenetically compared. These include three new families (Diaporthostomata-ceae, Pseudomelanconidaceae, Synnemasporellaceae), and one new genus, Dendrostoma (Erythrogloeaceae). Dendrostoma is newly described from Malus spectabilis, Osmanthus fragrans and Quercus acutissima having fusoid to cylindrical, bicellular ascospores, with three new species namely D. mali, D. osmanthi and D. quercinum. Diaporthostomataceae is characterised by conical and discrete perithecia with bicellular, fusoid ascospores on branches of Machilus leptophylla. Pseudomelanconidaceae is defined by conidiogenous cells with apical collarets and discreet annellations, and the inconspicuous hyaline conidial sheath when mature on Carya cathayensis, compared to morphologically similar families Melanconidaceae and Juglanconidaceae. Synnemasporellaceae is proposed to accommodate fungi with synnematous conidiomata, with descriptions of S. toxicodendri on Toxico-dendron sylvestre and S. aculeans on Rhus copallina.

56. Titania [Titania] Meigen, 1800: 35. CURRENT STATUS: Name suppressed for the purposes of the Principle of Priority but not the Principle of Homonymy by action of I.C.Z.N. (1955a: 421 [Opinion 348]; treated under Chlorops Meigen, 1803 [teste Sabrosky (1999: 308)]. FAMILY: CHLOROPIDAE. REMARKS: Titania Meigen (1800: 35) was declared an available name by two actions of the ICZN Commission (I.C.Z.N. 1910: 66 [Opinion 28], 1944: 181 [Opinion 152]). Later, in order to protect the younger name Chlorops Meigen, 1803, the ICZN Commission (I.C.Z.N. 1955a: 421 [Opinion 348]) ruled to suppress Titania Meigen, 1800 for the purposes of the Principle of Priority but not for the Principle of Homonymy; treated under Chlorops Meigen, 1803 [teste Nartshuk (2012: 26)]. Titania Meigen in Hendel, 1908: 63 . ORIGINALLY INCLUDED SPECIES: None. FIRST INCLUDED SPECIES: Chlorops laeta Meigen, 1803 (in Coquillett 1910a: 615). TYPE SPECIES: Chlorops laeta Meigen, 1803, by subsequent designation (Coquillett 1910a: 615). CURRENT STATUS: Preoccupied by Titania Meigen, 1800; junior synonym of Chlorops Meigen, 1803. New Synonymy. REMARKS: Titania was originally proposed by Meigen (1800: 35) without included species, the entire work of which was subsequently suppressed for the purposes of zoological nomenclature by action of the I.C.Z.N. (1963: 339 [Opinion 678]). Hendel (1908: 63) was the first after Meigen (1800) to give characters to differentiate the taxon (reproducing Meigen’s characters) and to treat Titania as valid, which makes the name available from that work with Meigen as author. No species were included in Hendel (1908). The first included species is in Coquillett (1910a: 615), who designated Chlorops laeta Meigen, 1803 as the type species. The action of the I.C.Z.N. (1955a: 421 (Opinion 348) suppressed Titania only for the purpose of priority and not for homonymy. As there is no wording in Opinion 678 to contravene earlier rulings of names in Meigen (1800), this allows for Titania to be made available by subsequent usage as a valid taxon, but the name immediately becomes invalid as a junior homonym of Titania Meigen, 1800.

Melanconis is a monotypic genus in Melanconidaceae and mostly restricted to hardwood trees in Betulaceae, as endophytes and plant pathogens. During a routine forest pathogens investigation of canker disease in China, some melanconidaceous fungi were observed on Betula spp. with various symptoms. The primary objective of the present study was to identify species of Melanconidaceae associated with canker and dieback of Betula spp. in China. In the present study, we investigated 45 isolates using morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacers (ITS), nuclear large subunit rDNA (LSU), RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2), translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) and β-tubulin (tub). Three melanconidaceous taxa were identified: Melanconis betulae sp. nov., M. itoana and M. stilbostoma. This is the first phylogenetic study evaluating species of Melanconis associated with canker and dieback disease of Betula spp. in China, resulting in the description of a novel species and the report of M. itoana as a new record.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses of LSU rDNA demonstrate monophyly of the genus Melanconiella, and its status as a genus distinct from Melanconis is confirmed. Data of macro- and microscopic morphology, pure cultures and phylogenetic analyses of partial SSU-ITS-LSU rDNA, tef1 and rpb2 sequences revealed 13 distinct species of Melanconiella, six of which are described as new (M. chrysodiscosporina, M. chrysomelanconium, M. chrysorientalis, M. echinata, M. elegans, M. meridionalis). Melanconiella hyperopta var. orientalis is described as a new variety. Diaporthe carpinicola, D. ellisii, D. flavovirens, D. hyperopta and D. ostryae are formally combined into Melanconiella. The name Melanconiella chrysostroma is excluded from Melanconiella, as it is an obligate synonym of Wuestneia xanthostroma. The type of Melanconiella is confirmed as M. spodiaea. Several species are lecto- and/or epitypified. A key to all treated species of Melanconiella is provided, and the circumscriptions of the genera Melanconis and Melanconiella are emended. Most Melanconiella species revealed by molecular phylogenetic analyses can be well characterised by a suite of morphological traits including ascospore shape, length and width, colour, absence/presence and shape of appendages and the anamorph. Anamorph-teleomorph connections were confirmed by pure culture and DNA data, revealing the presence of a single melanconium- or discosporina-like anamorph for each species. Colony growth was found to be characteristic of the respective species. Melanconiella is shown to be confined to the host family Betulaceae, and all species are found to be highly host-specific, mostly confined to a single host species. The biodiversity of Melanconiella was determined to be centred on the genus Carpinus with nine species, five of which have been confirmed on C. betulus. Europe appears to be the geographic centre of Melanconiella biodiversity.

Members of Melanconiella are opportunistic pathogens and endophytic fungi, and have been found to confined so far, on the collection of host family Betulaceae. Moreover, two fresh specimens associated with canker and dieback of Cornus controversa and Juglans regia collected in Shaanxi, China were found as distinct and new species of Melanconiella, based on morphological and multi-gene, combined, phylogenetic analyses (ITS, LSU, rpb2 and tef1-α). Results also revealed the host and geographic range extensions of this genus. Melanconiella cornuta sp. nov. is introduced with an illustrated account and differs from similar species in its host association and multigene phylogeny.

To ensure a stable platform for fungal taxonomy, it is of paramount importance that the genetic application of generic names be based on their DNA sequence data, and wherever possible, not morphology or ecology alone. To facilitate this process, a new database, accessible at www.GeneraofFungi.org (GoF) was established, which will allow deposition of metadata linked to holo-, lecto-, neo- or epitype specimens, cultures and DNA sequence data of the type species of genera. Although there are presently more than 18 000 fungal genera described, we aim to initially focus on the subset of names that have been placed on the “Without-prejudice List of Protected Generic Names of Fungi” (see IMA Fungus 4 (2): 381–443, 2013). To enable the global mycological community to keep track of typification events and avoid duplication, special MycoBank Typification identfiers (MBT) will be issued upon deposit of metadata in MycoBank. MycoBank is linked to GoF, thus deposited metadata of generic type species will be displayed in GoF (and vice versa), but will also be linked to Index Fungorum (IF) and the curated RefSeq Targeted Loci (RTL) database in GenBank at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). This initial paper focuses on eight genera of appendaged coelomycetes, the type species of which are neo- or epitypified here: Bartalinia (Bartalinia robillardoides; Amphisphaeriaceae, Xylariales), Chaetospermum (Chaetospermum chaetosporum, incertae sedis, Sebacinales), Coniella (Coniella fragariae, Schizoparmaceae, Diaporthales), Crinitospora (Crinitospora pulchra, Melanconidaceae, Diaporthales), Eleutheromyces (Eleutheromyces subulatus, Helotiales), Kellermania (Kellermania yuccigena, Planistromataceae, Botryosphaeriales), Mastigosporium (Mastigosporium album, Helotiales), and Mycotribulus (Mycotribulus mirabilis, Agaricales). Authors interested in contributing accounts of individual genera to larger multi-authored papers to be published in IMA Fungus, should contact the associate editors listed below for the major groups of fungi on the List of Protected Generic Names for Fungi.

A species of Wuestneia occurring on stems of eucalypts is described as Wuestneia epispora. The new species is distinguished by its large 4- to 8-spored asci and ascospores with firm, thick gelatinous sheaths. Two different anamorphs, Harknessia sp. and an unnamed hyaline, non-appendaged conidial species were associated with this fungus. Both anamorphs have microconidial synanamorphs. A new combination, Wuestneia karvarrae, is proposed for Cryptosporella karvarrae.

Prostratus cyclobalanopsidis gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Taiwan and placed in the family Melanconidaceae. This unusual ascomycete is characterized by horizontal stromatic ascomata, asci with distinct apical structures not turning blue in iodine and brown ascospores with a hyaline dwarf cell at the basal or apical end. Similar types of dwarf-celled ascospores are characteristic of some species of Anthostomella and Clypeosphaeria but this genus is clearly separable from them by its distinct diaporthaceous horizontal stromatic ascomata with an upwardly bending ostiolar beak and by asci with an apical structure not turning blue in iodine.

Information about the first finding in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula of Boletus roseoalbidus (= Xerocomus roseoalbidus) is presented. A description and illustrations are provided upon the Bulgarian collections. Cytospora sacculus on Ailanthus altissima is a new record for Bulgaria. Four ascomycetes, Hyponectria buxi, Plagiosphaera immersa, Pleuroceras pleurostylum, Pseudovalsa umbonata, are reported for the first time from Bulgaria.

The known data on the diversity of the Diaporthales in Bulgaria are summarized and briefly discussed. For each taxon, the distribution throughout the country along with the literature sources referring to it and the herbarium acronym of the kept specimens are given. The information about the anamorphs of some diaporthalean species is also included. The species distribution by floristic regions is presented in a table.

Recent phylogenetic studies on the members of the Diaporthales have shown that the order includes a number of distinct phylogenetic groups. These groups represent the Gnomoniaceae, Melanconidaceae, Valsaceae, Diaporthaceae and Togniniaceae. New groups representing undescribed families also have emerged and they have been referred to as the Schizoparme, Cryphonectria-Endothia and Harknessia complexes. In this study we define the new family Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales) to accommodate genera in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex. These genera can be distinguished from those in other families or undescribed groups of the Diaporthales by the formation of orange stromatic tissue at some stage of their life cycle and a purple reaction in KOH and a yellow reaction in lactic acid associated with pigments in the stromatic tissue or in culture.

The genus Diatractium , members of which have ascospores that are isthmoid, i.e. narrowed over a significant length of the central portion of the spore, is redescribed and illustrated. Two species are accepted D. cordianum and D. ingae ; both are parasites of leaves in Central and South America. The genus should probably be placed in the Phyllachoraceae rather than the Valsaceae or Melanconidaceae. The biological significance of the constricted ascospore is discussed.

Hapalocystis berkeleyi and Macrodiplodiopsis desmazieresii were found fruiting together on host material, and were studied in artificial culture. Hapalocystis berkeleyi produced a Phoma-like anamorph with variable conidiogenous cells and hyaline, oval conidia, while M. desmazieresii produced a conidial state resembling that on host material, with distoseptate, four-celled, brown conidia and percurrently proliferating conidiogenous cells. Hapalocystis Auersw. ex Fuckel (Diaporthales, Melanconidaceae) is charac? terized by valsoid stromata, oblong or ellipsoid asci, and brown, appendaged phragmosporous ascospores (Barr, 1978). Little is known about anamorphic states of Hapalocystis species, but generally they are believed to be Stilbospora -like (Wehmeyer, 1941; Barr, 1978). Recently, a collection was made ofthe type species, H. berkeleyi Auersw. ex Fuckel (Holm, 1975; Barr, 1978), with perithecial stro? mata intermingled with pycnidia of Macrodiplodiopsis desmazieresii (Mont.) Pe? trak, a fungus that resembles Stilbospora in conidial morphology and ontogeny. Shear and Davidson (1936) showed through cultural studies that M. desmazieresii is the anamorph of Splanchnonema platani (Ces.) Barr [=Massaria platani Ces.] (Barr, 1982). However, based on earlier discussions of Hapalocystis anamorphs (Wehmeyer, 1941; Barr, 1978), it seemed that the two fungi in this collection might be different states of the same organism, and cultural studies were undertaken to determine if this were true. This study determined that: (1) the two states are, in fact, different fungi, a conclusion consistent with those of Shear and Da? vidson (1936), and (2) in culture, H. berkeleyi produces a Phoma-like anamorph. Since there is little published information on H. berkeleyi and M. desmazieresii, they are described on host material and in culture.