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Blastosporella zonata is one of the few basidiomycete fungi that produce asexual spores (conidia) on the mushroom. The role of these conidia in the fungal lifecycle is not known. We tested whether conidia are being utilized in local dispersal by looking for signatures of clonality in 21 samples from three localities separated by about three kilometres in Murillo, Colombia. To identify clonally related individuals, we sequenced three polymorphic markers at two unlinked loci (nuclear rRNA: ITS and LSU, and TEF1α) for all collections plus three herbarium samples. We identified two sets of clonally related individuals growing closely together in one of the three localities, and only one pair shared between localities. In all three localities we observed multiple non-clonally related dikaryons showing that sexual reproduction is also important. Our results indicate that the conidia on the mushroom are primarily important for local dispersal. Unexpectedly, our results also indicate two reproductively isolated populations, possibly representing cryptic biological species.

Based on phylogenetic analyses of a multi-gene matrix of nuITS-LSUrDNA, RPB2 and TUB2 sequences and morphology, xylariaceous species with uni- to pauciperitheciate stromata and ascospores having a spirally coiling (helicoid) germ slit are revised and reclassified, including detailed descriptions and illustrations. The genus Helicogermslita is redefined and restricted to seven species with massive, erumpent, clypeus-like carbonaceous stromata, and Rosellinia somala is combined in Helicogermslita. Within the core Xylariaceae, the poorly known Leptomassaria simplex is shown to be closely related to Anthostoma insidiosum, for which the new genus Oligo stoma is established, and Anthostoma rhenanum is demonstrated to be synonymous with O. insidiosum. The new genus Albicollum, characterised by immersed ascomata and a collar of white pseudostromatic tissues surrounding the ostioles, is established for Amphisphaeria canicollis, Anthostoma chionostomum, Sordaria (=Helicogermslita) fleischhakii and Anthostoma vincensii. Anthostoma ostropoides is synomymised with Albicollum canicolle, and Al. berberidicola, Al. longisporum and Al. novomexicanum are described as new species. Rosellinia (= Helico-germslita) gaudefroyi is transferred to the new genus Spiririma. Anthostoma amoenum and Euepixylon udum , both with a poroid germ locus, are shown to be only distantly related, and An. amoenum is reclassified within the asexual genus Digitodochium. Based on phylogeny, the genus Euepixylon is treated as a synonym of Nemania. A new species, Nemania ethancrensonii, which is closely related to the two formerly accepted Euepixylon species (E. sphaeriostomum, E. udum) but strongly deviates from the morphological concept of Euepixylon and Nemania, is described from the eastern USA. The genera Anthostomelloides, Clypeosphaeria, Digitodochium, Emarcaea, Induratia, Linosporopsis, Magnostiolata, Occultitheca and Spiririma are revealed to form a morphologically heterogeneous lineage in a basal position of Xylariaceae. Anthostoma vincensii, Quaternaria simplex and Rosellinia gaudefroyi are lectotypified, and Amphisphaeria canicollis, Anthostoma amoenum, An. rhenanum, An. vincensii,Quaternaria simplex, Rosellinia gaudefroyi and Valsa insidiosa are epitypified. Keys to uni- to pauciperitheciate xylariaceous genera with sigmoid to helicoid germ slits and to species of Albicollum are provided.

In the present paper we publish eight new species from New Guinea, H. domaensis, H. gauttierensis, H. liddleana, H. lucida, H. paradisea, H. pulleana, H. tarikuensis, and H. unirana, and one subspecies, H. krusenstierniana subsp. laticorolla. Five taxa were first diagnosed based on specimens at the Leiden herbarium, one species is only known from a collection at Edinburgh and Lae herbaria, while three are based on recently collected specimens. Hoya leucantha, originally described from a specimen in bud, has been identified among herbarium specimens and was also recently recollected. It is therefore fully described and illustrated for the first time.

During extensive surveys of global Phytophthora diversity 14 new species detected in natural ecosystems in Chile, Indonesia, USA (Louisiana), Sweden, Ukraine and Vietnam were assigned to Phytophthora major Clade 10 based on a multigene phylogeny of nine nuclear and three mitochondrial gene regions. Clade 10 now comprises three subclades. Subclades 10a and 10b contain species with nonpapillate sporangia, a range of breeding systems and a mainly soil-and waterborne lifestyle. These include the previously described P. afrocarpa, P. gallica and P. intercalaris and eight of the new species: P. ludoviciana, P. procera, P. pseudogallica, P. scandinavica, P. subarctica, P. tenuimura, P. tonkinensis and P. ukrainensis. In contrast, all species in Subclade 10c have papillate sporangia and are self-fertile (or homothallic) with an aerial lifestyle including the known P. boehmeriae, P. gondwanensis, P. kernoviae and P. morindae and the new species P. celebensis, P. chilensis, P. javanensis, P. multiglobulosa, P. pseudochilensis and P. pseudokernoviae. All new Phytophthora species differed from each other and from related species by their unique combinations of morphological characters, breeding systems, cardinal temperatures and growth rates. The biogeography and evolutionary history of Clade 10 are discussed. We propose that the three subclades originated via the early divergence of pre-Gondwanan ancestors > 175 Mya into water-and soilborne and aerially dispersed lineages and subsequently underwent multiple allopatric and sympatric radiations during their global spread.

Three new species of Breynia are described for Malesia, B. longistyla from Borneo, B. papillosa from New Guinea, and B. suborbicularis from Sulawesi. They are primarily distinguished by characters of indumentum, leaves, and styles. Ten lectotypes and one neotype are designated, and one new synonym is proposed.

Circinotrichum, Gyrothrix and Vermiculariopsiella represent a complex of dematiaceous, setose, saprobic hyphomycetes that are commonly collected on plant litters in tropical, subtropical to temperate climates. Multi-locus analysis (ITS, LSU, rpb2) and morphological studies revealed that Gyrothrix and Circinotrichum are polyphyletic and species belong to 10 genera grouping in three different clades within Xylariales, named Coniocessiaceae (Circinotrichum and Pirozynskiomyces gen. nov.), Microdochiaceae (Selenodriella and the resurrected genus Peglionia) and the new family Gyrothricaceae (Gyrothrix, Xenoanthostomella, Neogyrothrix gen. nov., Pseudocircinotrichum gen. nov., and Pseudoceratocladium gen. nov.). Vermiculariopsiella (Vermiculariopsiellales, Vermiculariopsiellaceae) is emended for species with setose sporodochia with simple setae (V. dichapetali, V. eucalypticola, V. immersa, V. pini, V. spiralis, V. australiensis sp. nov.) while Vermiculariopsis is resurrected and includes setose fungi with branched setae (Vs. dunni, Vs. eucalypti, Vs. eucalyptigena, Vs. lauracearum, Vs. microsperma, Vs. pediculata and Vs. castanedae sp. nov.).

Twelve new species of Inocybe ( I. adorabilis, I. comis, I. demetris, I. filiana, I. galactica, I. morganae, I. othini, I. ovilla, I. proteica, I. somae, I. suryana and I. venerabilis) are described from Europe on the basis of detailed morphological and molecular investigation. A portrait of the recently described I. ianthinopes is given. All species are smooth-spored and some pruinose only in the apical part of the stipe, and some on entire length. The new species are compared to 24 type specimens (17 characterized by at least partial ITS sequence data), all of which are described and revised here. Epitypes were selected for two species, I. hirtella and I. sindonia. Based on our studies, we confirm that I. kuehneri and I. sindonia on one hand, and I. subalbidodisca and I. ochroalba on the other, are synonyms and furthermore suggest that I. abietis is synonymous with I. catalaunica, I. exilis with I. rufobrunnea, I. hirtellarum with I. mycenoides, I. lapidicola with I. deianae, I. ochraceolutea with I. sindonia, I. stangliana with I. pelargonium, I. subrubens with I. subhirtella and I. sulfovirescens with I. langei. All of the new species are supported by phylogenetic analyses. Among the 16 previously described species accepted here, 10 are represented by types in the phylogenetic analyses and five by own collections corresponding to the type. Two species, I. eutheloides (remaining doubtful) and I. pallidolutea are only treated morphologically. In summary, we describe as new or verify the taxonomic status and provide or corroborate morphological concepts for 37 smooth-spored species of Inocybe.

During an oomycete survey in December 2015, 10 previously unknown Halophytophthora taxa were isolated from marine and brackish water of tidal ponds and channels in saltmarshes, lagoon ecosystems and river estuaries at seven sites along the Algarve coast in the South of Portugal. Phylogenetic analyses of LSU and ITS datasets, comprising all described Halophytophthora species, the 10 new Halophytophthora taxa and all relevant and distinctive sequences available from GenBank, provided an updated phylogeny of the genus Halophytophthora s. str. showing for the first time a structure of 10 clades designated as Clades 1–10. Nine of the 10 new Halophytophthora taxa resided in Clade 6 together with H. polymorphica and H. vesicula. Based on differences in morphology and temperature-growth relations and a multigene (LSU, ITS, Btub, hsp90, rpl10, tigA, cox1, nadh1, rps10) phylogeny, eight new Halophytophthora taxa from Portugal are described here as H. brevisporangia, H. celeris, H. frigida, H. lateralis, H. lusitanica, H. macrosporangia, H. sinuata and H. thermoambigua. Three species, H. frigida, H. macrosporangia and H. sinuata, have a homothallic breeding system while the remaining five species are sterile. Pathogenicity and litter decomposition tests are underway to clarify their pathological and ecological role in the marine and brackish-water ecosystems. More oomycete surveys in yet undersurveyed regions of the world and population genetic or phylogenomic analyses of global populations are needed to clarify the origin of the new Halophytophthora species.

Nolanea is a well-known and long-established subgenus of the genus Entoloma traditionally defined mainly by the mycenoid basidiocarps of the included species. Until now, revisions of this subgenus including molecular data exist only on a regional scale. In this study, the phylogeny of species of Nolanea is analysed based on multi-gene DNA sequences including data of specimens from all continents. New primers are designed for the mitochondrial small subunit and RPB2. The performance of the DNA loci in reconstructing the phylogeny in subg. Nolanea is evaluated. An ancestral state reconstruction is used to infer the character state evolution as well as the importance and reliability of morphological characters used to define subclades below subgeneric rank. Based on the results, seven sections are recognised in Nolanea: the sections Holoconiota, Infularia, Mammosa, Nolanea, Papillata, Staurospora, and the newly described sect. Elegantissima. A large phylogeny based on the fungal barcode rDNA ITS with numerous type sequences is used to evaluate current species concepts. Several names are revealed to be synonyms of older names. Four species new to science are described, namely E. altaicum, E. argillaceum, E. cornicolor, and E. incognitum. Lectotypes, epitypes or neotypes are designated for E. cetratum, E. clandestinum, E. conferendum, E. cuspidiferum, E. hebes, E. minutum, E. nitens, and E. rhodocylix. The re-evaluation of the limits of subg. Nolanea leads to an altered concept excluding species with distinct, lageniform cheilocystidia. The section Ameides is placed in subg. Leptonia. For several species formerly accommodated in Nolanea, but excluded now, viz., E. lepiotoides, E. rhombisporum, E. subelegans, and E. velenovskyi the taxonomic position remains unclear, because of the yet unresolved phylogeny of the whole genus Entoloma.

Among the most economically relevant and environmentally devastating diseases globally are those caused by Phytophthora species. In Australia, production losses in agriculture and forestry results from several well-known cosmopolitan Phytophthora species and infestation of natural ecosystems by Phytophthora cinnamomi have caused irretrievable loss to biodiversity, especially in proteaceous dominated heathlands. For this review, all available records of Phytophthora in Australia were collated and curated, resulting in a database of 7869 records, of which 2957 have associated molecular data. Australian databases hold records for 99 species, of which 20 are undescribed. Eight species have no records linked to molecular data, and their presence in Australia is considered doubtful. The 99 species reside in 10 of the 12 clades recognised within the complete phylogeny of Phytophthora. The review includes discussion on each of these species? status and additional information provided for another 29 species of concern. The first species reported in Australia in 1900 was Phytophthora infestans. By 2000, 27 species were known, predominantly from agriculture. The significant increase in species reported in the subsequent 20 years has coincided with extensive surveys in natural ecosystems coupled with molecular taxonomy and the recognition of numerous new phylogenetically distinct but morphologically similar species. Routine and targeted surveys within Australian natural ecosystems have resulted in the description of 27 species since 2009. Due to the new species descriptions over the last 20 years, many older records have been reclassified based on molecular identification. The distribution of records is skewed toward regions with considerable activity in high productivity agriculture, horticulture and forestry, and native vegetation at risk from P. cinnamomi. Native and exotic hosts of different Phytophthora species are found throughout the phylogeny; however, species from clades 1, 7 and 8 are more likely to be associated with exotic hosts. One of the most difficult challenges to overcome when establishing a pest status is a lack of reliable data on the current state of a species in any given country or location. The database compiled here for Australia and the information provided for each species overcomes this challenge. This review will aid federal and state governments in risk assessments and trade negotiations by providing a comprehensive resource on the current status of Phytophthora species in Australia.

Fungi are rich in complexes of cryptic species that need a combination of different approaches to be delimited, including genomic information. Beauveria (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) is a well-known genus of entomopathogenic fungi, used as a biocontrol agent. In this study we present a polyphasic taxonomy regarding two widely distributed complexes of Beauveria: B. asiatica and B. bassiana s.lat. Some of the genetic groups as previously detected within both taxa were either confirmed or fused using population genomics. High levels of divergence were found between two clades in B. asiatica and among three clades in B. bassiana, supporting their subdivision as distinct species. Morphological examination focusing on the width and the length of phialides and conidia showed no difference among the clades within B. bassiana while conidial length was significantly different among clades within B. asiatica. The secondary metabolite profiles obtained by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) allowed a distinction between B. asiatica and B. bassiana, but not between the clades therein. Based on these genomic, morphological, chemical data, we proposed a clade of B. asiatica as a new species, named B. thailandica, and two clades of B. bassiana to respectively represent B. namnaoensis and B. neobassiana spp. nov. Such closely related but divergent species with different host ranges have potential to elucidate the evolution of host specificity, with potential biocontrol application.

A new species of Freycinetia Gaudich. (Pandanaceae; Freycinetoidea) with obvious pseudopetiolate basal leaf from Mount Tombrok in the vicinity of the Arfak Mountains, West Papua, Indonesian New Guinea, is newly described as Freycinetia pseudopetiolata A.P.Keim, K. Kartawinata & W. Sujarwo. The possession of the pseudopetiolate basal leaf form places this new species in the section Pseudopetiolosae; thus marking the first presence of the section for mainland New Guinea.

A new species of Freycinetia Gaudich. (Pandanaceae; Freycinetoideae) with conspicuous ellipsoid leaves and spiny auricles from the island of Halmahera in the Moluccan Archipelago is here newly described as F. halma herensis A. P. Keim, W. Sujarwo & Sahroni. A full description of the new species and a key to the species of Freycinetia in the Moluccas are provided.

Amorphophallus wasa Naive, K. Z. Hein & Hett., is described and illustrated as a species new to science from the Sagaing Region, Myanmar. It is morphologically similar to A. saraburiensis Gagnep., but can be easily distinguished by its unilocular ovaries and lack of staminodes between pistillate and staminate zones. A detailed description, colour plates, phenology, distribution map, provisional conservation status and a key to the Amorphophallus species from Myanmar are provided. In addition, A. elatus Hook. f. is reported as a newly recorded species for Myanmar, and the name A. corrugatus N.E.Br. is newly synonymized under A. kachinensis Engl. & Gehrm.

Phanera mekongensis, a new species from Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, NortheasternThailand, is described and illustrated. The morphological description of the new species is provided and discussed in comparison with closely related species. The molecular data from nuclear and chloroplast markers show that the new taxon is robustly positioned in a well-supported Phanera clade that includes the type species of the genus, P. coccinea.

Echinosepala truncata is described as new to science and illustrated from the holotype. It is compared with E. tomentosa, from which it differs by the sparsely lanate ovary, the narrowly obovate, apically rounded synsepal, the spathulate, apically and basally rounded petals, and the rectangular, apically truncate lip. The phylogenetic relationships of the new species could be hypothesized based on a shared set of morphological characters and geographic distribution.

Members of the genus Cytospora are often reported as endophytes, saprobes or phytopathogens, primarily causing canker diseases of woody host plants. They occur on a wide range of hosts and have a worldwide distribution. Although several species have in the past been reported from China, the vast majority are not known from culture or DNA phylogeny. The primary aim of the present study was thus to clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of a large collection of Cytospora species associated with diverse hosts in China. Cytospora spp. were collected in northeast, northwest, north and southwest China, indicating that the cold and dry environments favour these fungi. In this paper, we provide an assessment of 52 Cytospora spp. in China, focussing on 40 species represented by 88 isolates from 28 host genera. Based on a combination of morphology and a six-locus phylogeny (ITS, LSU, act1, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2), 13 new species and one new combination are introduced. The majority of the species investigated here appear to be host-specific, although further collections and pathogenicity studies will be required to confirm this conclusion.

Historic herbaria can provide a wealth of information on a diversity of topics, including the past occurrence of plants, their abundance, names and uses. However,16th and 17th century herbaria are rare and very fragile, and can best be studied after digitization. The collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands, contains two book herbaria by Jacob Breyne (1637–1697) of Danzig (presently Gdańsk, Poland). These herbaria, dated 1659 and 1673, contain a total of 105 specimens in various states of intactness, and with or without original labels. The identity of the specimens in the Leiden Breyne herbaria was not completely assessed previously. Here we discuss the taxa represented within these two historic herbaria as well as the information contained in the handwritten texts with in them. The two Breyne herbaria combined were found to contain 62 species, representing 24 plant families. Both herbaria contain several species now rare around Gdańsk, including two species currently considered regionally extinct (Swertia perennis (Gentianaceae) and Dactylorhiza viridis (Orchidaceae)). Labels with the specimens give a range of information on the collecting locations, ecology, abundance and/or use of the species. The Leiden Breyne herbaria reveal changes in the flora of northern Poland over the course of three centuries, as well as pre-Linnaean nomenclature, historic uses of plants and international correspondence between scientists.

The genus Fusarium includes numerous important plant and human pathogens, as well as many industrially and commercially important species. During our investigation of fungal diversity in China, a total of 356 fusarioid isolates were obtained and identified from diverse diseased and healthy plants, or different environmental habitats, i.e., air, carbonatite, compost, faeces, soil and water, representing hitherto one of the most intensive sampling and identification efforts of fusarioid taxa in China. Combining morphology, multi-locus phylogeny and ecological preference, these isolates were identified as 72 species of Fusarium and allied genera, i.e., Bisifusarium (1), Fusarium (60), and Neocosmospora (11). A seven-locus dataset, comprising the 5.8S nuclear ribosomal RNA gene with the two flanking internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the intergenic spacer region of the rDNA (IGS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1 ), partial calmodulin (cam), partial RNA polymerase largest subunit (rpb1 ), partial RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2 ) gene regions, and partial β-tubulin (tub2 ), were sequenced and employed in phylogenetic analyses. A genus-level phylogenetic tree was constructed using combined tef1 , rpb1 , and rpb2 sequences, which confirmed the presence of four fusarioid genera among the isolates studied. Further phylogenetic analyses of two allied genera (Bisifusarium and Neocosmospora ) and nine species complexes of Fusarium were separately conducted employing different multi-locus datasets, to determine relationships among closely related species. Twelve novel species were identified and described in this paper. The F. babinda species complex is herein renamed as the F. falsibabinda species complex, including descriptions of new species. Sixteen species were reported as new records from China.

During surveys in central Florida of the zombie-ant fungus Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani, which manipulates the behavior of the carpenter ant Camponotus floridanus, two distinct fungal morphotypes were discovered associated with and purportedly parasitic on O. camponoti-floridani. Based on a combination of unique morphology, ecology and phylogenetic placement, we discovered that these morphotypes comprise two novel lineages of fungi. Here, we propose two new genera, Niveomyces and Torrubiellomyces, each including a single species within the families Cordycipitaceae and Ophiocordycipitaceae, respectively. We generated de novo draft genomes for both new species and performed morphological and multi-loci phylogenetic analyses. The macro-morphology and incidence of both new species, Niveomyces coronatus and Torrubiellomyces zombiae, suggest that these fungi are mycoparasites since their growth is observed exclusively on O. camponoti-floridani mycelium, stalks and ascomata, causing evident degradation of their fungal hosts. This work provides a starting point for more studies into fungal interactions between mycopathogens and entomopathogens, which have the potential to contribute towards efforts to battle the global rise of plant and animal mycoses.

Fusarium species are well known for their abundance, diversity and cosmopolitan life style. Many members of the genus Fusarium are associated with plant hosts, either as plant pathogens, secondary invaders, saprotrophs, and/or endophytes. We previously studied the diversity of Fusarium species in the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) associated with Fusarium wilt of banana in Indonesia. In that study, several Fusarium species not belonging to the FOSC were found to be associated with Fusarium wilt of banana. These Fusarium isolates belonged to three Fusarium species complexes, which included the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC), Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) and the Fusarium sambucinum species complex (FSSC). Using a multi-gene phylogeny that included partial fragments of the beta-tubulin (tub), calmodulin (cmdA), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), the internal transcribed spacer region of the rDNA (ITS), the large subunit of the rDNA (LSU), plus the RNA polymerase II large subunit (rpb1) and second largest subunit (rpb2) genes, we were able to identify and characterise several of these as new Fusarium species in the respective species complexes identified in this study.

An identification key to all the reported species of Hedyotis-Oldenlandia group (Hedyotis, Oldenlandia, Exallage, Leptopetalum, Scleromitrion and Debia) in Andaman & Nicobar Islands is presented with one new species, Oldenlandia smita-crishnae, described from Saddle Peak forests of North Andaman, India. It shares some characters with Oldenlandia herbacea, O. corymbosa and O. pseudocorymbosa. However, it is remarkable for its abaxially puberulous leaves, divaricate stipules, ellipsoid to obovoid hypanthium, pink-striped corolla lobes and 20–30-seeded, inserted capsule. Furthermore, a new combination in Exallage is proposed and lectotypes for Spermacoce cristata, S. costata, Hedyotis vestita and Oldenlandia stocksii are designated.

Two new species of Justicia sect. Monechma, Justicia cubangensis and J. eriniae, are described from Angola. Their affinities are reviewed, together with a discussion on the correct generic name to apply to these species. A conspectus of Justicia sect. Monechma 'Group I' in Angola is presented, including a key to the species and notes on habitat and distribution for each taxon. Two new combinations and one new name are provided for species for which there was no previous name available in Justicia, and lectotypes are proposed for four names. Twelve species are recognised in this group in total, eight of which are currently believed to be endemic to Angola. Justicia subsessilis is recorded in Angola for the first time, and J. laeta is placed in sect. Monechma, having previously been tentatively referred to sect. Tyloglossa. Monechma carrissoi is considered to be conspecific with J. virgultorum and so is synonymised here. In addition, the botanical importance of the type locality of J. cubangensis, the Cuchi River gorge of the Cubango drainage, is highlighted and two further new provincial records for Cuando Cubango are noted from this site: Eriocaulon angustibracteum (Eriocaulaceae) and Crepidorhopalon schweinfurthii (Linderniaceae).

Phylogenetic and taxonomic studies on the brown-rot fungi Postia and related genera, are carried out. Phylogenies of these fungi are reconstructed with multiple loci DNA sequences including the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), the large subunit (nLSU) and the small subunit (nSSU) of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene, the small subunit of mitochondrial rRNA gene (mtSSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1), the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1) and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2). Ten distinct clades of Postia s.lat. are recognized. Four new genera, Amaropostia, Calcipostia, Cystidiopostia and Fuscopostia, are established, and nine new species, Amaropostia hainanensis, Cyanosporus fusiformis, C. microporus, C. mongolicus, C. piceicola, C. subhirsutus, C. tricolor, C. ungulatus and Postia sublowei, are identified. Illustrated descriptions of the new genera and species are presented. Identification keys to Postia and related genera, as well as keys to the species of each genus, are provided.

Mycoleptodiscus includes plant pathogens, animal opportunists, saprobic and endophytic fungi. The present study presents the first molecular phylogeny and revision of the genus based on four loci, including ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tef1. An extensive collection of Mycoleptodiscus cultures, including ex-type strains from the CBS, IMI, MUCL, BRIP, clinical isolates from the USA, and fresh isolates from Brazil and Spain, was studied morphologically and phylogenetically to resolve their taxonomy. The study showed that Mycoleptodiscus sensu lato is polyphyletic. Phylogenetic analysis places Mycoleptodiscus in Muyocopronales (Dothideomycetes), together with Arxiella, Leptodiscella, Muyocopron, Neocochlearomyces, and Paramycoleptodiscus. Mycoleptodiscus terrestris, the type species, and M. sphaericus are reduced to synonyms, and one new species is introduced, M. suttonii. Mycoleptodiscus atromaculans, M. coloratus, M. freycinetiae, M. geniculatus, M. indicus, M. lateralis (including M. unilateralis and M. variabilis as its synonyms) and M. taiwanensis belong to Muyocopron (Muyocopronales, Dothideomycetes), and M. affinis, and M. lunatus to Omnidemptus (Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes). Based on phylogenetic analyses we propose Muyocopron alcornii sp. nov., a fungus associated with leaf spots on Epidendrum sp. (Orchidaceae) in Australia, Muyocopron zamiae sp. nov. associated with leaf spots on Zamia (Zamiaceae) in the USA, and Omnidemptus graminis sp. nov. isolated from a grass (Poaceae) in Spain. Furthermore, Neomycoleptodiscus venezuelense gen. & sp. nov. is introduced for a genus similar to Mycoleptodiscus in Muyocopronaceae.

The Helvellaceae encompasses taxa that produce some of the most elaborate apothecial forms, as well as hypogeous ascomata, in the class Pezizomycetes (Ascomycota). While the circumscription of the Helvellaceae is clarified, evolutionary relationships and generic limits within the family are debatable. A robust phylogeny of the Helvellaceae, using an increased number of molecular characters from the LSU rDNA, RPB2 and EF-1α gene regions (4 299 bp) and a wide representative sampling, is presented here. Helvella s.lat. was shown to be polyphyletic, because Helvella aestivalis formed a distant monophyletic group with hypogeous species of Balsamia and Barssia. All other species of Helvella formed a large group with the enigmatic Pindara (/Helvella) terrestris nested within it. The ear-shaped Wynnella constitutes an independent lineage and is recognised with the earlier name Midotis. The clade of the hypogeous Balsamia and Barssia, and H. aestivalis is coherent in the three-gene phylogeny, and considering the lack of phenotypic characters to distinguish Barssia from Balsamia we combine species of Barssia, along with H. aestivalis, in Balsamia. The closed/tuberiform, sparassoid H. astieri is shown to be a synonym of H. lactea; it is merely an incidental folded form of the saddle-shaped H. lactea. Pindara is a sister group to a restricted Helvella, i.e., excluding the /leucomelaena lineage, on a notably long branch. We recognise Pindara as a separate genus and erect a new genus Dissingia for the /leucomelaena lineage, viz. H. confusa, H. crassitunicata, H. leucomelaena and H. oblongispora. Dissingia is supported by asci that arise from simple septa; all other species of Helvellaceae have asci that arise from croziers, with one exception being the /alpina-corium lineage of Helvella s. str. This suggests ascus development from croziers is the ancestral state for the Helvellaceae and that ascus development from simple septa has evolved at least twice in the family. Our phylogeny does not determine the evolutionary relationships within Helvella s.str., but it is most parsimonious to infer that the ancestor of the helvelloids produced subsessile or shortly stipitate, cup-shaped apothecia. This shape has been maintained in some lineages of Helvella s.str. The type species of Underwoodia, Underwoodia columnaris, is a sister lineage to the rest of the Helvellaceae.

Hydnophytum (Psychotrieae Hydnophytinae) is revised. A key is provided, and an informal infrageneric grouping is proposed. Variation in tuber structure is discussed. Fifty-five species are recognised, of which 19 are described as new. For one species a number of varieties are also described. Forty-four species are found in New Guinea, of which 41 are endemic. The recent transfer of a number of taxa into an expanded concept of Squamellaria based on a molecular phylogeny is addressed. Three taxa of Squamellaria are included in this revision to complete the series of papers on the tuberous epiphytes of the Rubiaceae.

A deciduous shrub previously included in Ficus talbotii for many years, is now regarded as a new species, Ficus pongumphaii. It is morphologically distinct from F. talbotii with as typical characters the densely brown pubescent to tomentose or villous on leafy twig; the elliptic, suborbicular to obovate leaf blades that are brown tomentellous on the upper surface and brown floccose tomentose to villous underneath; the pedunculate figs are obovate, brown floccose or villous outside and have internal hairs. The leaf anatomy shows a multiple epidermis on both surfaces; enlarged lithocysts on both sides of the lamina, which are more abundant adaxially and with very few abaxially. The species, endemic to Thailand, is named after the great Thai dendrologist, Associate Professor Somnuek Pongumphai.

A section-based taxonomy of Cortinarius, covering large parts of the temperate North and South Hemispheres, is presented. Thirty-seven previously described sections are reviewed, while another forty-two sections are proposed as new or as new combinations. Twenty additional clades are recovered but not formally described. Furthermore, six new or combined species names are introduced, and one species is neotypified. The structure is supported by morphological characters and molecular evidence, based on two (nrITS and nrLSU) and four (nrITS, nrLSU, rpb1 and rpb2) loci datasets and analysed by Maximum Likelihood methods (PhyML, RAxML). Altogether 789 Cortinarius samples were included in the study.

Phylogenetic analyses of a combined DNA data matrix containing nuclear small and large subunits (nSSU, nLSU) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) ribosomal RNA and the largest and second largest subunits of the RNA polymerase II (rpb1, rpb2) of representative Pezizomycotina revealed that the enigmatic genera Xylobotryum and Cirrosporium form an isolated, highly supported phylogenetic lineage within Leotiomyceta. Acknowledging their morphological and phylogenetic distinctness, we describe the new class Xylobotryomycetes, containing the new order Xylobotryales with the two new families Xylobotryaceae and Cirrosporiaceae. The two currently accepted species of Xylobotryum, X. andinum and X. portentosum, are described and illustrated by light and scanning electron microscopy. The generic type species X. andinum is epitypified with a recent collection for which a culture and sequence data are available. Acknowledging the phylogenetic distinctness of Candelariomycetidae from Lecanoromycetes revealed in previous and the current phylogenetic analyses, the new class Candelariomycetes is proposed.

The following 24 new synonyms in the orchid genus Oberonia are proposed, correct name (+ synonym(s)): O. bicornis (+ O. tenuis); O. brunoniana [lectotype here designated] (+ O. santapaui lectotype and epitype here designated); O. caulescens (+ O. katakiana); O. complanata (+ O. flavescens); O. costeriana (+ O. elmeri, + O. obesa, + O. gigantea); O. insectifera (+ O. toppingii, + O. basilanensis, + O. attenuata); O. langbianensis (+ O. sulcata); O. merapiensis (+ O. salakana); O. mucronata (+ O. manipurensis); O. obcordata (+ O. delicata); O. padangensis (+ O. fungum-olens [lectotype here designated], + O. patentifolia); O. punctata (+ O. subanajamensis, + O. caprina); O. rufilabris (+ O. this be, + O. nepalensis); O. subligaculifera (+ O. evrardii, + O. kanburiensis); O. titania (+ O. crateriformis, + O. rimachila). The flowers of several species are illustrated with scanning electron micrographs. The spellings of the species epithets of Dendrobium odoardi, Oberonia odoardi, Aphyllorchis odoardi, Bulbophyllum odoardi, Trichotosia odoardi, Pandanus odoardi and Coelogyne odoardi are corrected to odoardoi. Problems with the illustrations in the protologue of O. nayarii and O. balakrishnanii are highlighted. Several inadvertent lectotypifications are documented.

Syzygium subgenus Perikion is revised in Papuasia. Descriptions are provided for each of the ten species recognised, four of which are new. An identification key, distribution maps and an exsiccatae list are provided.

The Lactifluus clarkeae complex is a commonly observed, generally brightly coloured, group of mushrooms that are usually associated with Nothofagus or Myrtaceous hosts in Australia and New Zealand. For this study collections labelled as ' Lactarius clarkeae ', ' Russula flocktoniae ' and ' Lactarius subclarkeae ' were examined morphologically and molecularly. Analyses of molecular data showed a high cryptic diversity, with sequences scattered across 11 clades in three subgenera within Lactifluus, and a single collection in Russula. We select epitypes to anchor the currently accepted concepts of Lf. clarkeae s. str. and Lf. flocktoniae s. str. The name Lf. subclarkeae could not be applied to any of the collections examined, as none had a lamprotrichoderm pileipellis. Lactifluus clarkeae var. aurantioruber is raised to species level, and six new species are described, three in subg. Lactifluus : Lf. jetiae, Lf. pagodicystidiatus, and Lf. rugulostipitatus, and three in subg. Gymnocarpi: Lf. albens, Lf. psammo philus, and Lf. pseudoflocktoniae. A new collection of Lf. russulisporus provides a significant range extension for the species. Untangling this complex will enable better identification of species and increase understanding of diversity and specific habitat associations of macrofungi.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antartica, Cladosporium austrolitorale from coastal sea sand. Australia, Austroboletus yourkae on soil, Crepidotus innuopurpureus on dead wood, Curvularia stenotaphri from roots and leaves of Stenotaphrum secundatum and Thecaphora stajsicii from capsules of Oxalis radicosa. Belgium, Paraxerochrysium coryli (incl. Paraxerochrysium gen. nov.) from Corylus avellana. Brazil, Calvatia nordestina on soil, Didymella tabebuiicola from leaf spots on Tabebuia aurea, Fusarium subflagellisporum from hypertrophied floral and vegetative branches of Mangifera indica and Microdochium maculosum from living leaves of Digitaria insularis. Canada, Cuphophyllus bondii fromagrassland. Croatia, Mollisia inferiseptata from a rotten Laurus nobilis trunk. Cyprus, Amanita exilis oncalcareoussoil. Czech Republic, Cytospora hippophaicola from wood of symptomatic Vaccinium corymbosum. Denmark, Lasiosphaeria deviata on pieces of wood and herbaceousdebris. Dominican Republic, Calocybella goethei among grass on a lawn. France (Corsica) , Inocybe corsica onwetground. France (French Guiana) , Trechispora patawaensis on decayed branch of unknown angiosperm tree and Trechispora subregularis on decayed log of unknown angiosperm tree. [...], P.R. Johnston thanks J. Sullivan (Lincoln University) for the habitat image of Kowai Bush, Duckchul Park (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research) for the DNA sequencing, and the New Zealand Department of Conservation for permission to collect the specimens; this research was supported through the Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Biota Portfolio with funding from the Science and Innovation Group of the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. V. Hubka was supported by the Czech Ministry of Health (grant number NU21-05-00681), and is grateful for the support from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science – grant-in-aid for JSPS research fellow (grant no. 20F20772). K. Glässnerová was supported by the Charles University Grant Agency (grant No. GAUK 140520). J. Trovão and colleagues were financed by FEDERFundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020 – Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), and by Portuguese funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-PTDC/ EPH-PAT/3345/2014. This work was carried out at the R&D Unit Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People and the Planet (CFE), with reference UIDB/04004/2020, financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC). J. Trovão was also supported by POCH – Programa Operacional Capital Humano (co-funding by the European Social Fund and national funding by MCTES), through a ‘FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia’ PhD research grant (SFRH/BD/132523/2017). D. Haelewaters acknowledges support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (Junior Postdoctoral Fellowship 1206620N). M. Loizides and colleagues are grateful to Y. Cherniavsky for contributing collections AB A12-058-1 and AB A12- 058-2, and Á. Kovács and B. Kiss for their help with molecular studies of these specimens. C. Zmuda is thanked for assisting with the collection of ladybird specimens infected with Hesperomyces parexochomi. A.V. Kachalkin and colleagues were supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant No. 19-74-10002). The study of A.M. Glushakova was carried out as part of the Scientific Project of the State Order of the Government of Russian Federation to Lomonosov Moscow State University No. 121040800174-6. S. Nanu acknowledges the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) for granting a research fellowship and is grateful to the Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife for giving permission to collect fungal samples. A. Bañares and colleagues thank L. Monje and A. Pueblas of the Department of Drawing and Scientific Photography at the University of Alcalá for their help in the digital preparation of the photographs, and J. Rejos, curator of the AH herbarium for his assistance with the specimens examined in the present study. The research of V. Antonín received institutional support for long-term conceptual development of research institutions provided by the Ministry of Culture (Moravian Museum, ref. MK000094862). The studies of E.F. Malysheva, V.F. Malysheva, O.V. Morozova, and S.V. Volobuev were carried out within the framework of a research project of the Komarov Botanical Institute RAS, St Petersburg, Russia (АААА-А18-118022090078-2) using equipment of its Core Facility Centre ‘Cell and Molecular Technologies in Plant Science’.The study of A.V. Alexandrova was carried out as part of the Scientific Project of the State Order of the Government of Russian Federation to Lomonosov Moscow State University No. 121032300081-7. The Kits van Waveren Foundation (Rijksherbariumfonds Dr E. Kits van Waveren, Leiden, Netherlands) contributed substantially to the costs of sequencing and travelling expenses for M.E. Noordeloos. The work of B. Dima was partly supported by the ÚNKP- 20-4 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund. The work of L. Nagy was supported by the ‘Momentum’ program of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (contract No. LP2019- 13/2019 to L.G.N.). G.A. Kochkina and colleagues acknowledge N. Demidov for the background photograph, and N. Suzina for the SEM photomicrograph. The research of C.M. Visagie and W.J. Nel was supported by the National Research Foundation grant no 118924 and SFH170610239162. C. Gil-Durán acknowledges Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación, Gobierno de Chile, for grant ANID – Fondecyt de Postdoctorado 2021 – N° 3210135. R. Chávez and G. Levicán thank DICYT-USACH and acknowledges the grants INACH RG_03-14 and INACH RT_31-16 from the Chilean Antarctic Institute, respectively. S. Tiwari and A. Baghela would like to acknowledge R. Avchar and K. Balasubramanian from the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra for helping with the termite collection. S. Tiwari is also thankful to the University Grants Commission, Delhi (India) for a junior research fellowship (827/(CSIR-UGC NET DEC.2017)). R. Lebeuf and I. Saar thank D. and H. Spencer for collecting and photographing the holotype of C. bondii, and R. Smith for photographing the habitat. A. Voitk is thanked for helping with the colour plate and review of the manuscript, and the Foray Newfoundland and Labrador for providing the paratype material. I. Saar was supported by the Estonian Research Council (grant PRG1170) and the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence EcolChange). M.P.S. Câmara acknowledges the ‘Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq’ for the research productivity fellowship, and financial support (Universal number 408724/2018-8). W.A.S. Vieira acknowledges the ‘Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento Pessoal de Ensino Superior – CAPES’ and the ‘Programa Nacional de Pós-Doutorado/CAPES – PNPD/CAPES’ for the postdoctoral fellowship. A.G.G. Amaral acknowledges CNPq, and A.F. Lima and I.G. Duarte acknowledge CAPES for the doctorate fellowships. F. Esteve-Raventós and colleagues were financially supported by FEDER/ Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades – Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Spain)/ Project CGL2017-86540-P. The authors would like to thank L. Hugot and N. Suberbielle (Conservatoire Botanique National de Corse, Office de l’Environnement de la Corse, Corti) for their help. The research of E. Larsson is supported by The Swedish Taxonomy Initiative, SLU Artdatabanken, Uppsala. Financial support was provided to R.J. Ferreira by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and to I.G. Baseia, P.S.M. Lúcio and M.P. Martín by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) under CNPq-Universal 2016 (409960/2016-0) and CNPq-visiting researcher (407474/2013-7). J. Cabero and colleagues wish to acknowledge A. Rodríguez for his help to describe Genea zamorana, as well as H. Hernández for sharing information about the vegetation of the type locality. S. McMullan-Fisher and colleagues acknowledge K. Syme (assistance with illustrations), J. Kellermann (translations), M. Barrett (collection, images and sequences), T. Lohmeyer (collection and images) and N. Karunajeewa (for prompt accessioning). This research was supported through funding from Australian Biological Resources Study grant (TTC217-06) to the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. The research of M. Spetik and co-authors was supported by project No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0 /16_017/0002334. N. Wangsawat and colleagues were partially supported by NRCT and the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. programme, grant number PHD/0218/2559. They are thankful to M. Kamsook for the photograph of the Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary and P. Thamvithayakorn for phylogenetic illustrations. The study by N.T. Tran and colleagues was funded by Hort Innovation (Grant TU19000). They also thank the turf growers who supported their surveys and specimen collection. N. Matočec, I. Kušan, A. Pošta, Z. Tkalčec and A. Mešić thank the Croatian Science Foundation for their financial support under the project grant HRZZ-IP-2018-01-1736 (ForFungiDNA). A. Pošta thanks the Croatian Science Foundation for their support under the grant HRZZ-2018-09-7081. A. Morte is grateful to Fundación Séneca – Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia (20866/ PI/18) for financial support. The research of G. Akhmetova, G.M. Kovács, B. Dima and D.G. Knapp was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary (NKFIH KH-130401 and K-139026), the ELTE Thematic Excellence Program 2020 supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (TKP2020-IKA-05) and the Stipendium Hungaricum Programme. The support of the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Bolyai+ New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology to D.G. Knapp is highly appreciated. F.E. Guard and colleagues are grateful to the traditional owners, the Jirrbal and Warungu people, as well as L. and P. Hales, Reserve Managers, of the Yourka Bush Heritage Reserve. Their generosity, guidance, and the opportunity to explore the Bush Heritage Reserve on the Einasleigh Uplands in far north Queensland is greatly appreciated. The National Science Foundation (USA) provided funds (DBI#1828479) to the New York Botanical Garden for a scanning electron microscope used for imaging the spores. V. Papp was supported by the ÚNKP-21-5 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary. A.N. Miller thanks the WM Keck Center at the University of Illinois Urbana – Champaign for sequencing Lasiosphaeria deviata. J. Pawłowska acknowledges support form National Science Centre, Poland (grant Opus 13 no 2017/25/B/NZ8/00473). The research of T.S. Bulgakov was carried out as part of the State Research Task of the Subtropical Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Theme No. 0492-2021- 0007). K. Bensch (Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht) is thanked for correcting the spelling of various Latin epithets.

Citrus is an important and widely cultivated fruit crop in South China. Although the species of fungal diseases of leaves and fruits have been extensively studied, the causal organisms of branch diseases remain poorly known in China. Species of Botryosphaeriaceae are known as important fungal pathogens causing branch diseases on citrus in the USA and Europe. To determine the diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with citrus branch diseases in China, surveys were conducted in the major citrus-producing areas from 2017 to 2020. Diseased tissues were collected from twigs, branches and trunks with a range of symptoms including cankers, cracking, dieback and gummosis. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic comparison of the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1), the β-tubulin gene (tub2) and the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), 111 isolates from nine provinces were identified as 18 species of Botryosphaeriaceae, including Botryosphaeria dothidea, B. fabicerciana, Diplodia seriata, Dothiorella alpina, Do. plurivora, Lasiodiplodia citricola, L. iraniensis, L. microconidia, L. pseudotheobromae, L. theobromae, Neodeightonia subglobosa, Neofusicoccum parvum, and six previously undescribed species, namely Do. citrimurcotticola, L. guilinensis, L. huangyanensis, L. linhaiensis, L. ponkanicola and Sphaeropsis linhaiensis spp. nov. Botryosphaeria dothidea (28.8%) was the most abundant species, followed by L. pseudotheobromae (23.4%), which was the most widely distributed species on citrus, occurring in six of the nine provinces sampled. Pathogenicity tests indicated that all 18 species of Botryosphaeriaceae obtained from diseased citrus tissues in this study were pathogenic to the tested Citrus reticulata shoots in vitro, while not all species are pathogenic to the tested Cocktail grapefruit (C. paradisi × C. reticulata) shoots in vivo. In addition, Lasiodiplodia was the most aggressive genus both in vitro and in vivo. This is the first study to identify Botryosphaeriaceae species related to citrus branch diseases in China and the results provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of prevention and control measures.

The interplay between intrinsic (development, physiology, behavior) and extrinsic (landscape features, climate) factors determines the outcome of admixture processes in hybrid zones, in a continuum from complete genetic merger to full reproductive isolation. Here we assess the role of environmental correlates in shaping admixture patterns in the long hybrid zone formed by the toadsBufo bufoandB. spinosusin western Europe. We used species-specific diagnostic SNP markers to genotype 6584 individuals from 514 localities to describe the contact zone and tested for association with topographic, bioclimatic and land use variables. Variables related to temperature and precipitation contributed to accurately predict the distribution of pure populations of each species, but the models did not perform well in areas where genetically admixed populations occur. A sliding window approach proved useful to identify different sets of variables that are important in different sections of this long and heterogeneous hybrid zone, and offers good potential to predict the fate of moving contact zones in global change scenarios.

Although Aspergillus fumigatus is the major agent of invasive aspergillosis, an increasing number of infections are caused by its cryptic species, especially A. lentulus and the A. viridinutans species complex (AVSC). Their identification is clinically relevant because of antifungal drug resistance and refractory infections. Species boundaries in the AVSC are unresolved since most species have uniform morphology and produce interspecific hybrids in vitro. Clinical and environmental strains from six continents (n = 110) were characterized by DNA sequencing of four to six loci. Biological compatibilities were tested within and between major phylogenetic clades, and ascospore morphology was characterised. Species delimitation methods based on the multispecies coalescent model (MSC) supported recognition of ten species including one new species. Four species are confirmed opportunistic pathogens; A. udagawae followed by A. felis and A. pseudoviridinutans are known from opportunistic human infections, while A. felis followed by A. udagawae and A. wyomingensis are agents of feline sino-orbital aspergillosis. Recently described human-pathogenic species A. parafelis and A. pseudofelis are synonymized with A. felis and an epitype is designated for A. udagawae. Intraspecific mating assay showed that only a few of the heterothallic species can readily generate sexual morphs in vitro. Interspecific mating assays revealed that five different species combinations were biologically compatible. Hybrid ascospores had atypical surface ornamentation and significantly different dimensions compared to parental species. This suggests that species limits in the AVSC are maintained by both pre- and post-zygotic barriers and these species display a great potential for rapid adaptation and modulation of virulence. This study highlights that a sufficient number of strains representing genetic diversity within a species is essential for meaningful species boundaries delimitation in cryptic species complexes. MSC-based delimitation methods are robust and suitable tools for evaluation of boundaries between these species.

Disporum mishmiensis, sp. nov. is described from Arunachal Pradesh, north-eastern India. A detailed description and colour photographs of D. leucanthum are provided to aid identification. A distribution map, notes on ecology and a key to Indian species are provided.

Colletotrichum species are plant pathogens, saprobes, and endophytes on a range of economically important hosts. However, the species occurring on pear remain largely unresolved. To determine the morphology, phylogeny and biology of Colletotrichum species associated with Pyrus plants, a total of 295 samples were collected from cultivated pear species (including P. pyrifolia, P. bretschneideri, and P. communis) from seven major pear-cultivation provinces in China. The pear leaves and fruits affected by anthracnose were sampled and subjected to fungus isolation, resulting in a total of 488 Colletotrichum isolates. Phylogenetic analyses based on six loci (ACT, TUB2, CAL, CHS-1, GAPDH, and ITS) coupled with morphology of 90 representative isolates revealed that they belong to 10 known Colletotrichum species, including C. aenigma, C. citricola, C. conoides, C. fioriniae, C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides, C. karstii, C. plurivorum, C. siamense, C. wuxiense, and two novel species, described here as C. jinshuiense and C. pyrifoliae. Of these, C. fructicola was the most dominant, occurring on P. pyrifolia and P. bretschneideri in all surveyed provinces except in Shandong, where C. siamense was dominant. In contrast, only C. siamense and C. fioriniae were isolated from P. communis, with the former being dominant. In order to prove Koch's postulates, pathogenicity tests on pear leaves and fruits revealed a broad diversity in pathogenicity and aggressiveness among the species and isolates, of which C. citricola, C. jinshuiense, C. pyrifoliae, and C. conoides appeared to be organ-specific on either leaves or fruits. This study also represents the first reports of C. citricola, C. conoides, C. karstii, C. plurivorum, C. siamense, and C. wuxiense causing anthracnose on pear.

Plant pathogenic smut fungi in the broader sense can be divided into the Ustilaginomycetes, which cause classical smut symptoms with masses of blackish spores being produced in a variety of angiosperms, and the Exobasidiomycetes, which are often less conspicuous, as many do not shed large amounts of blackish spores. The leaf-spot causing members of the genus Entyloma (Entylomatales, Exobasidiomycetes) belong to the latter group. Currently, 172 species that all infect eudicots are included in the genus. Vanky (2012) recognised five Entyloma species on species of Ranunculus s.lat. Two have been reported only from Ficaria verna s.lat., while three, E. microsporum, E. ranunculi-repentis, E. verruculosum, have been reported to have a broad host range, encompassing 30, 26, and 5 species of Ranunculus, respectively. This broad host range is in contrast to the generally high host specificity assumed for species of Entyloma, indicating that they may represent complexes of specialised species. The aim of this study was to investigate Entyloma on Ranunculus s.lat. using multigene phylogenies and morphological comparisons. Phylogenetic analyses on the basis of up to four loci (ITS, atp2, ssc1, and map) showed a clustering of Entyloma specimens according to host species. For some of these Entyloma lineages, names not currently in use were available and reinstated. In addition, Entyloma microsporum s.str. is neotypified. Six novel species are described in this study, namely, Entyloma jolantae on Ranunculus oreophilus, E. klenkei on R. marginatus, E. kochmanii on R. lanuginosus, E. piepenbringiae on R. polyanthemos subsp. nemorosus (type host) and R. repens, E. savchenkoi on R. paludosus, and E. thielii on R. montanus. For all species diagnostic bases and morphological characteristics are provided. The results in this study once more highlight the importance of detailed re-investigation of broad host-range pathogens of otherwise specialised plant pathogen groups.

The Botryosphaeriaceae is a species-rich family that includes pathogens of a wide variety of plants, including species of Eucalyptus. Recently, during disease surveys in China, diseased samples associated with species of Botryosphaeriaceae were collected from plantation Eucalyptus and other plants, including Cunninghamina lanceolata, Dimocarpus longan, Melastoma sanguineum and Phoenix hanceana, which were growing adjacent to Eucalyptus. In addition, few samples from Araucaria cunninghamii and Cedrus deodara in two gardens were also included in this study. Disease symptoms observed mainly included stem canker, shoot and twig blight. In this study, 105 isolates of Botryosphaeriaceae were collected from six provinces, of which 81 isolates were from Eucalyptus trees. These isolates were identified based on comparisons of the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions and intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene (ITS), and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), β-tubulin (tub), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) and calmodulin (cmdA) genes, the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU) and the nuclear ribosomal small subunit (SSU), and combined with their morphological characteristics. Results showed that these isolates represent 12 species of Botryosphaeriaceae, including Botryosphaeria fusispora, Cophinforma atrovirens, Lasiodiplodia brasiliense, L. pseudotheobromae, L. theobromae and Neofusicoccum parvum, and six previously undescribed species of Botryosphaeria and Neofusicoccum, namely B. pseudoramosa sp. nov., B. qingyuanensis sp. nov., B. wangensis sp. nov., N. hongkongense sp. nov., N. microconidium sp. nov. and N. sinoeucalypti sp. nov. Aside from B. wangensis, C. atrovirens and N. hongkongense, the other nine Botryosphaeriaceae species were isolated from Eucalyptus trees in South China. Botryosphaeria fusispora (26 % of the isolates from Eucalyptus) is the dominant species, followed by L. pseudotheobromae (23 % of the isolates from Eucalyptus). In addition to species found on Eucalyptus trees, we also found B. pseudoramosa on M. sanguineum; B. wangensis on C. deodara; C. atrovirens on D. longan; L. theobromae on C. lanceolata, D. longan and P. hanceana; and N. hongkongense on A. cunninghamii. Pathogenicity tests showed that the 12 species of Botryosphaeriaceae are pathogenic to three Eucalyptus clones and that Lasiodiplodia species are the most aggressive. The results of our study suggest that many more species of the Botryosphaeriaceae remain to be discovered in China. This study also provides confirmation for the wide host range of Botryosphaeriaceae species on different plants.

Uromycladium tepperianum has been reported on over 100 species of Acacia, as well as on the closely related plant genera, Falcataria, Racosperma and Paraserianthes. Previous studies have indicated that U. tepperianum may represent a complex of host-specific, cryptic species. The phylogenetic relationships between 79 specimens of Uromycladium were determined based on a concatenated dataset of the Small Subunit, the Internal Transcribed Spacer and the Large Subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA, and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3. This study showed that the host range of U. tepperianum s. str. was restricted to species of Acacia in the 'A. bivenosa group' sensu Chapman & Maslin (1992). An epitype of U. tepperianum on A. ligulata is designated to create a stable taxonomy for the application of this name. Sixteen novel species of Uromycladium are described, based on host preference, morphology and a phylogenetic species concept.

Nineteen Phaeoacremonium species are currently known in South Africa. These have been reported from grapevines, fruit trees, fynbos twig litter and arthropods. In other countries some of these Phaeoacremonium species are also known from hosts such as European olive, quince and willow that commonly occur in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where most South African records of Phaeoacremonium have been made. The aim of this study was to investigate the species diversity and host-range of Phaeoacremonium in the Western Cape Province of South Africa by characterising 156 isolates collected from 29 woody hosts. Phylogenetic analyses of combined actin and beta-tubulin datasets allowed for the identification of 31 species among the 156 isolates, including 13 new species and 3 known species that had not been recorded in South Africa previously. The new Phaeoacremonium species include P. album, P. aureum, P. bibendum, P. gamsii, P. geminum, P. junior, P. longicollarum, P. meliae, P. oleae, P. paululum, P. proliferatum, P. rosicola and P. spadicum. All previous records of P. alvesii in South Africa were re-identified as P. italicum, but both species were recovered during this survey. A total of 35 described Phaeoacremonium species are now known from South Africa, more than double the number reported from any other country. This high diversity reflects the high diversity of indigenous flora of the Cape Floral Region, a biodiversity hotspot mainly situated in the Western Cape Province. Paraphyly and incongruence between individual phylogenies of the actin and beta-tubulin regions complicated species delimitation in some cases indicating that additional phylogenetic markers should be investigated for use in Phaeoacremonium phylogenies to prevent misidentifications and the introduction of vague species boundaries.

The native ‘ōhi’a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) has cultural, biological and ecological significance to Hawai’i, but it is seriously threatened by a disease commonly referred to as rapid ‘ōhi’a death (ROD). Preliminary investigations showed that a Ceratocystis species similar to C. fimbriata s.lat. was the cause of the disease. In this study, we used a combination of the phylogenetic, morphological and biological species concepts, as well as pathogenicity tests and microsatellite analyses, to characterise isolates collected from diseased ‘ōhi’a trees across Hawai’i Island. Two distinct lineages, representing new species of Ceratocystis, were evident based on multigene phylogenetic analyses. These are described here as C. lukuohia and C. huliohia. Ceratocystis lukuohia forms part of the Latin American clade (LAC) and was most closely associated with isolates from Syngonium and Xanthosoma from the Caribbean and elsewhere, including Hawai’i, and C. platani, which is native to eastern USA. Ceratocystis huliohia resides in the Asian-Australian clade (AAC) and is most closely related to C. uchidae, C. changhui and C. cercfabiensis, which are thought to be native to Asia. Morphology and interfertility tests support the delineation of these two new species and pathogenicity tests show that both species are aggressive pathogens on seedlings of M. polymorpha. Characterisation of isolates using microsatellite markers suggest that both species are clonal and likely represent recently-introduced strains. Intensive research is underway to develop rapid screening protocols for early detection of the pathogens and management strategies in an attempt to prevent the spread of the pathogens to the other islands of Hawai’i, which are currently disease free.

The new species Coleus namuliensis (Lamiaceae) is described from the granite outcrops and grasslands of Mt Namuli in Zambezia Province of Mozambique. It has previously been confused with Plectranthus caudatus, a species that is restricted to the quartzite outcrops of the Chimanimani Mountains on the Mozambique-Zimbabwe border for which the new combination in Coleus is formalised in this paper. Other potential confusion species are discussed and a rationale for applying the generic name Coleus rather than Plectranthus is provided. Despite their highly restricted ranges, C. namuliensis and C. caudatus are both considered to have a conservation status of Least Concern at present, although climate change may pose a longer-term threat to their survival.

A review of new data relating to Nepenthes insignis in Indonesia indicates that three taxa in section Insignes, not one, are present in New Guinea. One of these, endemic to the limestone of the island of Biak, is formally named as Nepenthes biak and assessed as Critically Endangered; the other, from limestone of the Raja Ampat islands is provisionally distinguished as Nepenthes sp. Raja Ampat, since only images are available.

The discovery, introduction and naming of the chestnut vine (Tetrastigma voinierianum, Vitaceae), a Vietnamese plant, is examined and bibliographic citation corrected. The 173 at the time of writing disregarded new species names and new combinations made in Séraphin Mottet’s Dictionnaire Pratique d’Horticulture et Jardinage (1892–1899) include six names in current use, hitherto attributed to later authors. All the other Mottet novelties, as well as the 125 disregarded in Nicholson’s ‘mother volume’, his Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening (four names in current use) and its later Century Supplement (22) have been passed to IPNI editors as have 15 from Bois’s Dictionnaire d’Horticulture Illustré: none disturbs current nomenclature save six changes in authority. Many species introduced to cultivation by Veitch were much cited by Mottet and Nicholson but were first published in Veitch catalogues, necessitating a new name in Miconia (Melastomataceae) and seven changes in authority in names in current use.

Trigonostemon is taxonomically revised for Malesia based on herbarium collections and field observations. Thirty-eight species are recognized in Malesia, of which four of uncertain status and four newly described. The previous infrageneric classifications are briefly reviewed, but none is accepted. Some useful characters are discussed. An identification key, nomenclature, descriptions, typification, geographic distributions and taxonomic notes are provided.