Morphology and Phylogeny Reveal Vamsapriyaceae fam. nov. (Xylariales, Sordariomycetes) with Two Novel Vamsapriya Species.

Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, rpb2, tub2 and ITS sequence data of representative Xylariales taxa indicated that Diabolocovidia, Didymobotryum and Vamsapriya cluster together and form a distinct clade in Xylariales. Morphological comparison also shows their distinctiveness from other families of Xylariales. Therefore, we introduce it as a novel family, Vamsapriyaceae. Based on morphological characteristics, Podosporium and Tretophragmia, which were previously classified in Ascomycota genera incertae sedis, are now included in the Vamsapriyaceae. In addition, three Vamsapriya species, V. chiangmaiensis sp. nov, V. uniseptata sp. nov, and V. indica are described and illustrated in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]