<Emphasis Type="Italic">Purpureocorticium microsporum</Emphasis> (Basidiomycota) gen. et sp. nov. from East Asia

A corticioid fungal species found in mountainous Taiwan, and Yunnan Province of China, is described as a new genus and new species: Purpureocorticium microsporum (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota). Morphological study and phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data respectively derived from the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU nrDNA) alone and the combined dataset of LSU nrDNA and translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1-α) indicated that Purpureocorticium does not belong to any clade of the Agaricomycetes. Purpureocorticium and P. microsporum are characterized by having a resupinate basidiocarp with smooth hymenial surface which turns purple in KOH, and becomes purplish after storage, microscopically having compact texture of subiculum, nodose-septate thin-walled generative hyphae, absence of cystidia, basidia subclavate with a median constriction, or utriform, bearing ovate-ellipsoid small-sized basidiospores, which are smooth and thin-walled, inamyloid, and nondextrinoid. The new combination Rhizochaete rubescens is proposed, based on morphological and phylogenetic evidences.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thyridariella</Emphasis>, a novel marine fungal genus from India: morphological characterization and phylogeny inferred from multigene DNA sequence analyses

A novel saprobic fungal genus, Thyridariella (Thyridariaceae), is herein described to include Thyridariella mangrovei, the type species and T. mahakoshae spp. nov. Both species were collected as saprobes on decaying wood of Avicennia marina, a common mangrove species found near Kaveri River Delta, Tamil Nadu, on the east coast of India. Thyridariella is diagnosed by having an exclusive combination of characters, such as ascomata with ostiolar necks thickened laterally, hyaline, and centrally constricted muriform ascospores with a single longitudinal septum in each segment and surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath. These characters demarcate these taxa from morphologically similar genera such as Halojulella and Julella. In addition, the new genus also differs from Parathyridaria and Thyridaria in having hyaline, muriform ascospores with distinct mucilaginous sheaths. The monophyly of Thyridariella is well supported in the phylogenetic analysis based on a concatenated dataset from two proteins and three nuclear gene regions. The phylogeny also depicts a sister group relationship of our new genus to Parathyridaria and Thyridaria and hence confirms its position within Thyridariaceae.     

The diversity of culturable yeasts in the phylloplane of rice in Thailand

One hundred and fifty-six yeast strains were obtained by the enrichment technique from the phylloplanes of 85 rice leaf samples collected from seven provinces in Thailand. On the basis of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene sequence analysis, 156 strains were identified as 34 known species in 18 genera consisting of 25 species in 13 genera of the phylum Ascomycota and nine species in five genera of the phylum Basidiomycota. The species in the phylum Ascomycota comprised 24 species in 12 genera of the order Saccharomycetales and one species viz. Yarrowia lipolytica in Saccharomycetales incertae sedis. The 24 species viz. Candida glabrata in the Nakaseomyces clade of Saccharomycetaceae, Candida jaroonii, Candida membranifaciens and Candida terebra in the Yamadazyma clade of Debaryomycetaceae, Candida pseudolambica in the Pichia clade of Pichiaceae, Candida ruelliae in the Metschnikowia clade of Metschnikowiaceae, and three unaffiliated clade Candida species (Candida catenulata, Candida rugosa and Candida tropicalis); Clavispora lusitaniae, Kodamaea ohmeri, Metschnikowia koreensis and Metschnikowia lopburiensis in Metschnikowiaceae; Cyberlindnera fabianii, Cyberlindnera rhodanensis and Wickerhamomyces ciferrii in Wickerhamomycetaceae; Debaryomyces nepalensis, Meyerozyma caribbica, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Millerozyma koratensis, and Yamadazyma mexicanum in Debaryomycetaceae; Pichia kudriavzevii in Pichiaceae; and Lachancea thermotolerans in Saccharomycetaceae. The species in Basidiomycota viz. Cryptococcus flavescens, Cryptococcus laurentii, Cryptococcus aff. laurentii and Cryptococcus rajasthanensis in the Tremellales lineage, Bulleromyces clade, Tremellales, Tremellomycetes, Agaricomycotina; Pseudozyma antarctica and Pseudozyma aphidis in Ustilaginales, Ustilaginomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina; Rhodotorula taiwanensis and Sporobolomyces blumeae in Sporidiobolales, Microbotryomycetes, Pucciniomycotina; and Trichosporon asahii in Trichosporonales, Tremellomycetes, Agaricomycotina. The most prevalent species was R. taiwanensis with a 23 % frequency of occurrence followed by Candida tropicalis (16 %) and Cryptococcus fabianii (12 %).     

Two new complete mitochondrial genomes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dorcus</Emphasis> stag beetles (Coleoptera,Lucanidae)

The systematics of Dorcus MacLeay has been a long-standing debate. Mitochondrial genomes were widely used to deeply understand the phylogeny of problematic taxa in virtue of their genetic importance and comprehensiveness. To provide more useful genetic data for resolving the systematic disputation of Dorcus stag beetles. The complete mitochondrial genomes of Dorcus hopei and Dorcus seguyi were obtained using the next generation sequencing. Characteristics of the two genomes are explicated through comparing their genome organization and base composition, protein-coding genes and codon usage, intergenic spacers and non-coding region, transfer and ribosomal RNA genes and control region. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 13 PCGs from 9 stag beetles and 3 scarab beetles. The complete mitogenomes of D. hopei and D. seguyi was 16,026 bp/17,955 bp long, respectively. A tandem repeat with the length of 940 bp was presented in the A+T-rich region in D. hopei. An unexpected non-coding region of 332 bp was located between nad2 and trnW in D. seguyi. The phylogenetic analyses robustly supported that D. hopei formed a branch with the generic type of D. parallelipipedus. Whereas D. seguyi was not covered in the branch of (D. hopei?+?D. parallelipipedus), but was sister to them. The results indicated that D. hopei should be a good member of Dorcus MacLeay. The taxonomic status of D. seguyi remained to be studied furtherly.     

Genome-wide repeat dynamics reflect phylogenetic distance in closely related allotetraploid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana</Emphasis> (Solanaceae)

Nicotiana sect. Repandae is a group of four allotetraploid species originating from a single allopolyploidisation event approximately 5 million years ago. Previous phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis of N. nudicaulis as sister to the other three species. This is concordant with changes in genome size, separating those with genome downsizing (N. nudicaulis) from those with genome upsizing (N. repanda, N. nesophila, N. stocktonii). However, a recent analysis reflecting genome dynamics of different transposable element families reconstructed greater similarity between N. nudicaulis and the Revillagigedo Island taxa (N. nesophila and N. stocktonii), thereby placing N. repanda as sister to the rest of the group. This could reflect a different phylogenetic hypothesis or the unique evolutionary history of these particular elements. Here we re-examine relationships in this group and investigate genome-wide patterns in repetitive DNA, utilising high-throughput sequencing and a genome skimming approach. Repetitive DNA clusters provide support for N. nudicaulis as sister to the rest of the section, with N. repanda sister to the two Revillagigedo Island species. Clade-specific patterns in the occurrence and abundance of particular repeats confirm the original (N. nudicaulis (N. repanda (N. nesophila + N. stocktonii))) hypothesis. Furthermore, overall repeat dynamics in the island species N. nesophila and N. stocktonii confirm their similarity to N. repanda and the distinctive patterns between these three species and N. nudicaulis. Together these results suggest that broad-scale repeat dynamics do in fact reflect evolutionary history and could be predicted based on phylogenetic distance.     

Four new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma</Emphasis> with hyaline ascospores from central China

Collections of Trichoderma producing hyaline ascospores from central China were examined. Four new species, Trichoderma asterineum, T. henanense, T. odoratum and T. pseudobritdaniae, were discovered, described and illustrated. Their phylogenetic positions were explored based on sequence analyses of the combined RNA polymerase II subunit b (rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (tef1) genes. As a sister of T. leguminosarum, T. asterineum can be easily recognised by its pale yellow stromata, ochre to brown ostiolar dots surrounded by stellate cracks, green conidia and slow growth. Trichoderma henanense is distinctive in pulvinate or discoid, dirty yellow to brownish yellow stromata, brown to dark brown ostiolar dots, small monomorphic ascospores in relatively short asci and white colonies with dense aerial hyphae in cultures. Trichoderma odoratum forms an independent lineage as a sister of T. henanense and is characterised by yellow to greyish yellow, pulvinate stromata with dark brown or reddish brown projecting ostiolar dots, slow growth, trichoderma- to verticillium-like conidiophores, hyaline conidia and producing a mushroom-like odour in culture. Trichoderma pseudobritdaniae is closely associated with but easily separated from T. britdaniae in pulvinate, brownish yellow or greyish yellow stromata with dark brown or grey black ostiolar dots, relatively large perithecia, monomorphic ascospores, somewhat low growth rate, trichoderma- to verticillium-like conidiophores and hyaline conidia. Morphological distinctions and sequence divergences between the new species and their close relatives are discussed.     

Phylogenomics of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bartheletia paradoxa</Emphasis> reveals its basal position in Agaricomycotina and that the early evolutionary history of basidiomycetes was rapid and probably not strictly bifurcating

The higher level phylogeny of fungi has been addressed in previous studies, but for those analyses, either taxon sampling or gene sampling was low, or some basal lineages important for the inference of basidiomycete phylogeny were lacking. Here, a phylogenomic analysis based on highly conserved genes and including the enigmatic species Bartheletia paradoxa from Ginkgo biloba is presented. While phylogenetic analyses including also less conserved parts of core eukaryotic genes yielded a basal position for the extremophile genus Wallemia with low support, an exclusion of highly variable parts of these genes suggested Bartheletia paradoxa as the most basal member of the Agaricomycotina, but again with low support. Network analyses suggest a network-like evolution at the base of the Basidiomycota, supported by phylogenies based on single genes and gene clusters with shared topology. When further removing noise by removing poorly resolving genes, strong but not maximum support was obtained for Bartheletia paradoxa being the sister lineage to all other Agaricomycotina. We speculate that the lack of support for the early splits in Agaricomycotina and Basidiomycota can probably be explained by rapid radiation, linked to major evolutionary developments, such as, in the case of Basidiomycota, the advent of basidia in the last common ancestor.     

Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucullaea labiata</Emphasis> (Arcoida: Cucullaeidae) and phylogenetic implications

The complete mitochondrial genome of Cucullaea labiata (Arcoida: Cucullaeidae) was firstly determined in this study in order to better understand the phylogenetic relationship between Cucullaeidae and Arcidae. The C. labiata mitochondrial genome was 25,845 bp in size and contained 12 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA genes. The number and the location of the tRNA genes were different from three Arcidae species (Scapharca broughtonii, Scapharca kagoshimensis and Tegillarca granosa). Gene arrangement also differed dramatically. The length of the non-coding regions was 10,559 bp, in which the largest one (6057 bp) included eight point nine copies of a 659 bp repeat motif. The number of repeated sequences was different in different individuals, similar to the findings from the mitochondrial genome of S. broughtonii and Placopecten magellanicus. One intron was found in cox1 gene both in CL_98 and in CL_99 individuals of C. labiata. The reason why mitochondrial introns are retained so scarcely in bivalve taxa needs further research. Phylogenetic analyses based on 12 concatenated amino acid sequences of protein-coding genes supported Cucullaeidae was the sister group of Arcidae.     

Phylogeography of the Macaronesian Lettuce Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactuca watsoniana</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">L. palmensis</Emphasis> (Asteraceae)

The phylogenetic relationships and phylogeography of two relatively rare Macaronesian Lactuca species, Lactuca watsoniana (Azores) and L. palmensis (Canary Islands), were, until this date, unclear. Karyological information of the Azorean species was also unknown. For this study, a chromosome count was performed and L. watsoniana showed 2n = 34. A phylogenetic approach was used to clarify the relationships of the Azorean endemic L. watsoniana and the La Palma endemic L. palmensis within the subtribe Lactucinae. Maximum parsimony, Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis of a combined molecular dataset (ITS and four chloroplast DNA regions) and molecular clock analyses were performed with the Macaronesian Lactuca species, as well as a TCS haplotype network. The analyses revealed that L. watsoniana and L. palmensis belong to different subclades of the Lactuca clade. Lactuca watsoniana showed a strongly supported phylogenetic relationship with North American species, while L. palmensis was closely related to L. tenerrima and L. inermis, from Europe and Africa. Lactuca watsoniana showed four single-island haplotypes. A divergence time estimation of the Macaronesian lineages was used to examine island colonization pathways. Results obtained with BEAST suggest a divergence of L. palmensis and L. watsoniana clades c. 11 million years ago, L. watsoniana diverged from its North American sister species c. 3.8 million years ago and L. palmensis diverged from its sister L. tenerrima, c. 1.3 million years ago, probably originating from an African ancestral lineage which colonized the Canary Islands. Divergence analyses with *BEAST indicate a more recent divergence of the L. watsoniana crown, c. 0.9 million years ago. In the Azores colonization, in a stepping stone, east-to-west dispersal pattern, associated with geological events might explain the current distribution range of L. watsoniana.     

A settled sub-family for the orphan tree: The phylogenetic position of the endemic Colombian genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Orphanodendron</Emphasis> in the Leguminosae

Orphanodendron is a taxonomically and geographically isolated South American genus of two species. When first described by Barneby and Grimes in 1990, the genus was placed in Leguminosae subfamily Caesalpinioideae, but that placement was doubted and the name Orphanodendron (Gr. orphanos, orphan + dendron, tree) was chosen to reflect the uncertain subfamilial relationship of the genus. In this study, nucleotide sequence data from five Orphanodendron specimens were added to 662 other, previously sampled, Leguminosae taxa representing all three currently recognized subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae and Papilionoideae) in a matK maximum parsimony analysis that resolved Orphanodendron as a member of the genistoid s.l. clade of subfamily Papilionoideae. Two additional Bayesian phylogenetic analyses with reduced taxon sampling of plastid (matK combined with trnL-F) and nuclear (ITS) loci strongly support the monophyly of Orphanodendron and unambiguously establish Orphanodendron as a member of the genistoid sensu lato clade. Although our plastid phylogenetic analysis finds relatively low support for a sister-group relationship with the African genus Camoensia, the nuclear-encoded ITS resolves Orphanodendron as sister to the Bowdichia clade with strong support and Camoensia as sister to other core genistoids. The phylogenetic resolution of Orphanodendron as a member of the genistoid s.l. legumes based on nuclear and plastid sequences will undoubtedly advance future evolutionary investigations of this Colombian endemic tropical tree genus.     

Molecular profiling of fungal assemblages in the healthy and infected roots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Decalepis arayalpathra</Emphasis> (J. Joseph &amp; V. Chandras) Venter,an endemic and endangered ethnomedicinal plant from Western Ghats,India

Decalepis arayalpathra, an endangered, endemic ethnomedicinal plant from southern Western Ghats, India, is targeted for its aromatic and medicinal properties. This study aimed at to identify fungal endophyte populations associated with healthy and diseased roots of this perennial shrub. Healthy and rotted root samples of D. arayalpathra were collected, fungal endophytes assemblages were identified both by culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches, further sequenced and the retrieved sequences were analysed with the reference sequences in GenBank to know their phylogenetic relationships. Analysis of the ITS rDNA region generated 24 different Ascomycota and three Basidiomycota taxa. Trichoderma sp. was most abundant in healthy and diseased root samples, while Penicillium and Aspergillus were confined to healthy roots. Furthermore, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum and Mucor velutinosus were found to be the most frequent fungi identified from the rotted root samples, thus substantiated to be the cause for D. arayalpathra decline in the wild. Interestingly, the strains assigned to Fusarium sp. were isolated from diseased roots showing typical clearly visible symptoms, such as a severe brown discolouration on the taproot. Molecular profiling of all the pure fungal isolates, viz., Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Mucor, revealed high sequence similarities (≥ 98 %) to corresponding reference sequences. Sequencing of Trichoderma pure cultures isolated from healthy and diseased roots revealed sequence similarities to Trichoderma harzianum, T. hamatum, T. koningiopsis, T. asperellum, T. pubescens and Hypocrea sp. This confirms the morphological examinations, as Hypocrea is the teleomorph stage of Trichoderma sp. This study signifies the first work pertaining to the taxonomy of the fungal endophytic community of D. arayalpathra, and the results reported in this work may help to ascertain the cause of root rot disease often perceived in D. arayalpathra. Also, it could be useful to identify the promising endophytic communities against the root rot diseases occurring in D. arayalpathra.     

Diversity of ectomycorrhizal Thelephoraceae in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tuber melanosporum</Emphasis>-cultivated orchards of Northern Spain

Truffles are edible hypogeous ascomycetes highly appreciated worldwide, especially the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.). In recent decades, the cultivation of the black truffle has expanded across the Mediterranean climate regions in and outside its native range. Members of the Thelephoraceae (Thelephorales, Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) are commonly found in truffle plantations, but their co-occurrence with Tuber species and other members of the fungal community has been scarcely reported. Thelephoraceae is one of the most represented families of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community in boreal and Mediterranean forests. To reveal the diversity of these fungi in T. melanosporum-cultivated plantations, ten orchards located in the Navarra region (Northern Spain) were surveyed for 2 years. Morphological and molecular approaches were used to detect and identify the Thelephoraceae ectomycorrhizas present in those plantations. Ten different mycorrhizal types were detected and described. Four of them were morphologically identified as Tomentella galzinii, Quercirhiza cumulosa, Q. squamosa, and T39 Thelephoraceae type. Molecular analyses revealed 4–6 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), depending on the nucleotide database used, but similarities remained under 95 % and no clear species assignments could be done. The results confirm the diversity and abundance of this fungal family in the ectomycorrhizal community of black truffle plantations, generally established in Mediterranean areas. The occurrence and relative abundance of Thelephoraceae ectomycorrhizas is discussed in relation to their possible influence on truffle production.     

Phylogeographic structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spondias tuberosa</Emphasis> Arruda Câmara (Anacardiaceae): seasonally dry tropical forest as a large and continuous refuge

Spondias tuberosa occurs in the Caatinga domain (seasonally dry tropical forest biome) of north-eastern Brazil, a large biome with ecogeographic regions that may have modelled the population structure of the species. Here we studied the phylogeographic pattern of S. tuberosa using sequences of the accD-psaI plastid region and six SSR markers in individuals distributed across 20 localities. The results for accD-psaI demonstrated nine haplotypes: some of which were exclusive to Caatinga ecoregions, whereas others were found in all localities. Spatial analysis of molecular variance revealed two groups (F_ct?=?0.34, P?<?0.0039) with 33.91% variation between them. The SSR analyses displayed 2–5 alleles at each locus, some of which were unique to certain localities. As in the accD-psaI region, the population structure obtained using SSR markers fell into two groups: (1) a large group containing the majority of the geographic region of Caatinga and (2) a small group near the Atlantic forest. We demonstrate the population structure of S. tuberosa, identifying the Caatinga as large, continuous refuge and the region near the interface between the Caatinga and the Atlantic forest as second refuge.     

Two mitogenomes in Gruiformes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amaurornis akool</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">A. phoenicurus</Emphasis>) and the phylogenetic placement of Rallidae

Rallidae, with 34 genera including 142 species, is the largest family in the Gruiformes, the phylogenetic placement of this family was still in debate. The complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes), with many advantageous characters, have become popular markers in phylogenetic analyses. We sequenced the mitogenomes of brown crake (Amaurornis akool) and white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus), analyzed the genomic characters of mitogenomes in Rallidae, and explored the phylogenetic relationships between Rallidae and other four families in Gruiformes based on mitogenome sequences of 32 species with Bayesian method. The mitogenome of A. akool/A. phoenicurus was 16,950/17,213 bp in length, and contained 37 genes typical to avian mitogenomes and one control region, respectively. The genomic characters of mitogenomes in Rallidae were similar. The phylogenetic results indicated that, among five families, Rallidae had closest relationship with Heliornithidae, which formed a sister taxa to Gruidae, while Rhynochetidae located in the basal lineage. Within Rallidae, Rallina was ancestral clade. Gallirallus & Rallus and Aramides were closely related, Gallicrex & Amaurornis and Fulica & Gallinula had close relationships, and these two taxa formed a sister clade to Porphyrio & Coturnicops. Our phylogenetic analyses provided solid evidence for the phylogenetic placement of Rallidae and the evolutionary relationships among different genus within this family. In addition, the mitogenome data presented here provide useful information for further molecular systematic investigations on Gruiformes as well as conservation biology research of these species.     

Three new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plagioporus</Emphasis> Stafford, 1904 from darters (Perciformes: Percidae), with a redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plagioporus boleosomi</Emphasis> (Pearse, 1924) Peters, 1957

A form of Plagioporus Stafford, 1904 is described from the intestine of three North American species of darters (Perciformes: Percidae) from River West Twin, Wisconsin, USA, that we consider to be conspecific with Plagioporus boleosomi (Pearse, 1924) Peters, 1957 based on similarities in the sucker ratio, extent of the forebody, shape and position of the testes, vitellarium distribution and terminal genitalia. Three new species of Plagioporus are described from the intestine of darters as follows: Plagioporus fonti n. sp. from Percina nigrofasciata Agassiz in Florida, USA, Plagioporus limus n. sp. from Etheostoma squamosum Distler in Arkansas, USA and Plagioporus aliffi n. sp. from Etheostoma blennioides newmanni Miller in Arkansas, USA. Morphologically Plagioporus fonti n. sp., Plagioporus limus n. sp. and Plagioporus aliffi n. sp. are most similar to one another and to P. boleosomi, Plagioporus lepomis Dobrovolny, 1939 and ‘P. etheostomae’, a nomen nudum for a species described from Etheostoma blennioides Rafinesque in Kentucky, USA, all of which are collectively distinguished from congeners in having a combination of confluent vitellarium in the post-testicular space and absence of vitelline follicles with their entire length distributed in the forebody. Plagioporus fonti n. sp., P. limus n. sp. and P. aliffi n. sp. are respectively distinguished from one another and their closest congeners in having the anterior extent of the vitellarium in the anterior half of forebody to slightly anterior to the ventral sucker as opposed to one approximately at the level of the posterior margin of the ventral sucker, possession of an excretory vesicle reaching the anterior testis as opposed to one only reaching the posterior testis and having a longer than wide oral sucker and a wider than long ventral sucker. A Bayesian inference (BI) analysis of partial 28S rDNA sequences was conducted using the three new species and 24 sequences of opecoelids retrieved from GenBank, including ten species of Plagioporus. Plagioporus aliffi n. sp., Plagioporus fonti n. sp. and P. boleosomi comprised a moderately supported sister group to a clade containing all species of Plagioporus except Plagioporus limus n. sp. and Plagioporus shawi (Mcintosh, 1939) Margolis, 1970. Plagioporus limus and in turn P. shawi were resolved as sister to all other congeners with high and moderate support, respectively.     

Clarification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lyomyces sambuci</Emphasis> complex with the descriptions of four new species

Four species of Lyomyces (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) are described as new for science, based on collections from Réunion Island (L. allantosporus and L. mascarensis), southeast Brazil (L.organensis), and Taiwan (L. orientalis). All four species belong to the L. sambuci complex and grow on dead wood. Basidiomata photographs and line drawings of microstructures are provided for each species. The specific status of the new taxa was confirmed by ITS and 28S phylogenetical analyses. The concept of L. sambuci s. str. is discussed. Molecular data reveal one additional cryptic species from Europe, morphologically identical with L. sambuci s. str.     

Characterisation of seven <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inocybe</Emphasis> ectomycorrhizal morphotypes from a semiarid woody steppe

Ectomycorrhizas (ECM) of Inocybe species (Inocybaceae, Basidiomycota) formed by three host plant species (Populus alba, Salix rosmarinifolia and Pinus nigra) in a semiarid woody steppe of Hungary were studied. To identify the fungal partners, we performed phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences for the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear DNA (nrDNA ITS) together with sequences gained from public databases. Seven Inocybe ectomycorrhiza morphotypes were morpho-anatomically characterised. Five morphotypes were identified (I. phaeoleuca, I. psammophila, I. semifulva, I. splendens and I. subporospora), whereas two morphotypes represented unidentified Inocybe species. Differences were discernible among the morphotypes, and they showed general anatomical characteristics of Inocybe ECM, such as the slightly organised plectenchymatic mantle (types A, B and E and the gelatinous C). The ECM of I. subporospora and I. phaeoleuca were detected from the introduced Pinus nigra. These two fungi are probably native to the area but capable of forming a novel ectomycorrhizal association with the invasive host.     

Nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic relationships among <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gladiolus</Emphasis> cultivars and related taxa of family Iridaceae

The plastid genome regions of two intergenic spacers, psbA–trnH and trnL–trnF, were sequenced to study the nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic relationships among Gladiolus cultivars. Nucleotide diversity of psbA–trnH region was higher than trnL–trnF region of chloroplast. We employed Bayesian, maximum parsimony (MP) and neighbour-joining (NJ) approaches for phylogenetic analysis of Gladiolus and related taxa using combined datasets from chloroplast genome. The psbA–trnH and trnL–trnF intergenic spacers of Gladiolus and related taxa-like Babiana, Chasmanthe, Crocus, Iris, Moraea, Sisyrinchium, Sparaxis and two out group species (Hymenocallis littoralis and Asphodeline lutea) were used in the present investigation. Results showed that subfamily Iridoideae have sister lineage with subfamily Ixioideae and Crocoideae. H. littoralis and A. lutea were separately attached at the base of tree as the diverging Iridaceae relative’s lineage. Present study revealed that psbA–trnH region are useful in addressing questions of phylogenetic relationships among the Gladiolus cultivars, as these intergenic spacers are more variable and have more phylogenetically informative sites than the trnL–trnF spacer, and therefore, are suitable for phylogenetic comparison on a lower taxonomic level. Gladiolus cultivars are extensively used as an ornamental crop and showed high potential in floriculture trade. Gladiolus cultivation still needs to generate new cultivars with stable phenotypes. Moreover, one of the most popular methods for generating new cultivars is hybridization. Hence, information on phylogenetic relationships among cultivars could be useful for hybridization programmes for further improvement of the crop.