Arecophila bambusae sp. nov. andA. coronata comb. nov., from dead culms of bamboo

A new species ofArecophila and a species previously known asAmphisphaeria coronata are described and illustrated from dead culms of bamboo.Arecophila bambusae sp. nov. is distinct in the genus in having ellipsoidal ascospores with slightly round ends, and asci with a narrow subapical ring.Arecophila coronata comb. nov. has asci with a wedgeshaped apical ring and weakly striated ascospores enclosed in wide mucilaginous sheath.     

Aquatic fungi from peat swamp palms: Phruensis brunneispora gen. et sp. nov. and its hyphomycete anamorph

Phruensis brunneispora is a new genus and species occurring on decaying trunks of the palm Licuala longecalycata in Sirindhorn Peat Swamp Forest, Thailand. We compare the genus with other aquatic ascomycetes with falcate septate ascospores: Pseudohalonectria and Ophioceras. Ascospores differ from species in these genera in being brown with lighter end cells. Also, the ascus pore is subapical, with a channel leading to the apex. Lollipopaia minuta differs from Phruensis brunneispora in that the ascomata are borne in a stroma, asci have an apical pore and the ascospores are hyaline. No genus was found to accommodate the new species. Molecular analysis of rDNA ribosomal 18S confirmed the exclusion of the new species from Pseudohalonectria, and Ophioceras and Lollipopaia minuta formed a sister group with it. Phruensis brunneispora and Lollipopaia minuta grouped in the Diaporthales with 100% bootstrap support. Therefore, both morphological and molecular evidence supports erecting a new genus to accommodate this taxon. A hyaline Phialophora-like anamorph was formed when single ascospores were plated out on agar. The taxon is described and illustrated with light micrographs.     

Frondisphaeria palmicola gen. et sp. nov. from Brunei

The monotypic genusFrondisphaeria (Unitunicate Ascomycetes inc. sed.) is introduced to accommodate a new palm ascomycete with slightly curved long-fusiform ascospores.Frondisphaeria has similarities withLinocarpon, but differs in having clavate asci, which are narrow at the apex and are provided with a refractive discoid subapical ring. Ascomata also form under darkened blotches on the host surface.     

中国一新记录属——桃孢壳属

对日本桃孢壳(Persiciospora japonica)菌进行了描述。该菌的子囊具8个子囊孢子,呈近双列排列;子囊孢子暗橄榄色至黑褐色,椭圆形至梭形,两端具芽孔,孢子表面具小的点状凹陷,光学显微镜下呈网状。该属真菌为我国新记录。     

Nematococcomyces rhododendri, a new species in a new genus of the Rhytismatales from China

A fungus belonging to the Rhytismatales found on twigs of Rhododendron lutescens in Yunnan, southwestern China, is described as a new species in a new genus. It is characterized by Coccomyces-like ascomata but differs in having elliptical ascospores with filiform, hyaline appendages. The ascospores of this new taxon are somewhat similar to those of species of Parvacoccum, but the latter has symmetrical, fusiform ascospores with funnel-shaped appendages. The new genus also is distinct from Hypoderma, Hypodermella, Myriophacidium, Ploioderma, Neococcomyces and Therrya.     

Lucidascocarpa pulchella, a new ascomycete genus and species from freshwater habitats in the American tropics

A new fungus collected from submerged wood in Costa Rica and Ecuador has ascostromatic ascomata with fissitunicate asci and lacks pseudoparaphyses, characters that place it in the Dothideaceae (Dothideales). It is unusual in the order because it has white ascomata. Based on other morphological characters however this fungus could not be accommodated in any existing genus in the Dothideaceae and it is described herein as a new genus and species, Lucidascocarpa pulchella. These morphological features are characteristic of L. pulchella: ascomata glistening, white, each with a long, periphysate neck; a membranous peridium composed of 5-7 thin-walled, hyaline cells; pseudoparaphyses absent; asci fissitunicate, clavate, eight-spored; ascospores seven-septate, hyaline, multiguttulate, verruculose, surrounded by a large, regular, gelatinous sheath.     

Debaryomyces udenii,sp. nov. (Saccharomycetaceae), a new species from soil

A new, soil-associated species of the genus Debaryomyces, D. udenii, is described. The species is characterized by pusticulate rather than verrucate ascospores, and slowly lytic asci.     

Lasiosphaeria and a similar new genus from palms

Lasiosphaeriaceous ascomycetes from palms are discussed in this paper and three new species,L. alexandricola, L. alexandrae andL. chapmanii, are described. Three species are excluded fromLasiosphaeria, L. nematospora, L. rufula andL. tephrocoma, and the transfer ofL. subambigua toCercophora is noted. A new genus,Arecacicola, is introduced to accommodate a distinctive taxon from palms.Arecacicola is characterized by ascomata immersed in a sparse stroma consisting of hosts cells filled with fungal hyphae. The ascomata do not ultimately become erumpent. The ascospores lack apical spines, and the asci do not possess an apical ring. A key to lasiosphaeriaceous taxa from palms is provided.     

Eupenicillium osmophilum sp. nov.

A new species of the genus Eupenicillium: E. osmophilum is described and illustrated. It is characterized by single asci, lenticular ascospores with 2 closely appressed equatorial ridges and divaricate penicilli.     

委内瑞拉产绿散胞盘菌属一新种(英文)

从El Avila国家公园热带云雾森林中发现了绿散胞盘菌属的一个新种。它以其小型的子囊和子囊孢子、椭圆-S型-棒状的子囊孢子以及覆盖于外囊盘被菌丝表面的绿褐色胶化层为显著特征,并与该属已知种相区别。     

Annulusmagnus and Ascitendus, two new genera in the Annulatascaceae

Two pyrenomycetes in the Annulatascaceae described from freshwater, Annulatascus triseptatus and Ascolacicola austriaca, are reported from North and South America for the first time. Both species occur commonly on submerged wood in the U.S.A. The two taxa are similar morphologically in having black coriaceous ascomata, cylindrical necks, septate paraphyses, cylindrical pedicellate asci with prominent apical rings and three-septate ascospores. Molecular data demonstrates that Annulatascus is polyphyletic, with A. triseptatus on a clade widely separated from the type species of the genus, A. velatisporus. Ascolacicola austriaca is on a monophyletic clade within the Annulatascaceae as sister taxon of A. triseptatus. Based on morphological data and phylogenetic analyses of 28S rDNA sequence data, new genera Annulusmagnus and Ascitendus are established for Annulatascus triseptatus and Ascolacicola austriaca, respectively.     

Morphology and development of the reticuloperidial ascomata of Auxarthron conjugatum

Light and electron microscopy showed that the reticuloperidium of thick-walled hyphae, characteristic of the mature ascoma of Auxarthron conjugaturn, originated from branches that grew from the broad, gyre-like hyphal loops making up the ascomatal initials. Within the developing peridium, short, acropetally proliferating chains of prototunicate asci each arose from a single crozier and matured from base to tip. The walls of young asci were two-layered but evanesced as they matured with the outer layer dissolving before the inner one. Distal asci in some chains retained the inner wall, detached from adjacent asci by septum schizolysis and when transferred to fresh media produced germ tubes and mycelium. Ultraviolet epifluorescent staining with a DNA intercalator (Hoechst) indicated that these spore-like asci probably contained diploid nuclei. In normal asci, ascospores had an inner, electron lucent primary wall and a three-layered secondary wall. The deposition pattern of the middle layer of the secondary wall created the distinctive array of pits and ridges characteristic of the ascospores in this taxon. The production of ascospores, spore-like asci and arthroconidia, along with the tendency of ascospores to adhere in a mass, is interpreted as contributing to the reproductive flexibility and inoculum potential of A. conjugatum. In all respects the ascomata of A. conjugatum differed substantially from the morphologically similar taxon, Myxotrichum arcticum. These findings underscore the benefit of using DNA-based phylogenies in concert with cytological and ultrastructural observations for exploring selective pressures behind homoplasious characters and revealing novel structural features.     

Conlarium duplumascospora gen. et. sp. nov. and Jobellisia guangdongensis sp. nov. from freshwater habitats in China

Conlarium duplumascospora gen. et. sp. nov. and Jobellisia guangdongensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated from submerged wood collected from Guangdong Province, China. Conlarium duplumascospora is characterized by gregarious, coriaceous and beaked ascomata; cylindrical, unitunicate asci with a bipartite apical ring; biseriate, fusiform, hyaline, 0-5-septate ascospores with or without appendages; and anamorph with muriform conidia. Jobellisia guangdongensis is characterized by globose to subglobose, gregarious and papillate ascomata; three-layered peridium; cylindrical, unitunicate asci with a refractive apical ring; and one-septate, fusiform, greenish brown ascospores. Sequence analyses of partial nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA) were performed to infer the phylogenetic affinities of these new taxa. A key to species of Jobellisia is provided.     

Two new species of Pseudogymnoascus with Geomyces anamorphs and their phylogenetic relationship with Gymnostellatospora

Two new psychrophilic Pseudogymnoascus species with Geomyces anamorphs are described from a Sphagnum bog in Alberta, Canada. Pseudogymnoascus appendiculatus has long, branched, orange appendages and smooth, fusoid to ellipsoidal ascospores with a faint longitudinal rim. Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus has short, subhyaline appendages and warty peridial hyphae and ascospores, and both smooth to asperulate and irregularly warty conidia. Both species produce asci in chains, a feature that supports the distinction between this group and Myxotrichum, which produces asci singly. The discovery of species intermediate between Pseudogymnoascus and Gymnostellatospora, in having both ornamented ascospores and Geomyces anamorphs, prompted a re-evaluation of the genera. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA indicates that the two genera remain distinct and comprise a monophyletic group. Pseudogymnoascus species have smooth to warty or lobate-reticulate ascospores while species of Gymnostellatospora have walnut-shaped spores with distinct longitudinal crests and striations. Anamorphs assignable to the form genus Geomyces are allied with both genera. A key is provided to the four species and varieties of Pseudogymnoascus.     

Lanceispora amphibia gen. et sp. nov., a new amphisphaeriaceous ascomycete inhabiting senescent and fallen leaves of mangrove

Lanceispora amphibia gen. et sp. nov. in the Amphisphaeriaceae is described from senescent and fallen leaves ofBruguiera gymnorrhiza in mangrove forests in the Southwest Islands, Japan. The fungus produces immersed ascomata in leaf tissue, cylindrical asci with an apical ring staining blue with iodine, and oblanceolate ascospores with a septum above the middle. Studies on the fungal succession on the mangrove leaves revealed thatL. amphibia infects senescent leaves on the tree and inhabits intertidal fallen leaves, showing the highest frequency of occurrence at the late stage of decomposition. In culture the optimal conditions for hyphal growth were 20 ppt salinity and 30°C, and those for sexual reproduction were 10 ppt salinity and 25°C. Growth at 0 ppt (fresh water) was depressed. The fungus has amphibious habits, growing on the tree and in intertidal water; and it is adapted to the high osmotic conditions in leaf tissues of the mangrove tree and to the subtropical, brackish water environment of mangrove forests.     

Two new species ofHeleococcum withAcremonium anamorphs

Two new species ofHeleococcum (a cleistothecial nectrioid genus in the Hypocreaceae) are described and illustrated.Heleococcum alatosporum, isolated from Indonesian soil, is recognized by the production of salmon-colored ascomata, cylindrical asci, and hyaline, small, bicellular ascospores with walls that are verruculose and ornamented with longitudinal ridges.Heleococcum inapertum, isolated from Philippine soil, is characterized by yellow ascomata, clavate asci, and pale yellow, middle-sized, bicellular, verruculose to weakly striate ascospores surrounded with a hyaline sheath. Anamorphs of the new species are included inAcremonium. A key to the accepted species of the genus is provided.