Molecular phylogeny reveals a core clade of Rhytismatales

Rhytismatales (Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) are an order of mostly plant-associated ascomycetes with a global distribution. Well known taxa include the Rhytisma tar spots on Acer spp. and several needle-cast pathogens in genera Lophodermium and Meloderma. Critical studies are lacking at all taxonomic ranks from order to species, and in particular the genus taxonomy in the order has been criticized for being unnatural. We used nuclear LSU and mitochondrial SSU sequences in Bayesian phylogenetic analyses to define a core clade of Rhytismatales sensu stricto. Some of the genera traditionally placed within the Rhytismatales, Ascodichaena, Marthamyces, Mellitiosporium, Potebniamyces, Propolis and Pseudophacidium, are shown to be phylogenetically distinct, all related to various other taxa at present placed in the polyphyletic Helotiales. Within the core clade only Cudonia, Spathularia and Terriera are supported as monophyletic. The large genera Coccomyces, Hypoderma and Lophodermium all are polyphyletic as are a few smaller genera. The traditionally used characters of ascoma and spore shape are shown to be unreliable for the delimitation of monophyletic genera but in some cases can be useful when combined with other characters. In this study we provide 72 new nrLSU and 64 new mtSSU sequences. Together with publicly available sequences data for 103 specimens representing 91 species of Rhytismatales are now available. Despite this taxon sampling intensity is still too low to propose an alternative generic taxonomy.     

Repellency of injured ascomata of Ciborinia camelliae and Spathularia flavida to fungivorous collembolans

The repellency of injured ascomata of Ciborinia camelliae and Spathularia flavida was tested with the collembolan Ceratophysella denisana, a common mushroom feeder. Presentation of a test ascoma (intact or injured) at a distance to a collembolan that was feeding at a bait showed that significantly more collembolans moved away in response to the presentation of injured ascomata than intact ones for both species. These results suggest that the ascomata of these species showed repellency to the collembolan species as a response to injury. Odor is speculated to be one of the stimuli eliciting the behavioral responses observed.     

华山松上的斑痣盘菌

根据作者野外调查、室内研究以及查阅有关文献获得的数据,发现我国华山松Pinus armandii上斑痣盘菌科Rhytismataceae菌物6属18种,其中玉龙舟皮盘菌Ploioderma yulongense为一新种。文中对新种进行了描述、图解和讨论,编制了18个种的检索表,讨论了华山松上斑痣盘菌的生态习性及致病性。     

Anamylopsoraceae — a new family of lichenized ascomycetes with stipitate apothecia (Lecanorales: Agyriineae)

The anatomy, chemistry and developmental morphology ofAnamylopsora pulcherrima is investigated. Some characters, including the ascus structure, suggest a close affinity with theAgyriaceae. However, the chemistry and the pycnidial structure differ as well as the ascoma ontogeny.Anamylopsora has a gymnocarpous ascoma development and the ascogonia are produced in stipes.Trapelia coarctata, as a typical member of theAgyriaceae, shows a hemiangiocarpous ascoma ontogeny. The anatomical, chemical and ontogenetical characters of several families are compared withAnamylopsora and it is shown that the genus is best placed in a monotypic familyAnamylopsoraceae Lumbsch & Lunke, fam. nova, which is placed in theAgyriineae (Lecanorales).This paper is dedicated to Prof. DrAino Henssen (Marburg) on the occasion of the 70th birthday.     

Phylogenetics of Lophodermium from pine

Lophodermium comprises ascomycetous fungi that are both needle-cast pathogens and asymptomatic endophytes on a diversity of plant hosts. It is distinguished from other genera in the family Rhytismataceae by its filiform ascospores and ascocarps that open by a longitudinal slit. Nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA were used to infer phylogenetic relationships within Lophodermium. Twenty-nine sequences from approximately 11 species of Lophodermium were analyzed together with eight sequences from isolates thought to represent six other genera of Rhytismataceae: Elytroderma, Lirula, Meloderma, Terriera, Tryblidiopsis and Colpoma. Two putative Meloderma desmazieresii isolates occurred within the Lophodermium clade but separate from one another, one grouped with L. indianum and the other with L. nitens. An isolate of Elytroderma deformans also occurred within the Lophodermium clade but on a solitary branch. The occurrence of these genera within the Lophodermium clade might be due to problems in generic concepts in Rhytismataceae, such as emphasis on spore morphology to delimit genera, to difficulty of isolating Rhytismataceae needle pathogens from material that also is colonized by Lophodermium or to a combination of both factors. We also evaluated the congruence of host distribution and several morphological characters on the ITS phylogeny. Lophodermium species from pine hosts formed a monophyletic sister group to Lophodermium species from more distant hosts from the southern hemisphere, but not to L. piceae from Picea. The ITS topology indicated that Lophodermium does not show strict cospeciation with pines at deeper branches, although several closely related isolates have closely related hosts. Pathogenic species occupy derived positions in the pine clade, suggesting that pathogenicity has evolved from endophytism. A new combination is proposed, Terriera minor (Tehon) P.R. Johnst.     

ASCOMA ONTOGENY: IS THIS CHARACTER SET OF ANY USE IN THE SYSTEMATICS OF LICHENIZED ASCOMYCETES?

The use of ascoma ontogeny in the systematics of lichenized asco-mycetes is reviewed briefly. Two recently studied examples are discussed to illustrate the use of ontogenetic studies to discover phylogenetic relationships. As one example, theAgyriaceaewas mainly circumscribed by the ascus type and included diverse genera.Xylographais characterized by lirelliform apothecia. However, the ascoma development shares the ontogenetic pattern observed inTrapeliaand its placement in the family was confirmed. In contrast,Anamylopsoraexhibited a substantially different apothecial development and was separated as a family of its own. As a second example, theCandelariaceaeis based on chemical characters. With the detection of pulvinic acid derivatives also in the genusLecanora, the distinction of theCandelariaceaeandLecanoraceaebecame doubtful. Therefore, the ascoma ontogeny was employed to evaluate this classification and is illustrated here in detail forCandelaria fibrosa. The substantial similarity of the ascoma development found in both families suggests that both might be better united. Finally, a general discussion of the significance of ontogenetic characters in lichen taxonomy is included.     

Margaretbarromyces dictyosporus gen. sp. nov.: a permineralized corticolous ascomycete from the Eocene of Vancouver Island, British Columbia

A single, permineralized ascoma resembling a pseudothecium assignable to the Pleosporales is described from the Eocene Appian Way fossil locality on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The ascoma is globose, ostiolate, and erumpent on a fragment of the bark from an unidentified seed plant. Basally arranged asci contain large, multicelled, obovate ascospores within a single cavity or locule enclosed by a two-layered pseudoparenchymatous tissue that ostensibly represents ascostroma. Given this interpretation of the specimen's morphological features, Margaretbarromyces dictyosporus gen. sp. nov. represents the first report of a corticolous pleosporalean ascoma in the fossil record.     

斑痣盘菌科一新种

本文报道了寄生于油松(Pinus tabuleaformis Carr.)上的斑痣盘菌科(Rhytismataceae Chev.)1新种:杨陵散斑壳(Lophodermium yanglingense Z.M.Cao et C.M.Tian),并对新种的形态特征作了中文、拉丁文描述和图解。     

Geographical distributions of rhytismataceous fungi on Camellia japonica leaf litter in Japan

Rhytismataceous fungi (Ascomycota) exhibit ligninolytic activities during the initial stages of litter decomposition. We quantitatively investigated the geographical distributions of rhytismataceous fungi on Camellia japonica leaf litter across Japan. We found three rhytismataceous species (Coccomyces sp., Lophodermium jiangnanense, and a Rhytismataceae sp.) on bleached leaves of C. japonica. The Coccomyces sp. was distributed at all 40 sites investigated. On the other hand, L. jiangnanense was restricted to the southwestern region, and the Rhytismataceae sp. was localized to part of the warm-temperate zone. L. jiangnanense and the Rhytismataceae sp. were more common at sites with higher annual temperatures and greater precipitation. The relative abundance of rhytismataceous fungi revealed that either Coccomyces sp. or L. jiangnanense predominated at all sites, with a distribution related to annual precipitation. These results suggest that the geographical distributions and abundances of rhytismataceous fungi are influenced by climatic conditions.     

Ultrastructure of Weddellomyces epicallopisma (Dothideales, Dacampiaceae, Ascomycota), especially of its ascospores]

An ultrastructural study of Weddellomyces epicallopisma (ascomata wall, asci, ascospores and vegetative hyphae), the first done on the family Dacampiaceae, confirms most of the observations made in light microscopy. Moreover it shows that ascospores are provided with an endospore (not visible in light microscope) and that the structure of the ascospore septum is more complex. The similarity of the wall structure between the ascospore and the hyphoid appendages, developed on the upper part of the ascoma, is emphasized.     

斑痣盘菌科一新种及一中国新记录种

报道斑痣盘菌科的2个分类单元,其中生于八角Illiciumverum上的八角生散斑壳Lophodermiumilliciicolasp.nov.是新种,寄生于柳属植物Salixspp.上的脐突斑痣盘菌Rhytismaumbonatum为中国新记录种。对此二种进行了汉文描述、图解和讨论,新种附有拉丁文特征简介。供研究标本保藏于安徽农业大学森林保护教研室(AAUFP)。     

中国鸡皮衣目地衣的研究

鸡皮衣目主要特征是子囊果为半被果型,子囊壁厚且淀粉质,侧丝通常分枝,孢子大型,光合共生物为绿藻。收录了中国鸡皮衣目69种9变种4变型,共82个分类单位,隶属于3科4属。     

Chaenothecopsis quintralis, a new species of calicioid fungus

Chaenothecopsis quintralis from southwestern Argentina is described and illustrated as a new species in the family Mycocaliciaceae. It has been found in three localities in the Andean Patagonian temperate forests, growing strictly on dung of an endemic marsupial Dromiciops gliroides. The new species is distinguished by the hemispherical, black capitulum of ascoma, the presence of asci with croziers, one-celled brown ascospores, and its fimicolous habitat. Analysis of partial nuclear large subunit rDNA (LSU) sequences showed that this taxon is within Mycocaliciales.     

Diversity and host recurrence of fungi associated with the bleached leaf litter in a subtropical forest

Fungi that selectively remove lignin cause extensive bleaching of leaf litter, which results in the acceleration of litter decomposition. The taxonomic diversity and host recurrence of saprotrophic fungi associated with bleached leaf litter were investigated in a subtropical forest in southern Japan. A total of 211 fungal isolates and sporocarps were obtained from bleached portions of leaf litter of 33 plant species in 18 families and were classified into 83 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at the 97% similarity level of the ITS rDNA sequence. These fungal OTUs belonged to Rhytismataceae and Xylariaceae in the Ascomycota, and Marasmiaceae, Mycenaceae, Lachnocladiaceae, and Physalacriaceae in the Basidiomycota. OTUs in Rhytismataceae and Marasmiaceae showed a significantly higher degree of recurrence for plant species than simulated networks where partners were associated randomly. In contrast, OTUs in Xylariaceae and Mycenaceae showed no significant recurrence for plant species. Such differing degrees of recurrence for plant species implied different roles of fungal families in leaf litter decomposition.     

皮下盘菌属的两个新分类单元

报道中国黄山产皮下盘菌属二新种:生于满山红Rhododendron mariesii叶片上的满山红皮下盘菌Hypoderma rhododendri-mariesii sp. nov.和生于野珠兰Stephanandra chenensis枝干上的野珠兰皮下盘菌H. stephanandrae sp. nov.。对它们作了拉丁文特征简介、汉文描述和图解。模式标本存放在安徽农业大学森林保护教研室(AAUFP),合肥。     

斑痣盘菌科一新种——松生小鞋孢盘菌

本文报道在云南省昆明市华山松(Pinus armandi Franch.)上发现的斑痣盘菌科一新种,即松生小鞋孢盘菌(Soleella pinicola Y.R.Lin et W.Ren)。对该种作了拉丁文、汉文描述和图解。主模式标本保藏于安徽农学院林学系森林保护教研室。     

斑痣盘菌科两新种

报道斑痣盘菌科的2个新分类单元,即生于细梗苔草Carex teinogyna死叶上的苔草皮下盘菌Hypoderma caricis sp．nov．和生于三尖杉Cephalotaxus fortunei枯枝上的三尖杉散斑壳Lophodermium cephalotaxi sp．nov．。对此二种进行了拉丁文特征简介、汉文描述和讨论,并附有形态结构图。供研究标本保放在安徽农业大学森林保护教研室(AAUFP)。     

斑痣盘菌科一新种及一新组合

报道斑痣盘菌科的两个寄生种,即生于茶树Camelliasinensis(L.)Kuntze枝梢上的硬湿皮盘菌新种HypoheliondurumY.R.Lin,C.L.Hou&S.J.Wangsp.nov.和生于青杄PiceawilsoniiMast.针叶上的线孢小沟盘菌新组合Lirulafiliformis(Darker)Y.R.Lin&S.J.Wangcomb.nov.。湿皮盘菌属HypohelionJohnston同时为中国新记录属。对此二种进行了汉文描述、图解和讨论,新种附有拉丁文特征简介。供研究标本保藏于安徽农业大学森林保护教研室(AAUFP)。     

Phthalides produced by Coccomyces strobi (Rhytismataceae,Rhytismatales) isolated from needles of Pinus strobus

As part of a broad survey of the metabolites produced by foliar endophytes of conifers, a strain was isolated from surface-sterilized needles collected from eastern white pine on the north shore of Lake Huron, Ontario. The isolate was sterile in culture. Species identity was not resolved by ITS sequence because of the absence of corresponding sequences in public sequence databases, however the strain was placed in Rhytismataceae (Rhytismatales). Field collections targeting Rhytismataceae species on Pinus strobus were conducted enabling the isolate to be identified as Coccomyces strobi. An extract of the culture filtrate demonstrated moderate antifungal activity. Two new phthalides, (±)-strobides A-B (1-2) and the known phytotoxin cyclopaldic acid (3) were characterized from C. strobi DAOMC 251937. This is the first record of the occurrence of this species as a foliar endophyte. Previous reports have suggested that it is a cambium endophyte associated with small cankers on branches. The production of the phytotoxin cyclopaldic acid suggests that C. strobi is a weak opportunistic pathogen, switching from an endophytic to a pathogenic phase when the host tissue becomes weakened.