Search

A new polypore, Antrodia yunnanensis, collected from southwestern China, is described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular evidence. It is characterized by annual, resupinate basidiocarps with greyish blue to dark greyish blue pore surface upon drying, round to angular pores measuring 2–3 per mm, a dimitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, subicular hyphae bearing fine crystals, and cylindrical, thin-walled, smooth basidiospores measuring 7–9.9 × 2.5–3.1 µm. Molecular phylogeny inferred from ITS and nLSU sequence data showed that samples of A. yunnanensis formed a distinctive lineage in Antrodia sensu lato, and it nested a sister group with A. tropica.

Kalmusia ebuli , the type species of Kalmusia , lacks type material and therefore its phylogenetic position remains unresolved. As a consequence the familial position of Kalmusia is based on morphology and molecular phylogeny of species other than the type. A fresh collection of K. ebuli , recently obtained from decorticated wood of Populus tremula in the foothills of the French Pyrenees is, therefore, designated as neotype to stabilize the application of the species and/or genus name. The holotype of K . ebuli f. sarothamni represents a synonym of K . ebuli . The genus Kalmusia is shown to be polyphyletic within the family Montagnulaceae, with K . ebuli being distant from K . brevispora and K. scabrispora , which appear to represent a different genus.

A new ascomycete species, Bambusicola loculata, inhabiting decaying bamboo, is introduced based on morpho-molecular studies. Bambusicola loculata is characterized by immersed, dark, stromatic and loculate ascostromata, bitunicate, cylindrical-clavate asci and 1-septate, hyaline, narrowly fusiform ascospores, surrounded by an inconspicuous mucilaginous sheath. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of combined LSU, SSU, RPB2 and TEF1 gene sequence data as well as morphological characters show that our new taxon belongs to Bambusicola, Bambusicolaceae. The new species is compared with other morphologically and phylogenetically similar species.

Asterinella , Cirsosiopsis , Phragmaspidium , Platypeltella , T richopeltella , Trichopeltum and Trichothyrinula are poorly known ascomycete genera, presently included in the family Microthyriaceae. In this paper the type species of each of these genera were examined and the taxa are redescribed and illustrated with photomicrographs. The taxonomic placement of each genus and their familial position is discussed. Asterinella and Platypeltella has superficial, flattened thyriothecia and superficial hyphae with hyphopodia; the thyriothecia opens by splitting to release the ascospores and these genera should be placed in Asterinaceae . Cirsosiopsis, has strongly flattened, discoid or pulvinate to elongate, carbonaceous ascomata and is transferred to Parmulariaceae. Phragmaspidium has an upper wall comprising neatly arranged radiating cells; the basal layer is poorly developed and thus the genus should be retained in Microthyriaceae . T richopeltella, Trichopeltum and Trichothyrinula are foliar epiphytes forming extremely thin, relatively large, brown to black, circular to irregular, or root-like, spreading thalli, which cover the thyriothecia and should be placed in Trichopeltinaceae .

A new species, Microthyrium propagulensis, collected in Yunnan Province, southwestern China is introduced. The species is typical of Microthyriaceae (Microthyriales) in having superficial thyriothecia with a poorly developed basal layer and a prominent darker central ostiole, bitunicate asci and 1-septate ascospores. It is similar to the generic type, M. microscopicum , but differs in having relatively small ascospores, with two apical cilia, which lie downloads from the ascospore apex at a 45° angle. Phylogenetic analysis based on combined LSU and SSU gene sequence data clearly place this species in Microthyrium , but distinguishes it from Microthyrium microscopicum . This second sequence from a Microthyrium species indicates that the putative sequence of the type of this genus is CBS has been correctly named and supports the distinctiveness of Microthyriales and Microthyriaceae.