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Simple Summary: Our study describes several species of Phaeosphaeriaceae found in terrestrial habitats in Sichuan Province, China. We used morphological and molecular data to accurately delimit these species and determine their taxonomic relationships within the family. Our findings contribute to understanding fungal diversity in China and provide a basis for future studies exploring the ecological roles and biotechnological potential of these fungi. Additionally, our multi-gene phylogenetic approach provides increased accuracy and resolution in the delimitation of species boundaries within Phaeosphaeriaceae. The family Phaeosphaeriaceae is a diverse group of ascomycetous fungi that are commonly found in terrestrial habitats worldwide. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the biodiversity of Phaeosphaeriaceae in China, particularly in Sichuan Province, which has not been fully explored for its high fungal diversity. In our study, we conducted extensive surveys in Sichuan Province to identify and describe new species of Ascomycota with diverse habitats. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of Phaeosphaeriaceae with taxonomic novelties from terrestrial habitats in Sichuan Province based on a multi-gene phylogenetic approach. Our study focuses on the description of four new species of Phaeosphaeriaceae, representing novel additions to the diversity of this fungal family. Using a combination of morphological and molecular data, we provide detailed descriptions of the new taxa and their placement within the family. Additionally, we discuss the phylogenetic relationships of these new taxa with other members of Phaeosphaeriaceae, providing insights into the correct taxonomic classification of the family. Our taxonomic revision contributes to understanding fungal diversity in China and provides a foundation for future studies investigating the taxonomy and ecological roles of Phaeosphaeriaceae fungi. Furthermore, our multi-gene phylogenetic approach provides increased resolution and accuracy in the delimitation of species boundaries within the family. Our study highlights the importance of continued exploration and taxonomic revision in order to fully understand the diversity and distribution of fungal species in China and beyond. New species: Paraloratospora sichuanensis, Phaeosphaeria chengduensis, P. sichuanensis, and Septoriella shoemakeri. New combinations: Paraloratospora breonadiae, P. fructigena, Septoriella ammophilicola, S. asparagicola, S. festucae, S. luzulae, and S. verrucispora. New names: Septoriella paradactylidis, and S. neomuriformis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periconia is a polyphyletic and asexual morphic genus within the family Periconiaceae (Pleosporales). The genus is characterized by a pale to dark brown stipe with an apical conidial head and ellipsoidal to oblong conidia. Species of Periconia are widely distributed throughout the world in various hosts, while most species are isolated from graminaceous plants. During our investigations of microfungal in Sichuan Province, China, 26 Periconia isolates were collected from a wide variety of graminaceous plants. These isolates corresponded to 11 species based on the examination of morphology and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis (SSU, ITS, LSU, TEF1, RPB2). This includes six new species (P. chengduensis, P. cynodontis, P. festucae, P. imperatae, P. penniseti, and P. spodiopogonis) and five new records (P. byssoides, P. chimonanthi, P. cookie, P. pseudobyssoides, and P. verrucosa). A comprehensive description and illustrations of the new species are provided and discussed with comparable taxa. These discoveries expand our knowledge of the species diversity of Periconia taxa in graminaceous plants in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torula is an asexual and hyphomycetous genus in the family Torulaceae. Torula species are generally saprophytic. They have a worldwide distribution and abound in humid or freshwater habitats. In order to better understand this genus, we carried out several field collections from Sichuan, China. As a result, we obtained nine Torula isolates from dead woody substrates in terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Based on a biphasic approach of morphological examination and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, SSU, LSU, TEF, RPB2), these collections were identified as belonging to seven Torula species. Four of them were new species (Torula chinensis, T. longiconidiophora, T. sichuanensis and T. submersa), and the other three belonged to existing species, though one was found for the first time in China (T. masonii). Morphological and updated phylogenetic delamination of the new discoveries is also discussed. This study provides further insights into our understanding of wood-based Torula species in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helminthosporium is a polyphyletic genus in Massarinaceae (Pleosporales). Species of Helminthosporium are characterized by having septate and erect conidiophores, acro-pleurogenous and distoseptate conidia with a ring-shaped scar at the base. During a survey of fungal diversity in Sichuan Province, China, six Helminthosporium-like isolates were collected from dead branches of unknown trees. Five barcodes, including ITS (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2), SSU, LSU, TEF1, and RPB2 were amplified and sequenced. Morphological examination and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses revealed two new Helminthosporium species (H. chengduense sp. nov., and H. chinense sp. nov.), a new genus (Synhelminthosporium gen. nov.) with a type species Synhelminthosporium synnematoferum sp. nov., and two known species (Helminthosporium submersum and H. velutinum) within Massarinaceae. The new genus Synhelminthosporium differs from the phylogenetically closest genus Helminthosporium by producing synnematous conidiophores. This work expands our understanding of the diversity of Helminthosporium-like taxa in Sichuan Province, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three fungal taxa were collected on dead branches of wood during fieldwork in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, China. The new generic name Brunneosporopsis gen. nov. and species B. yunnanensis sp. nov. are introduced for a novel taxon characterized by globose to subglobose and dark olivacous-brown conidia. Phylogenetic analyses based on combined LSU, SSU and tef1-α loci strongly support the monophyly of this taxon and place it in the subclass Diaporthomycetidae. It could not be assigned to any currently recognized families in the subclass and was, therefore, placed in the Diaporthomycetidae genera incertae sedis. A second taxon represents a new species in Allocryptovalsa based on an analysis of the sequence datasets of ITS and btub loci of the novel, brown-spored sexual morphic species. This taxon is described here as A. xishuangbanica sp. nov. An interesting hypocrealean fungus producing synnemata, Stilbocrea gracilipes, was collected from dead wood of an unknown host from Sichuan Province and is reported here, with asexual morph from both the host and culture as well as LSU, ITS, tef1-α, rpb2 and rpb1 sequence data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleurotremataceae species are saprobes on decaying wood in terrestrial, mangrove, and freshwater habitats. The generic boundary of the family has traditionally been based on morphology. All genera of Pleurotremataceae have a high degree of morphological overlap, of which the generic circumscription of Melomastia and Dyfrolomyces has not been well resolved. Thus, the delimitation of genera has always been challenging. Melomastia traditionally differs from Dyfrolomyces in having 2-septate, oblong, with obtuse-ends ascospores. These main characteristics have been used to distinguish Melomastia from Dyfrolomyces for a long time. However, the above characteristics sometimes overlap among Dyfrolomyces and Melomastia species. Based on the morphology and multigene phylogeny with newly obtained data, we synonymized Dyfrolomyces under Melomastia following up-to-date results. Four novel species (i.e., Melomastia fusispora, M. oleae, M. sichuanensis and M. winteri) collected from the dead branches of Olea europaea L. in Chengdu Olive Base, Sichuan Province in China are introduced based on detailed morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses of sequences based on nuclear ribosomal (LSU and SSU) and protein-coding gene (tef1-α). The 11 new combinations proposed are Melomastia aquatica (=Dyfrolomyces aquaticus), M. chromolaenae (=D. chromolaenae), M. distoseptata (=D. distoseptatus), M. mangrovei (=D. mangrovei), M. marinospora (=D. marinosporus), M. neothailandica (=D. neothailandicus), M. phetchaburiensis (=D. phetchaburiensis), M. sinensis (=D. sinensis), M. thailandica (=D. thailandica), M. thamplaensis (=D. thamplaensis) and M. tiomanensis (=D. tiomanensis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]