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Antherospora vaillantii is an anther smut fungus that was originally considered occurring on Muscari spp. around the world; however, cryptic species were revealed during recent taxonomic investigations, thus emphasizing the importance of host specificity. In Japan, A. vaillantii was identified on Barnardia japonica in 1936. Although the recent revelations indicate that it may be part of a complex based on the host plant genus, the phylogenetic placement of this Japanese species is currently unresolved. In this investigation, seven specimens of the A. vaillantii complex were collected from the Kanto area of Japan, and six new single teliospore isolates were established. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer sequences and large subunit nuclear ribosomal DNA (28S) region indicated that the new samples formed a monophyletic clade with other Antherospora spp. among Floromycetaceae lineage. Our samples were separated from other known species of Antherospora and formed a robust monophyletic clade in any analysis. Detailed morphological observations revealed that the new samples could be distinguished from other known Antherospora species. As a result, it is proposed that A. barnardiae can accommodate B. japonica parasites. The evolutionary processes of Floromycetaceae in relation to their Asparagaceous host plants have also been carefully discussed. Based on the morphological observations of the basidiospore ontogenic patterns, the familial concept of Floromycetaceae was redefined.

In June 2017, deer-horn-like galls covered with a whitish, powdery fungal layer were found on the trunks of Cinnamomum pseudopedunculatum (Lauraceae) in Hahajima, Bonin Islands, Japan. The galls were similar to those of horn gall disease of Ci. tenuifolium caused by Laurobasidium hachijoense (Laurobasidiaceae, Exobasidiales) on Hachijo Island, approximately 700 km north of Hahajima. Based on morphological observation and molecular analyses of ITS and LSU regions, the fungus isolated from the surface of the galls was identified as L. hachijoense. This is the first report of the horn gall disease of Ci. pseudopedunculatum.

A new combination, Clinoconidium inouyei, is proposed to accommodate Uredo inouyei (syn. Ustilago inouyei, Melanopsichium inouyei, Ustilago machili) from Japan, producing galls on shoot buds of Machilus japonica (Lauraceae). This taxonomic treatment is based on observations of gastroid sporulation in peripheral lacunae of the host galls and basidiospore morphology. This is also supported by phylogenetic analyses with LSU and ITS regions of rDNA. This species is morphologically and phylogenetically similar to C. onumae producing galls on shoot buds of Cinnamomum tenuifolium reported from Japan, but has larger basidiospores.