Asterodiscus and Stigmatodiscus, two new apothecial dothideomycete genera and the new order Stigmatodiscales.

During a survey on corticolous Dothideomycetes, several collections with ascospores matching the genera Asteromassaria and Stigmatomassaria (Pleomassariaceae, Pleosporales) were revealed from dead corticated twigs of Acer, Carpinus and Tamarix. Closer morphological examination showed that their ascomata were apothecial, with a hamathecium consisting of septate, branched paraphyses, which are apically swollen at maturity. Several collections were cultured and sequenced, and a Blast search of their nuc 28S rDNA sequences revealed dothideomycetous affiliation, but without a close match to a specific family or order. Phylogenetic analyses of a multigene matrix containing a representative selection of Dothideomycetes from four genes (nuc 18S rDNA, nuc 28S rDNA, rpb2 and tef1) revealed placement within Dothideomycetes but without a supported familial or ordinal affiliation. Based on the phylogenetic analyses and morphological investigations, the new genera Asterodiscus and Stigmatodiscus, with the two new species A. tamaricis and S. enigmaticus, are described and illustrated, and placed in the new family Stigmatodiscaceae and new order Stigmatodiscales.

An overview of the genus Glyphium and its phylogenetic placement in Patellariales.

Glyphium encompasses species with erect, carbonaceous ligulate to dolabrate ascomata that are strongly laterally compressed and dehisce along a longitudinal slit. The five currently recognized members of the genus are separated primarily by whether the ascospores disassociate into part-spores within the ascus. Glyphium has traditionally been placed in Mytilinidiaceae (Mytilinidiales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes). The present study, based on freshly collected material of G. elatum and G. grisonense, was initiated to determine the phylogenetic placement of Glyphium. Phylogenies inferred from the analysis of sequences of six gene regions (nuLSU, nuSSU, mtSSU, TEF1, RPB1, RPB2) derived from six accessions indicate that Glyphium belongs to Patellariales (Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes). Our phylogenies also support the phylogenetic relationship of Patellaria and Hysteropatella within this order. The nomenclatural history of Glyphium is summarized and a key to species is provided.

Molecular reassessment of diaporthalean fungi associated with strawberry, including the leaf blight fungus, Paraphomopsis obscurans gen. et comb. nov. (Melanconiellaceae).

Phytopathogenic fungi in the order Diaporthales (Sordariomycetes) cause diseases on numerous economically important crops worldwide. In this study, we reassessed the diaporthalean species associated with prominent diseases of strawberry, namely leaf blight, leaf blotch, root rot and petiole blight, based on molecular data and morphological characters using fresh and herbarium collections. Combined analyses of four nuclear loci, 28S ribosomal DNA/large subunit rDNA (LSU), ribosomal internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 with 5.8S ribosomal DNA (ITS), partial sequences of second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1), were used to reconstruct a phylogeny for these pathogens. Results confirmed that the leaf blight pathogen formerly known as Phomopsis obscurans belongs in the family Melanconiellaceae and not with Diaporthe (syn. Phomopsis) or any other known genus in the order. A new genus Paraphomopsis is introduced herein with a new combination, Paraphomopsis obscurans, to accommodate the leaf blight fungus. Gnomoniopsis fragariae comb. nov. (Gnomoniaceae), is introduced to accommodate Gnomoniopsis fructicola, the cause of leaf blotch of strawberry. Both of the fungi causing leaf blight and leaf blotch were epitypified. Fresh collections and new molecular data were incorporated for Paragnomonia fragariae (Sydowiellaceae), which causes petiole blight and root rot of strawberry and is distinct from the above taxa. An updated multilocus phylogeny for the Diaporthales is provided with representatives of currently known families.

Barrmaelia and Entosordaria in Barrmaeliaceae (fam. nov., Xylariales) and critical notes on Anthostomella -like genera based on multigene phylogenies.

Phylogenetic analyses of a combined DNA data matrix containing ITS, LSU, rpb2 and tub2 sequences of representative Xylariales revealed that the genus Barrmaelia is a well-defined monophylum, as based on four of its described species (B. macrospora, B. moravica, B. oxyacanthae, B. rhamnicola) and the new species B. rappazii. The generic type of Entosordaria, E. perfidiosa, is revealed as the closest relative of Barrmaelia, being phylogenetically distant from the generic type of Clypeosphaeria, C. mamillana, which belongs to Xylariaceae sensu stricto. Entosordaria and Barrmaelia are highly supported and form a distinct lineage, which is recognised as the new family Barrmaeliaceae. The new species E. quercina is described. Barrmaelia macrospora, B. moravica and B. rhamnicola are epitypified and E. perfidiosa is lecto- and epitypified. Published sequences of Anthostomella and several Anthostomella-like species from the genera Alloanthostomella, Anthostomelloides, Neoanthostomella, Pseudoanthostomella and Pyriformiascoma are evaluated, demonstrating the necessity of critical inspection of published sequence data before inclusion in phylogenies. Verified isolates of several species from these genera should be re-sequenced to affirm their phylogenetic affinities. In addition, the generic type of Anthostomella should be sequenced before additional generic re-arrangements are proposed.