ABSTRACT
During our investigations of the microfungi on medicinal plants in Thailand, five isolates of Diaporthe were obtained. These isolates were identified and described using a multiproxy approach, viz. morphology, cultural characteristics, host association, the multiloci phylogeny of ITS, tef1-α, tub2, cal, and his3, and DNA comparisons. Five new species, Diaporthe afzeliae, D. bombacis, D. careyae, D. globoostiolata, and D. samaneae, are introduced as saprobes from the plant hosts, viz. Afzelia xylocarpa, Bombax ceiba, Careya sphaerica, a member of Fagaceae, and Samanea saman. Interestingly, this is the first report of Diaporthe species on these plants, except on the Fagaceae member. The morphological comparison, updated molecular phylogeny, and pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) analysis strongly support the establishment of novel species. Our phylogeny also revealed the close relationship between D. zhaoqingensis and D. chiangmaiensis; however, the evidence from the PHI test and DNA comparison indicated that they are distinct species. These findings improve the existing knowledge of taxonomy and host diversity of Diaporthe species as well as highlight the untapped potential of these medicinal plants for searching for new fungi.
ABSTRACT
During our survey into the diversity of woody litter fungi across the Greater Mekong Subregion, three rhytidhysteron-like taxa were collected from dead woody twigs in China and Thailand. These were further investigated based on morphological observations and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of a combined DNA data matrix containing SSU, LSU, ITS, and tef1-α sequence data. A new species of Rhytidhysteron, R.xiaokongense sp. nov. is introduced with its asexual morph, and it is characterized by semi-immersed, subglobose to ampulliform conidiomata, dark brown, oblong to ellipsoidal, 1-septate, conidia, which are granular in appearance when mature. In addition to the new species, two new records from Thailand are reported viz. Rhytidhysterontectonae on woody litter of Betula sp. (Betulaceae) and Fabaceae sp. and Rhytidhysteronneorufulum on woody litter of Tectonagrandis (Lamiaceae). Morphological descriptions, illustrations, taxonomic notes and phylogenetic analyses are provided for all entries.
ABSTRACT
Background: Nematode-trapping fungi are a highly specialised group in fungi and are essential regulators of natural nematode populations. At present, more than 130 species have been discovered in Zygomycota (Zoopagaceae), Basidiomycota (Nematoctonus), and Ascomycota (Orbiliaceae). Amongst them, nematode-trapping fungi in Orbiliaceae have become the research focus of carnivorous fungi due to their abundant species. During the investigation of carnivorous fungi in Yunnan, China, four fungal strains isolated from burned forest soil were identified as two new nematode-trapping species in Drechslerella (Orbiliaceae), based on multigene phylogenetic analysis and morphological characters. New information: Drechslerelladaliensis sp. nov. is characterised by its ellipsoid, 1-2-septate macroconidia, clavate or bottle-shaped, 0-1-septate microconidia and unbranched, simple conidiophores. D.xiaguanensis sp. nov. is characterised by fusiform or spindle-shaped, 2-4-septate conidia and unbranched, simple conidiophores. Both of them produce constricting rings to capture nematodes. The phylogenetic analysis, based on combined ITS, TEF1-α and RPB2 sequences, determined their placement in Drechslerella. D.daliensis forms a basal lineage closely nested with D.hainanensis (YMF1.03993). D.xiaguanensis forms a sister lineage with D.bembicodes (1.01429), D.aphrobrocha (YMF1.00119) and D.coelobrocha (FWY03-25-1).
ABSTRACT
During our survey of the diversity of woody litter fungi in China and Thailand, three Hermatomyces species were collected from dead woody twigs of Dipterocarpus sp. (Dipterocarpaceae) and Ehretiaacuminata (Boraginaceae). Both morphology and multigene analyses revealed two taxa as new species (Hermatomycesturbinatus and H.jinghaensis) and the remaining collections as new records of H.sphaericus. Hermatomycesturbinatus is characterized by 1) dimorphic conidia, having circular to oval lenticular conidia and 2) turbinate conidia consisting of two columns with two septa composed of 2-3 cells in each column. Hermatomycesjinghaensis is characterized by dimorphic conidia, having circular to oval lenticular conidia and clavate or subcylindrical to cylindrical conidia and consisting of one or two columns with 6-8 cells in each column. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, tub2, tef1-α and rpb2 sequence data supports the placement of these new taxa within Hermatomycetaceae with high statistical support.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial property of three different partitioned extracts (petroleum ether, ethanol and water) prepared from some fungal mycelia. Methods: Seven fungal mycelia were prepared, initially extracted with acidified ethanol (0.2 mol/L HCl in 80%ethanol), yielding the raw crude extracts. The obtained extracts were then further partitioned with petroleum ether (F1), ethanol (F2) and water (F3). All the fractions were tested for antimicrobial activity using the disc diffusion assay. Results: Our data showed that all the fractions could inhibit the testing bacteria. However, the inhibitory activity was found to be dependent on (i) the fungal strains used;(ii) the solvent extracted; and (iii) the testing bacteria assayed. In general, the ethanolic extracts (F2) derived from all fungi displayed highest inhibitory activity against the testing bacteria except for Chaetomium sp. Conclusions: The findings of the present study concluded that the extracts prepared from the fungal mycelia had the bioactive compounds with antibacterial property. This study is a pioneering work and further study should be carried out for development of the new drug leads.
ABSTRACT
This paper provides recommendations of one name for use among pleomorphic genera in Dothideomycetes by the Working Group on Dothideomycetes established under the auspices of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF). A number of these generic names are proposed for protection because they do not have priority and/or the generic name selected for use is asexually typified. These include: Acrogenospora over Farlowiella; Alternaria over Allewia, Lewia, and Crivellia; Botryosphaeria over Fusicoccum; Camarosporula over Anthracostroma; Capnodium over Polychaeton; Cladosporium over Davidiella; Corynespora over Corynesporasca; Curvularia over Pseudocochliobolus; Elsinoë over Sphaceloma; Excipulariopsis over Kentingia; Exosporiella over Anomalemma; Exserohilum over Setosphaeria; Gemmamyces over Megaloseptoria; Kellermania over Planistromella; Kirschsteiniothelia over Dendryphiopsis; Lecanosticta over Eruptio; Paranectriella over Araneomyces; Phaeosphaeria over Phaeoseptoria; Phyllosticta over Guignardia; Podonectria over Tetracrium; Polythrincium over Cymadothea; Prosthemium over Pleomassaria; Ramularia over Mycosphaerella; Sphaerellopsis over Eudarluca; Sphaeropsis over Phaeobotryosphaeria; Stemphylium over Pleospora; Teratosphaeria over Kirramyces and Colletogloeopsis; Tetraploa over Tetraplosphaeria; Venturia over Fusicladium and Pollaccia; and Zeloasperisporium over Neomicrothyrium. Twenty new combinations are made: Acrogenospora carmichaeliana (Berk.) Rossman & Crous, Alternaria scrophulariae (Desm.) Rossman & Crous, Pyrenophora catenaria (Drechsler) Rossman & K.D. Hyde, P. dematioidea (Bubák & Wróbl.) Rossman & K.D. Hyde, P. fugax (Wallr.) Rossman & K.D. Hyde, P. nobleae (McKenzie & D. Matthews) Rossman & K.D. Hyde, P. triseptata (Drechsler) Rossman & K.D. Hyde, Schizothyrium cryptogamum (Batzer & Crous) Crous & Batzer, S. cylindricum (G.Y. Sun et al.) Crous & Batzer, S. emperorae (G.Y. Sun & L. Gao) Crous & Batzer, S. inaequale (G.Y. Sun & L. Gao) Crous & Batzer, S. musae (G.Y. Sun & L. Gao) Crous & Batzer, S. qianense (G.Y. Sun & Y.Q. Ma) Crous & Batzer, S. tardecrescens (Batzer & Crous) Crous & Batzer, S. wisconsinense (Batzer & Crous) Crous & Batzer, Teratosphaeria epicoccoides (Cooke & Massee) Rossman & W.C. Allen, Venturia catenospora (Butin) Rossman & Crous, V. convolvularum (Ondrej) Rossman & Crous, V. oleaginea (Castagne) Rossman & Crous, and V. phillyreae (Nicolas & Aggéry) Rossman & Crous, combs. nov. Three replacement names are also proposed: Pyrenophora grahamii Rossman & K.D. Hyde, Schizothyrium sunii Crous & Batzer, and Venturia barriae Rossman & Crous noms. nov.