Five new species of endophytic Penicillium from rubber trees in the Brazilian Amazon.

The Amazon rainforest is the world's most diverse ecosystem, full of fauna and flora. Among the trees that make up the forest are the rubber trees of the genus Hevea (H. brasiliensis and H. guianensis), which stand out for the industrial use of latex. It was previously shown that endophytic fungi colonize the leaves, stems, and roots of Hevea spp. In this study, 47 Penicillium spp. and three Talaromyces spp. isolates were analyzed using specific DNA barcodes: internal transcribed spacers region (ITS), ß-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM), and the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) genes and additionally, for species delimitation, the genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition (GCPSR) criteria were applied. The phylogenetic analyses placed the Penicillium isolates into four sections Lanata-Divaricata, Sclerotiora, Citrina, and Fasciculata. The morphological and molecular characteristics resulted in the discovery of five new species (P. heveae sp. nov., P. acrean sp. nov., P. aquiri sp. nov., P. amazonense sp. nov., and P. pseudomellis sp. nov.). The five new species were also compared to closely related species, with observations on morphologically distinguishing features and colony appearances. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analysis have supported the placement of P. heveae sp. nov. as a sister group to P. globosum; P. acrean sp. nov. and P. aquiri sp. nov. as sister groups to P. sumatrense; P. amazonense sp. nov. closely related to isolates of P. rolfsii, and P. pseudomellis sp. nov. closely related to P. mellis. The study of endophytic Penicillium species of rubber trees and the description of five new taxa of Penicillium sect. Citrina, Lanata-Divaricata, and Sclerotiora as endophytes add to the fungal biodiversity knowledge in native rubber trees. Reports of fungi in native tropical plants may reveal taxonomic novelties, potential pathogen control agents, and producers of molecular bioactive compounds of medical and agronomic interest.

Bipolaris marantae sp. nov., A Novel Helminthosporoid Species Causing Foliage Blight of the Garden Plant Maranta leuconeura in Brazil.

A severe leaf spot, turning to foliage blight, was observed on leaves of Maranta leuconeura growing in a garden in Brazil (state of Rio de Janeiro) in 2015. A dematiaceous hyphomycete bearing a morphology typical of a helminthosporoid fungi was regularly found in association with diseased tissues. The fungus was isolated and pathogenicity was demonstrated through the completion of Koch's postulates. A morphology and molecular analysis led to the conclusion that the fungus belonged to the genus Bipolaris, which is characterized by having fusiform conidia, externally thickened and truncate hila and a bipolar pattern of germination. Additionally, homology of internal transcribed spacer and GAPDH sequences with sequences of other Bipolaris species, confirmed its generic placement. A phylogenetic study also indicated clearly that the fungus on M. leuconeura is phylogenetically distinct from related species of this genus, leading to the proposal of the new species Bipolaris marantae.

Additions to the mycobiota of the invasive weed Miconia calvescens (Melastomataceae).

Miconia calvescens (Melastomataceae) is a shrub or small tree native to the Neotropics that has become one of the worst invaders of forest ecosystems, particularly in Pacific islands such as Hawaii and French Polynesia. It has been a target for biological control for more than 10 y, both with arthropod and pathogen natural enemies. Until now Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. miconiae was the only organism to be used in biological control against this weed. This fungus was introduced both in Hawaii and in French Polynesia in the late 1990s/early 2000s, where it has caused some damage to the weed, but it became evident that additional agents are needed to achieve adequate control. Exploratory surveys for plant pathogens as potential biocontrol agents of M. calvescens were undertaken in Brazil, Costa Rica and Ecuador and yielded a diverse list of pathogens, including one phytoplasma, two nematodes, one oomycete and numerous fungi. A study including the description of five fungal species found attacking M. calvescens was published recently. Herein the following additional fungi also belonging to the mycobiota of M. calvescens are described: Hyalosphaera ornata sp. nov, Microsphaeropsis miconiae sp. nov., Myrothecium miconiae sp. nov., Phyllachora miconiiphila sp. nov., as well as Hyalosphaera miconiae, Lembosia melastomatum and Microsphaeropsis clidemiae, which are recorded here for the first time on this host. Although preliminary our observations of damage to M. calvescens caused by these seven fungal species did not indicate any potential for use in classical biological control.