Adriana I. Hladki

Lenormandins A—G, new azaphilones from Hypoxylon lenormandii and Hypoxylon jaklitschii sp. nov., recognised by chemotaxonomic data

Seven new azaphilone pigments named lenormandins A–G were isolated from stromata (fruiting bodies) of the xylariaceous fungus, Hypoxylon lenormandii using preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and their structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry and other spectral methods. Their occurrence in herbarium specimens (including various type materials collected in the 19th and early 20th century) and several fresh collections was studied by analytical HPLC with diode array and mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-DAD/MS), revealing that this group of pigments is specific for Hypoxylon lenormandii from various geographic regions and otherwise only occurs in closely related taxa, i.e. H. sublenormandii and an undescribed fungus from Sri Lanka, for which we propose the name H. jaklitschii. The status of the new species was established by using molecular phylogenetic data based on ITS and partial beta-tubulin sequences, and by detailed morphological studies.

Resurrection and emendation of the Hypoxylaceae, recognised from a multigene phylogeny of the Xylariales

A multigene phylogeny was constructed, including a significant number of representative species of the main lineages in the Xylariaceae and four DNA loci the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear rDNA, the second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II (RPB2), and beta-tubulin (TUB2). Specimens were selected based on more than a decade of intensive morphological and chemotaxonomic work, and cautious taxon sampling was performed to cover the major lineages of the Xylariaceae; however, with emphasis on hypoxyloid species. The comprehensive phylogenetic analysis revealed a clear-cut segregation of the Xylariaceae into several major clades, which was well in accordance with previously established morphological and chemotaxonomic concepts. One of these clades contained Annulohypoxylon, Hypoxylon, Daldinia, and other related genera that have stromatal pigments and a nodulisporium-like anamorph. They are accommodated in the family Hypoxylaceae, which is resurrected and emended. Representatives of genera with a nodulisporium-like anamorph and bipartite stromata, lacking stromatal pigments (i.e. Biscogniauxia, Camillea, and Obolarina) appeared in a clade basal to the xylarioid taxa. As they clustered with Graphostroma platystomum, they are accommodated in the Graphostromataceae. The new genus Jackrogersella with J. multiformis as type species is segregated from Annulohypoxylon. The genus Pyrenopolyporus is resurrected for Hypoxylon polyporus and allied species. The genus Daldinia and its allies Entonaema, Rhopalostroma, Ruwenzoria, and Thamnomyces appeared in two separate subclades, which may warrant further splitting of Daldinia in the future, and even Hypoxylon was divided in several clades. However, more species of these genera need to be studied before a conclusive taxonomic rearrangement can be envisaged. Epitypes were designated for several important species in which living cultures and molecular data are available, in order to stabilise the taxonomy of the Xylariales.

Taxonomic and nomenclatural aspects of Hypoxylon taxa from southern South America proposed by Spegazzini

The holotypes and isotypes of 20 Hypoxylon taxa described by Spegazzini have been examined and their taxonomic positions and nomenclatural problems are discussed. Two new combinations, Annulohypoxylon apiahynum comb. nov. and A. subeffusum comb. nov., are proposed. H. goliath is considered a synonym of Rosellinia bunodes. H. albostigmatosum and H. guarapiense are synonyms of H. anthochroum, H. anthracoderma of H. monticulosum, H. mbaiense of H. notatum, H. paulistanum of H. diatrypeoides, H. plumbeum and H. rubiginosum var. microcarpum of H. perforatum. H. porteri and H. intermedium belong in Biscogniauxia capnodes, H. puiggarii in Annulophypoxylon subeffusum, H. subvinosum. in H. lenormandii, H. turbinatum var. guaraniticum in Phylacia turbinata and H. valsarioides in Creosphaeria sassafras. H. leptascum is transferred to A. leptascum, H. circostomum to Nemania circostoma and H. latissimum to N. latissima. The holotype of H. albostigmatosum has been recovered, thus the lectotypification by Shear no longer is needed. H. subnigricans and H. umbilicatum are confirmed as good taxa. H. anthochroum and H. lenormandii are reported as first records from Argentina (Tucumán).

Phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic resolution of the genus Annulohypoxylon (Xylariaceae) including four new species

This study deals with an extensive evaluation focusing on phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic infrageneric relationships of the genus Annulohypoxylon (Xylariaceae, Ascomycota), whose species are ubiquitously associated with seed plants as endophytes and saprotrophs in all forested areas of the world. Using evidence from phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and morphological data, various varieties within the genus are raised to species level, leading to the new combinations for A. areolatum (≡ A. bovei var. microsporum), A. macrosporum (≡ A. leptascum var. macrosporum), and A. microdiscum (≡ A. moriforme var. microdiscum). Annulohypoxylon substygium nom. nov. is applied for A. stygium var. annulatum and the four new tropical and subtropical species A. massivum, A. violaceopigmentum, A. viridistratum and A. yungensis are introduced. Furthermore, A. leucadendri is excluded from the genus as its morphological characters disagree with the generic concept, the recently erected A. palmicola is synonymized with A. leptascum and A. austrobahiense has been reassigned to the genus Hypoxylon. In addition, the key taxa A. annulatum and A. truncatum have been reinvestigated and epitypes have been defined. For the first time, a dichotomous key to the genus is provided. A phylogenetic β-tubulin tree in conjunction with stromatal HPLC profiles clearly shows that Annulohypoxylon comprises two distinct lineages. The A. cohaerens/multiforme group might eventually warrant segregation into a new genus as further molecular data become available.

New species and reports of Hypoxylon from Argentina recognized by a polyphasic approach

A preliminary account of Hypoxylon species (Xylariaceae) from the hitherto widely unexplored “Yungas” mountain forests of Northwest Argentina is presented. Two new species are described based on extensive morphological, molecular (ITS region of rDNA, partial β-tubulin gene) and chemotaxonomic data. Hypoxylon spegazzinianum is close to H. erythrostroma, but differs by larger ascospores and a virgariella-like asexual morph. Hypoxylon calileguense resembles H. subgilvum when growing on wood, but can be distinguished by larger ascospores and a fawn to brick stromatal surface colour. Stromata found on bark have affinities to H. pelliculosum, but differ in their stromatal surface colour and conspicuous amyloid apical apparatus. In addition, nine taxa of Hypoxylon are reported for Argentina for the first time, and some details on their asexual state and stromatal secondary metabolites are reported. An updated dichotomous key for Hypoxylon species from Argentina is provided.

A preliminary account of Xylaria in the Tucuman Province, Argentina, with a key to the known species from the Northern Provinces

A preliminary account of Xylaria in Argentina is presented based primarily on collections from part of “Las Yungas” biosphere reserve in Tucumán province. The following new taxa are proposed: X. culicicephala, X. tucumanensis, X. filiformioidea, X. stilbohypoxyloides and X. microceras var. yungae. The following new combination is made: X. xylarioides. Material morphologically identical to X. ianthino-velutina was found on wood, but a culture difference was noted. It is keyed out as X. aff. ianthino-velutina. A dichotomous key to twenty-nine taxa known so far from the Northern provinces of Argentina is presented.