Zuo-Yi Liu

Towards a natural classification and backbone tree for Sordariomycetes

Sordariomycetes is one of the largest classes of Ascomycota and is characterised by perithecial ascomata and inoperculate unitunicate asci. The class includes many important plant pathogens, as well as endophytes, saprobes, epiphytes, and fungicolous, lichenized or lichenicolous taxa. The class includes freshwater, marine and terrestrial taxa and has a worldwide distribution. This paper provides an updated outline of the Sordariomycetes and a backbone tree incorporating asexual and sexual genera in the class. Based on phylogeny and morphology we introduced three subclasses; Diaporthomycetidae, Lulworthiomycetidae and Meliolomycetidae and five orders; Amplistromatales, Annulatascales, Falcocladiales, Jobellisiales and Togniniales. The outline is based on literature to the end of 2014 and the backbone tree published in this paper. Notes for 397 taxa with information, such as new family and genera novelties, novel molecular data published since the Outline of Ascomycota 2009, and new links between sexual and asexual genera and thus synonymies, are provided. The Sordariomycetes now comprises six subclasses, 28 orders, 90 families and 1344 genera. In addition a list of 829 genera with uncertain placement in Sordariomycetes is also provided.

Molecular evidence for the anamorph–teleomorph connection in Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis , the caterpillar fungus in traditional Chinese medicine, has been intensively collected from nature in recent years. As a result, the establishment of the anamorph of this species has become important for large-scale culture to meet increasing demand for medicinal use and to ease exploitation of natural populations. To establish a reliable connection between the teleomorph and anamorph stages, the ITS nrDNA sequences were sequenced from both the stroma of the telemorph and cultures of the anamorph. Observations of microcyclic conidiation were also made on germinated ascospores and compared with the anamorph in culture. Hirsutella sinensis was confirmed as the anamorph of C. sinensis by both DNA sequences and microcyclic conidiation. Two recently described species, C. multiaxialis and C. nepalensis , were shown to share identical or almost identical ITS sequences with C. sinensis . These minor variations were considered to be within the range of variation exhibited within a species, but representing different populations. Sequences from other Cordyceps species included in this study exhibited considerable differences from each other. Therefore, these three entities are probably conspecific, and the names should be regarded as synonymous. The morphological characters used in the description of the two new species are discussed. It is suggested that ITS sequences provided useful information on establishing the anamorph—telemorph connection and assisting in the delimitation of species within Cordyceps .

Molecular evidence for teleomorph-anamorph connections in Cordyceps based on ITS-5-8S rDNA sequences

The relationship between teleomorphs of Cordyceps spp. and their presumed anamorphs have been investigated by analysis of 5.8S and ITS rDNA sequences. The morphological and sequence data confirm that Paecilomyces hawkesii is the anamorph of Cordyceps gunnii, while Cordyceps hawkesii is a synonym of C. gunnii, and P. gunnii is a synonym of P. hawkesii. The following presumed connections are also confirmed: Beauveria brongniartii is the anamorph of C. brongniartii, Metarhizium anisopliae var. majus is the anamorph of C. brittlebankisoides, Beauveria sobolifera is the anamorph of C. sobolifera, Mariannaea pruinosa is the anamorph of C. pruinosa, Paecilomyces militaris is the anamorph of C. militaris, and Hirsutella sinensis is the anamorph of C. sinensis. The other isolates sequenced are unlikely to be anamorphs of the teleomorphs from which they were isolated because the sequences from the culture and the teleomorph are quite different. 5.8S and ITS sequences provide useful information for establishing anamorph-teleomorph connections and assisting in the delimitation of species within Cordyceps.

Colletotrichum Species on Orchidaceae in Southwest China

Abstract Twenty-two strains of Colletotrichum, representing eight species, were isolated from eight genera of Orchidaceae in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in China. Fourteen strains were from lesions and are pathogens, four were from fallen/dead flowers or stems and four were isolated as endophytes. The strains are characterized through morphological studies and multilocus phylogenetic analysis (ACT, Tub 2, CAL, CHS I, GPDH and ITS). Colletotrichum orchidearum and the new species Colletotrichum karstii are described and illustrated, based on morphological characters and multilocus sequence data. Collections of the other Colletotrichum species are reported with notes.

Endophytic Colletotrichum species from Bletilla ochracea (Orchidaceae), with descriptions of seven new speices

Thirty-six strains of endophytic Colletotrichum species were isolated from leaves of Bletilla ochracea Schltr. (Orchidaceae) collected from 5 sites in Guizhou, China. Seventeen different species, including 7 new species (namely C. bletillum, C. caudasporum, C. duyunensis, C. endophytum, C. excelsum-altitudum and C. guizhouensis and C. ochracea), 8 previously described species (C. boninense, C. cereale, C. destructivum, C. karstii, C. liriopes, C. miscanthi, C. parsonsiae and C. tofieldiae) and 2 sterile mycelia were identified. All of the taxa were identified based on morphology and phylogeny inferred from multi-locus sequences, including the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, partial genes of β-tubulin (TUB2), actin (ACT) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Comprehensive morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided for new species. Our investigation indicates a high diversity of Colletotrichum species in B. ochracea.

Colletotrichum species on Citrus leaves in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, China

Abstract Thirty-eight strains of Colletotrichum were isolated from diseased Citrus leaves in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces in China. Based on morphological characters and multilocus sequence data, the strains were identified as C. boninense (1 strain), C. brevispora (1), C. fructicola (2), C. gloeosporioides (29), C. karstii (2), C. simmondsii (1) and Colletotrichum murrayae; the latter represents a new species which is described in this paper. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was originally isolated from Citrus sinensis in southern Italy and was the most common species associated with diseased leaves of Citrus in China.

Towards a natural classification and backbone tree for Lophiostomataceae , Floricolaceae , and Amorosiaceae fam. nov .

The genera Lophiostoma, Misturatosphaeria and several other allied taxa in Lophiostomataceae are revisited. Accounts of these taxa, including their history, morphology, and family placement, based on molecular phylogeny, are provided. Type or representative specimens of Lophiostoma and Misturatosphaeria were examined and fresh specimens were obtained from Germany, Italy, Japan and Thailand. A multi-gene phylogenetic analysis of the lophiostomataceous genera Floricola, Lophiostoma, Misturatosphaeria and related taxa is provided. Sixteen genera including Lophiostoma, Lophiohelichrysum, Dimorphiopsis, Platystomum and Vaginatispora, plus eleven newly introduced genera Biappendiculispora, Alpestrisphaeria, Capulatispora, Coelodictyosporium, Guttulispora, Lophiopoacea, Neotrematosphaeria, Paucispora, Pseudolophiostoma, Pseudoplatystomum and Sigarispora are accepted in Lophiostomataceae based on morphology and phylogeny. Lophiostoma caulium, Lophiostoma arundinis and Lophiostoma caudatum are accommodated in Sigarispora. Lophiostoma winteri and Lophiostoma fuckelii are placed in the genera Lophiopoacea and Vaginatispora respectively. Three Curreya species and Misturatosphaeria claviformis are transferred to a new genus, Neocurreya. All other Misturatosphaeria species except Misturatosphaeria aurantiinotata and M. uniseptata are separated in the new genera Asymmetrispora, Aurantiascoma, Magnibotryascoma, Pseudoaurantiascoma and Pseudomisturatosphaeria based on their morphological and phylogenetic affinities. Another new genus, Ramusculicola is introduced for a new collection from Thailand. These seven new genera are accommodated in a new family Floricolaceae, together with Floricola and Misturatosphaeria. Several massarina-like species clustered as a sister clade to Amorosia littoralis and are accommodated in a new genus Angustimassarina. A new family Amorosiaceae is proposed to accommodate the genera Amorosia and Angustimassarina. The putatively named species Decaisnella formosa and Thyridaria macrostomoides form a separate clade together with a new genus Lignosphaeria which is placed in Dothideomycetes, genera incertae sedis.

Pseudopestalotiopsis ignota and Ps. camelliae spp. nov. associated with grey blight disease of tea in China

We combined morphological and combined ITS, TUB and TEF sequence data to infer the phylogeny of the recently introduced genus Pseudopestalotiopsis. Two new species from China, Ps. camelliae from blighted leaves of Camellia sinensis and Ps. ignota from an undetermined host in China, are introduced with illustrated accounts and compared with similar taxa. Grey blight disease of tea appears to be caused by a group of fungi that constitutes a species complex. A new combination is proposed to emend the monophyly of Pseudopestalotiopsis and a species comparison is provided for taxa in the genus.

Revision and phylogeny of Leptosphaeriaceae

Leptosphaeriaceae is a family in the order Pleosporales comprising economically important plant pathogens. Species may also be endophytes or saprobes on various host plants. In recent classifications Alternariaster, Leptosphaeria, Neophaeosphaeria, Paraleptosphaeria, Heterospora, Subplenodomus and Plenodomus were included in the family. The taxonomy of genera and species in Leptosphaeriaceae has been problematic due to the lack of understanding of the importance of morphological characters used to distinguish taxa, as well as the lack of reference strains. In order to establish evolutionary relationships and to provide a backbone tree for Leptosphaeria and allied genera, we sequenced the 18S nrDNA, 28S nrDNA, ITS, RPB2, TEF and ACT gene regions of Leptosphaeriaceae species and analysed this data. Multi-locus phylogenies together with morphology robustly support the monophyletic nature of Leptosphaeriaceae among the other families in Pleosporales, and the inclusion of the genera Alternariaster, Heterospora, Leptosphaeria, Paraleptosphaeria, Sphaerellopsis, Subplenodomus, Plenodomus and three novel genera Alloleptosphaeria, Neoleptosphaeria and Pseudoleptosphaeria. Five new species, Alternariaster centaureae-diffusae, Leptosphaeria cichorium, Paraleptosphaeria rubi, Plenodomus guttulatus and P. salviae are introduced. An account of sexual morph of Alternariaster centaureae-diffusae is provided, and the sexual morph of Leptosphaeria doliolum is re-described and illustrated using modern concepts from fresh collections. A novel family Neophaeosphaeriaceae is established to accommodate the genus Neophaeosphaeria and its species.

Microfungi on Tamarix

Tamarix species are small trees that grow in various natural habitats and have a wide geographic distribution. Microfungal species previously found on Tamarix and recently collected in Italy and Russia were identified based on morphological characters and analyses of gene sequence data. The sexual morph of the coelomycetous genus Homortomyces was collected for the first time and is described and illustrated. A new family, Homortomycetaceae (Dothideomycetes, families incertae sedis) is introduced to accommodate Homortomyces. Two new genera Neomicrosphaeropsis (Didymellaceae) and Tamaricicola (Pleosporaceae) are introduced in this paper. Phoma tamaricicola was recollected and is placed in Neomicrosphaeropsis based on morphology and molecular data. Ten new species, Cytospora italica, C. unilocularis, Diaporthe ravennica, Eutypella tamaricis, Neomicrosphaeropsis italica, N. novorossica, N. rossica, Keissleriella tamaricicola, Paracamarosporium tamaricis and Tamaricicola muriformis are introduced, while Alternaria tenuissima, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Neofusicoccum luteum, Paraepicoccum amazonense, Pleospora herbarum and Pseudocamarosporium propinquum are reported for the first time on Tamarix spp. with descriptions and illustrations. Multi-gene analyses show that Paraepicoccum amazonense should be placed in Pleosporineae, Pleosporales, where it is closely related to Camarosporium sensu stricto. Several herbarium specimens were studied to illustrate other fungal species recorded on Tamarix species. A comprehensive account of microfungi on Tamarix is provided, which includes a list with data from the literature, as well as those identified in the present study. The taxonomic placement of most taxa discussed in this study is based on a modern taxonomic framework based on analysis of multi-gene sequence data.