Amplistroma longicollis, a new species and its anamorph state described and sequenced from Europe

Xylochrysis lucida gen. et sp. nov., a new lignicolous ascomycete (Sordariomycetidae) with holoblastic conidiogenesis

The monotypic genus Xylochrysis is introduced for a lignicolous perithecial ascomycete that possesses golden yellow ascomata with black glabrous necks, a three-layered ascomatal wall, persistent paraphyses, and cylindrical, long-stipitate unitunicate asci with an inamyloid apical annulus, and hyaline, ellipsoidal, unicellular ascospores. In culture it produces hyaline conidiophores with terminally arranged branches bearing metulae, conidiogenous cells and holoblastic conidia. Phylogenetic analysis of two ribosomal (nc18S and nc28S rDNA) and one protein-coding (RPB2) gene position this species within the Sordariomycetidae but without close ordinal or familial affiliation. Morphological and molecular DNA data support the recognition of this new genus and suggest that Xylochrysis is most closely related to the genera Ceratolenta, Cyanoannulus and Woswasia.

Molecular systematics of Woswasia atropurpurea gen. et sp. nov. (Sordariomycetidae), a fungicolous ascomycete with globose ascospores and holoblastic conidiogenesis

The monotypic genus Woswasia is described for wood-inhabiting and mycotrophic fungi classified in the Sordariomycetidae. It is characterized by unicellular, hyaline, globose to ellipsoid, verruculose ascospores; unitunicate long-stipitate asci with an apical annulus staining blue in aqueous cotton blue and perithecia with a long neck immersed in a stroma exhibiting a conspicuous pH-dependent color reaction. In vitro, it produces branched subhyaline to hyaline conidiophores with terminally arranged sympodial conidiogenous cells and holoblastic hyaline conidia. The remarkable morphological similarity of Woswasia to Amplistroma of the Amplistromataceae, although suggestive of a close relationship, was not confirmed by molecular data. Phylogenetic analysis based on two functional ribosomal genes (large and small subunits of the nuclear rDNA) and one protein-coding gene (second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II) supports the placement of Woswasia in the Sordariomycetidae incertae sedis. Woswasia atropurpurea, the type and only species of the genus, groups within a large heterogeneous clade containing other small or monotypic genera of wood-inhabiting saprobic fungi, which are distantly related and of which the majority lacks an ordinal or familial affiliation. Within the clade a relationship of Woswasia to the freshwater genus Cyanoannulus is suggested.