Three new species of Dicephalospora (Leotiomycetes, Helotiales) from Northern Thailand and Southwestern China

Abstract

Dicephalospora is a discomycetous genus belonging to the family Helotiaceae (Helotiales). The genus currently comprises 19 species. Among them, 17 species have been reported from Asia, of which 14 were reported from China. During a survey of Leotiomycetes, we collected six specimens of Dicephalospora species from southwest China and northern Thailand. The samples were examined based on the phylogenetic analyses of LSU and ITS sequence data, along with morphological characterization, and our results demarcate three new Dicephalospora species, viz., D. tengyueica, D. maetaengica and D. menghaica. Dicephalospora tengyueica sp. nov. formed a distinct clade closely related to D. rufocornea, D. irregularis and D. sagerae, whereas D. maetaengica sp. nov. clustered closer to D. menghaica sp. nov. with 100% ML and 1.00 BIPP statistical support. All three species have similar apothecia sizes but differ in their coloration. Dicephalospora tengyueica has aseptate ascospores, while D. menghaica and D. maetaengica have 7-septate ascospores. The paraphyses in D. menghaica are branched, while they are unbranched in the other two species. An updated key to the known species of Dicephalospora is also provided.