Unveiling fungi associated with Castanopsis woody litter in Yunnan Province, China: Insights into Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) species

Abstract

During a survey of the diversity of lignicolous fungi in Yunnan Province, China, we collected and identified five microfungi species from dead woody litters of Castanopsis trees in terrestrial habitats. Through both morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses of multi-gene sequences, we identified two taxa as new species and three collections as new host records within Pleosporales. Pseudolophiostoma lincangense sp. nov. is introduced as a sexual morph in Lophiostomataceae, Pleopunctum baoshanense sp. nov. is introduced as a hyphomycetous fungi in Phaeoseptaceae, and Paraphoma aquatica as a first report of sexual morph in Paraphoma. In addition, Occultibambusa kunmingensis and Pleopunctum megalosporum were isolated for the first time from the dead twigs of Castanopsis delavayi and C. calathiformis, respectively. Comprehensive morphological descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results are provided for the above-mentioned species.