The anamorphic genus Phoma was subdivided into nine sections based on morphological characters, and included teleomorphs in Didymella, Leptosphaeria, Pleospora and Mycosphaerella, suggesting the polyphyly of the genus. Recent molecular, phylogenetic studies led to the conclusion that Phoma should be restricted to Didymellaceae. The present study focuses on the taxonomy of excluded Phoma species, currently classified in Phoma sections Plenodomus, Heterospora and Pilosa. Species of Leptosphaeria and Phoma section Plenodomus are reclassified in Plenodomus, Subplenodomus gen. nov., Leptosphaeria and Paraleptosphaeria gen. nov., based on the phylogeny determined by analysis of sequence data of the large subunit 28S nrDNA (LSU) and Internal Transcribed Spacer regions 1 & 2 and 5.8S nrDNA (ITS). Phoma heteromorphospora, type species of Phoma section Heterospora, and its allied species Phoma dimorphospora, are transferred to the genus Heterospora stat. nov. The Phoma acuta complex (teleomorph Leptosphaeria doliolum), is revised based on a multilocus sequence analysis of the LSU, ITS, small subunit 18S nrDNA (SSU), β-tubulin (TUB), and chitin synthase 1 (CHS-1) regions. Species of Phoma section Pilosa and allied Ascochyta species were determined to belong to Pleosporaceae based on analysis of actin (ACT) sequence data. Anamorphs that are similar morphologically to Phoma and described in Ascochyta, Asteromella, Coniothyrium, Plectophomella, Pleurophoma and Pyrenochaeta are included in this study. Phoma-like species, which grouped outside the Pleosporineae based on a LSU sequence analysis, are transferred to the genera Aposphaeria, Paraconiothyrium and Westerdykella. The genera Medicopsis gen. nov. and Nigrograna gen. nov. are introduced to accommodate the medically important species formerly known as Pyrenochaeta romeroi and Pyrenochaeta mackinnonii, respectively.Taxonomic novelties:New genera: Medicopsis Gruyter, Verkley & Crous, Nigrograna Gruyter, Verkley & Crous, Paraleptosphaeria Gruyter, Verkley & Crous, Subplenodomus Gruyter, Verkley & Crous. New species: Aposphaeria corallinolutea Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, Paraconiothyrium maculicutis Verkley & Gruyter. New combinations: Coniothyrium carteri (Gruyter & Boerema) Verkley & Gruyter, C. dolichi (Mohanty) Verkley & Gruyter, C. glycines (R.B. Stewart) Verkley & Gruyter, C. multiporum (V.H. Pawar, P.N. Mathur & Thirum.) Verkley & Gruyter, C. telephii (Allesch.) Verkley & Gruyter, Heterospora (Boerema, Gruyter & Noordel.) Gruyter, Verkley & Crous, H. chenopodii (Westend.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, H. dimorphospora (Speg.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, Leptosphaeria errabunda (Desm.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. etheridgei (L.J. Hutchison & Y. Hirats.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. macrocapsa (Trail) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. pedicularis (Fuckel) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. rubefaciens (Togliani) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. sclerotioides (Sacc.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. sydowii (Boerema, Kesteren & Loer.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley, L. veroni...

The population structure of Guignardia citricarpa sensu lato (anamorph: Phyllosticta citricarpa), a fungus of which strains pathogenic to citrus are subject to phytosanitary legislation in the European Union and the United States, was investigated. Internal transcribed spacer sequences revealed two phylogenetically distinct groups in G. citricarpa. This distinction was supported by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis that also supported the exclusion of two isolates that had apparently been misclassified as G. citricarpa. On cherry decoction agar, but not on other media, growth rates of group I isolates were lower than those of group II isolates. Conidial dimensions were similar, but group I isolates formed conidia with barely visible mucoid sheaths, whereas those of group II formed conidia with thick sheaths. Cultures of isolates belonging to group I produced rare infertile perithecia, whereas fertile perithecia were formed by most isolates of group II. Colonies of isolates belonging to group I were less dark than those of group II, with a wider translucent outer zone and a lobate rather than entire margin. On oatmeal agar, exclusively group I isolates formed a yellow pigment. Group I harbored strains from citrus fruits with classical black spot lesions (1 to 10 mm in diameter) usually containing pycnidia. Group II harbored endophytic strains from a wide range of host species, as well as strains from symptomless citrus fruits or fruits with minute spots (<2-mm diameter) without pycnidia. These observations support the historic distinction between slowly growing pathogenic isolates and morphologically similar fast-growing, nonpathogenic isolates of G. citricarpa. The latter proved to belong to G. mangiferae (P. capitalensis), a ubiquitous endophyte of woody plants with numerous probable synonyms including G. endophyllicola, G. psidii, P. anacardiacearum, and P. theacearum. G. mangiferae occurs in the European Union and the United States on many host species including citrus, and does not cause symptoms of citrus black spot, justifying its exclusion from quarantine measures.

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from Australia: Diaporthe ceratozamiae on Ceratozamia robusta, Seiridium banksiae on Banksia marginata, Phyllosticta hymenocallidicola on Hymenocallis littoralis, Phlogicylindrium uniforme on Eucalyptus cypellocarpa, Exosporium livistonae on Livistona benthamii and Coleophoma eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus piperita. Several species are also described from South Africa, namely: Phoma proteae, Pyrenochaeta protearum and Leptosphaeria proteicola on Protea spp., Phaeomoniella niveniae on Nivenia stokoei, Toxicocladosporium leucadendri on Leucadendron sp. and Scorias leucadendri on Leucadendron muirii. Other species include Myrmecridium phragmitis on Phragmites australis (Netherlands) and Camarographium carpini on Carpinus betulus (Russia). Furthermore, Pseudoidriella syzygii on Syzygium sp. represents a novel genus of hyphomycetes collected in Australia. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Coniothyrium-like fungi are common wood and soil inhabitants and hyperparasites on other fungi. They belong to different fungal genera within the Pleosporales. Several isolates were obtained on wood of different Prunus species (plum, peach and nectarine) from South Africa, on Actinidia species from Italy and on Laurus nobilis from Turkey. Morphological and cultural characteristics as well as DNA sequence data (5.8S nrDNA, ITS1, ITS2, partial SSU nrDNA) were used to characterise them. The isolates belonged to three species of the recently established genus Paraconiothyrium. This is the first report of Paraconiothyrium brasiliense on Prunus spp. from South Africa. Two new species are described, namely Paraconiothyrium variabile sp. nov. on Prunus persica and Prunus salicina from South Africa, on Actinidia spp. from Italy and on Laurus nobilis from Turkey, and Paraconiothyrium africanum sp. nov. on Prunus persica from South Africa. Although other known species of Paraconiothyrium commonly produce aseptate conidia, those of P. africanum and P. hawaiiense comb. nov. are predominantly two-celled.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is a tropical fruit tree that has increased in importance for fruit growers in Puerto Rico. In 2008 and 2009, fruit rot and lesions on leaves and inflorescences were observed. A total of 276 diseased samples were collected from commercial orchards, orchards at the University of Puerto Rico, and the USDA-ARS in Mayaguez. Plant tissue was disinfested and plated on acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA). Besides other typical fungi associated with these tissue samples (2,3), 130 unknown isolates were identified as a Lasmenia sp. at the Fungal Biodiversity Centre (CBS), the Netherlands and the University of Puerto Rico using taxonomic keys (1,4). Sequencing of the rDNA with primers ITS 1 and ITS 4 and Lr5 and LR0R corresponding to the (internal transcribed spacer) ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and the partial region of the large ribosomal subunit (LSU), respectively, was completed. Five isolates (CBS 124122 to 124126) were deposited at the CBS. In APDA, colonies of a Lasmenia sp. were cream-colored with dark brown concentric rings and immersed, hyaline, branched, and septate mycelium. Acervuli were produced on APDA and plant tissue that was sampled from field and clean tissue that was inoculated with a Lasmenia sp. Conidia were 10 to 12 × 4 to 5 μm, light brown, thick walled, obclavate, aseptate, and the apex was obtuse with a scar at the base. Conidiophores were hyaline, septate, cylindrical, and sparingly branched. The conidiogenous cells were hyaline, cylindrical, and holoblastic. Pathogenicity tests were done on 12 healthy, superficially sterilized fruits under laboratory conditions, on four random leaves in each of six 6-month-old rambutan seedlings under greenhouse conditions, and on four flowers in six random inflorescences for each of six mature trees from an orchard. Tests were repeated. Either wounded or unwounded tissues were inoculated with a conidial suspension (2 to 4.5 × 106 conidia/ml) and 5-mm mycelial disks from each fungal isolate grown in APDA. After 5 days, a Lasmenia sp. produced necrotic spots on leaves, rachis necrosis and flower abortion, fruit rot, and water-soaked lesions on the fruit surface that spread to cause an aril (flesh) rot. Acervuli were produced on fruit spintems (hair-like appendages). Koch's postulates were fulfilled by reisolation of inoculated fungi from diseased tissue. A complete sequence for the ITS region for four isolates of a Lasmenia sp. was submitted to NCBI GenBank (Accession Nos. GU797405, GU797406, GU797407, and JF838336). Complete sequences of the LSU region for all five isolates were submitted to GenBank (Accession Nos. JF838337, JF838338, JF838339, JF838340, and JF838341). For both types of sequences, the identity was 100% between isolates. Although there is no DNA sequence data for the genus Lasmenia, a BLASTN search indicates a closer affinity to the Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales) (1). A Lasmenia sp. has been reported from Hawaii as causing fruit rot in rambutan (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Lasmenia sp. causing rachis necrosis and flower abortion worldwide, and the first report of fruit rot and necrotic spots on leaves of rambutan in Puerto Rico. References: (1) M. N. Kamat et al. Rev. Mycol. 38:19, 1973. (2) K. A. Nishijima and P. A. Follett. Plant Dis. 86:71, 2002. (3) L. M. Serrato et al. Phytopathology (Abstr.) 100(suppl):S176, 2010. (4) B. C. Sutton. The Coelomycetes: Fungi Imperfecti with Pycnidia Acervuli and Stromata. CMI. Kew, Surrey, England, 1980.

Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) is the most important forage crop in Erzurum, Turkey. Volutella colletotrichoides is a facultative pathogen on stems and leaves of alfalfa previously recorded by Chilton (1954) in the USA. In 1999 we isolated Volutella colletotrichoides from alfalfa leaf lesions observed on plants in Pasinler district in Erzurum. The lesions were brown, irregular in shape, small and sunken. When grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA), colonies were at first orange, later becoming brownish orange. Mycelial growth rate at 15 -25 ° C on PDA was 1·50 -1·87 mm per day. Conidia were 6·5-9 × 1·75-2 µ m and broadly fusiform. Dark setae were abundant in culture. Morphological characters and growth rate agreed with previous reports on V. colletotrichoides (Chilton, 1954;Domsch et al ., 1980). Our isolate CE-06 (deposited as CBS 109728) was sprayed on leaves and stems of 8-week-old seedlings of the alfalfa cv. Bilensoy with a suspension of 1·7 × 10 6 conidia mL − 1 of sterile water. Twelve plants were treated with V. colletotrichoides. Control plants were sprayed with sterile water. Inoculated and control plants were placed in a glasshouse at 20 -25 ° C and seedlings were enclosed in plastic bags for 3 days. Seven to 10 days after spraying, necrotic leaf lesions developed on inoculated plants only. These occurred at the leaf edge and were irregular in shape, sunken, brownish and 1-6 mm across. Volutella colletotrichoides was re-isolated from lesions on inoculated plants. This is the first report of V. colletotrichoides on alfalfa from Turkey and the first from outside the USA.