A new basidiolichen species, Lepidostroma asianum (Agaricomycetes, Lepidostromatales, Lepidostromataceae), is described based on basidiomata collected from red clay in southwestern Japan. This is the first report of a species in the genus Lepidostroma from Asia. The species is characterized by producing pale orange to reddish-orange, cylindrical to slightly fusiform basidiomata that taper toward the apex and by cylindrical to suballantoid basidiospores measuring 7.0–10.0 × 3.5–5.0 μm. In addition, it is associated with a green alga and forms a film-like thallus. Lepidostroma asianum differs from all previously-described species in its unique combination of these characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses of partial nuclear large subunit and small subunit rRNA gene sequences also differentiated it from other species. The cultural features of a Lepidostroma species are also provided for the first time.

Dactylosporina brunneomarginata sp. nov., belonging to the family Physalacriaceae (Agaricales) is described and illustrated. This fungus differs from previously described species of Dactylosporina macroscopically by its viscid pileus and stipe surface when wet, the lamellae with dark brown edges, and microscopically by its gloeocystidioid pileo-, cheilo-, and caulocystidia with olive to yellow-brown oily content. This is the first report on Dactylosporina from Asia.

Two new species of the Erysiphales, Erysiphe viburni-plicati and Podosphaera photiniae, are described and illustrated in this paper. These two fungi were first reported in 1977 and 1996 as Podosphaera spp. from Japan, but have not yet been formally described and named. We performed detailed morphological re-examinations and phylogenetic analyses based on new specimens. The results clearly show that these fungi are new, hitherto undescribed species. Molecular analyses of E. viburni-plicati indicate that this fungus belongs to the genus Erysiphe, not to Podosphaera, although it has chasmothecia with a single ascus. This result reveals that monoascus-type chasmothecia are not confined to Podosphaera and Cystotheca as they are also formed by some Erysiphe species.

Cultures originally identified as Drechslera australiensis, from seeds of Chloris gayana in Japan, were the basis for Tsuda and Ueyama's new combination, Bipolaris australiensis, and its associated sexual morph Pseudocochliobolus australiensis. By studying ex-type materials of both Drechslera australiensis, which was originally isolated from seeds of Oryza sativa in Australia, and Pseudocochliobolus australiensis, we show by morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis that these two specimens represent different species. Taxonomic confusion is resolved by the transfer of Pseudocochliobolus australiensis to Curvularia tsudae comb. nov. et nom. nov., together with a revised synonymy for Curvularia australiensis.

Mariannaea macrochlamydospora, a new hyphomycete classified in the Nectriaceae (Ascomycota), was isolated from a soil sample collected in the Bonin Islands, Japan. It is characterized by a yellow to brownish colony, verticillate conidiophores and imbricate chains of fusiform conidia. Morphologically, the species is similar to M. elegans, M. aquaticola and M. samuelsii, but differs from them in phylogeny and with respect to conidia or phialides morphology. Chlamydospores of this species are also larger than those of all other species of Mariannaea.

Nimbospora is a genus in the Halosphaeriaceae with three species: N. effusa (the type species), N. bipolaris and N. octonae. All species have two-celled ascospores with a prominent sheath. A second type of appendage is present in two species, a single tuft of fibrillar appendages is present in N. effusa and two occur in N. bipolaris. Nimbospora effusa and N. bipolaris are morphologically similar, but there are major morphological differences in ascomatal morphology between N. effusa/N. bipolaris and N. octonae. In this study, we investigated the morphology of N. effusa and N. octonae and the phylogenetic relationships of the three Nimbospora species based on partial sequences of 18S and 28S rRNA genes. Bayesian analysis suggested that Nimbospora is not monophyletic. Nimbospora effusa groups with N. bipolaris in a well-supported clade, with Naufragella spinibarbata forming a sister group. Nimbospora octonae, however, clusters with Haligena elaterophora in a separate, well-supported clade. The ascomata of N. octonae differ from those of N. effusa and N. bipolaris by their thick peridium, and ascospores that lack equatorial tufts of appendages but possess polar and equatorial subulate appendages after the sheath is dissolved. Based on these characters and the correlating phylogenetic distance, the new genus Ebullia is established to accommodate N. octonae.

We studied the spatio-temporal patterns in two fungal pathogens, Sporisorium kusanoi, along with Naemacyclus culmigenus, of the Japanese pampas grass (Miscanthus sinensis) in grassland communities on the Sugadaira plateau, Japan. Their disease symptoms emerged early in June, increased rapidly during the month and peaked early in July. We checked their presence at 11 sites (the regional-scale census) and recorded their presence in 6000 1 × 1-m subplots within a 60 × 100-m area at the specific site (the local-scale census). Sporisorium kusanoi and N. culmigenus were observed at eight and one sites in the regional-scale census, and in 987 and 2708 subplots in the local-scale census, respectively. The respective spatial distributions of S. kusanoi and N. culmigenus aggregated at the spatial scales of 13 m and 33 m. However, the spatial positions of the two fungi were slightly repulsive each other. Our results found that S. kusanoi was widely distributed within the region, whereas N. culmigenus was restricted within the specific site but had a higher frequency compared to S. kusanoi. The contrasting spatial patterns of the two pathogens may reflect differences in their dispersal processes.

Lichens are known to produce various polyketide secondary metabolites. The biosynthesis of these compounds is known to be primarily governed by iterative type I polyketide synthases. A polyketide synthase (PKS) gene, CmaPKS1, from the lichen-forming fungus Cladonia macilenta was isolated and characterized. Mycobionts of C. macilenta showed two morphologically and chemically different types of subcultures. The biruloquinone, an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, was produced by the purple mycobiont, but not the white mycobiont. A Fosmid genomic library was screened using a 495 bp fragment corresponding to part of the β-ketoacyl synthase (KS) domain as a probe for the PKS gene and the results revealed that CmaPKS1 contains KS, acyl transferase (AT), acyl carrier protein (ACP) and thioesterase (TE) domains. Phylogenetic analysis using the translated KS and AT domains demonstrated that CmaPKS1 belongs to the fungal non-reducing PKS clade II. The transcript of CmaPKS1 was more highly expressed in purple than white mycobionts. Furthermore CmaPKS1 gene expression was highly up-regulated in response to UV treatment. These results indicate that CmaPKS1 is a gene probably encoding a functional PKS and may have some functions on lichen secondary metabolites production.

To get a better insight into the physiological capabilities of Ciliochorella buxifolia, the most frequent fungus occurring on Scutia buxifolia leaf-litter in a native forest from Argentina, its in-vitro ability to use 10 carbon sources and to produce extracellular enzymes, including its response to tannic acid and to the addition of a water-soluble fraction of Scutia buxifolia leaf-litter, was analyzed. Growth, colony morphology and extracellular enzyme activity as well as differentiation of pycnidia were a function of the C substrate. The fungus responded to the presence of tannic acid in a range between 0.001 and 0.1% (w/v), by increasing growth, but higher phenol concentrations like 0.5% were inhibitory. The activity of extracellular oxidative enzymes increased with the concentration of tannic acid. Furthermore, the fungus showed extracellular laccase and peroxidase activity, being the former increased by water-soluble fraction in association to pycnidia development. Based on these results, Ciliochorella buxifolia is a fungus growing on Scutia buxifolia leaf-litter that is able to metabolize soluble phenolic compounds, which triggers the synthesis of extracellular oxidative enzymes possibly involved in sporulation and detoxification reactions.

Two new species of Moelleriella were discovered during diversity surveys of entomopathogenic fungi in the south of Thailand and are described as M. alba and M. chumphonensis based on morphological characters and molecular study. They have effuse white to orange stromata. Their teleomorphs are unique in producing a single perithecium inside a tubercle resembling Moelleriella raciborskii, a common species in Thailand. A combined matrix of nuclear large subunit rRNA gene (LSU) and RNA polymerase II subunit one (RPB1) gene shows that both species cluster in a distinct lineage as sister to M. raciborskii/“Aschersonia” placenta.

Two new bryophilous agarics, Galerina indica and Rickenella indica, are described from Kerala State, India. Comprehensive descriptions, photographs, and comparisons with phenetically similar and phylogenetically related species are provided. Inferences of their phylogenetic relationships within the respective genera are provided based on the sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region. This forms the first record of the genus Rickenella from the entire tropics and the first report of a bryophilous Galerina from Kerala. Also, this is the first report of the association of the genera Galerina and Rickenella with the moss genera Leucobryum and Campylopus respectively.

Ganoderma leucocontextum was described from Tibet Autonomous Region and Sichuan Province of China. The new species was characterized by red brown to purplish or blackish red brown pileus, white to cream pore surface, white context, thickset stipe, broadly ellipsoid basidiospores (9.5–12.5 × 7–9 μm) with coarse echinulae, and the mostly regular cuticle hyphae. Ganoderma leucocontextum was known only grow on deciduous wood and closely related to the G. lucidum complex.

The taxonomic relationships of three coelomycetous genera, Dinemasporium, Diarimella and Stauronema, were assessed. A total of 43 isolates/specimens of Dinemasporium-like fungi were examined by phylogenetic analysis of internal transcribed spacer sequences of the nuclear rRNA gene and morphological comparisons. Species highly consistent with Diarimella or Stauronema generic concepts failed to form monophyletic groups, but were scattered within the Dinemasporium clade. Diarimella and Stauronema are therefore treated as synonyms of Dinemasporium. An expanded generic concept of Dinemasporium is proposed to accommodate species having conidia with bipolar and lateral appendages (formerly Stauronema) or branched multiple appendages (formerly Diarimella), as well as typical Dinemasporium species having conidia with bipolar unbranched appendages. Eight new species of Dinemasporium — D. ambiguum, D. bambusicola, D. iriomotense, D. japonicum, D. parastrigosum, D. pseudodecipiens, D. rishiriense and D. sasae — are described and illustrated.

Aquatic hyphomycetes play a key role in organic matter processing in freshwaters. Traditionally, species have been identified through the morphology of their conidia, but mycelia can fail to sporulate, making aquatic hyphomycetes a group where DNA barcoding is crucial. We generated ITS barcodes for nine aquatic hyphomycetes without published ITS sequences that, together with all published sequences, were used to construct a neighbor-joining tree. In general, the new barcoded species grouped with species of the same genus, but Tricladium and Triscelophorus species were interspersed among different clades of the tree, confirming the multiple origins of aquatic hyphomycetes.

We examined three specimens of sclerotia from Tashkent Province, Uzbekistan collected in April 1957. Phylogenetic results suggested that the collected fungi were highest homology (98.0%) to snow mold, Typhula sp. in Iran. Rind cells of collected fungi were lobate and gently rough closely morphologically similar to Typhula subvariabilis.

Phlebopus portentosus is an edible bolete mushroom with the ability to produce fruiting bodies in the absence of a host plant. In this study, the improved yield of P. portentosus cultivation was evaluated. As a supplemental solution, fungal host solution was found to be better comparing with two other solutions. Cultivation experiment indicated that both the highest number of primordial formation and yield of fruiting bodies were obtained on 1:1 (v/v) of mixed sorghum grains supplemented with fungal host solution and sawdust. The identification of cultivated fruiting bodies was confirmed by both morphological and molecular methods.

Trichopilus fasciculatus is reported for the second time in the world and for the first time from Brazil based on material collected in the Brazilian Amazon Forest. A full description, illustrations, taxonomical comments and a key to the Entolomataceae species in Northern Brazil are provided.