Resolving the phylogenetic placement of Gangliostilbe in the family Xenospadicoidaceae (Xenospadicoidales)

Abstract

This study resolves the phylogenetic position of an anamorphic synnematous genus, Gangliostilbe, (typified by G. indica) collected from the Northern Western Ghats of India. Gangliostilbe can be distinguished based on its erect synnemata, simple, dark-coloured, well-defined stalk, a subglobose to clavate head, and solitary, acrogenous, brown, phragmoconidia having three or more septa that secede through gangliar conidiogenesis. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and LSU sequence data supported the placement of Gangliostilbe in Xenospadicoidaceae (Xenospadicoidales). Gangliostilbe is the only genus in Xenospadicoidaceae having synnematous conidiomata and gangliar conidiogenesis.