Abstract
The genus Melanconis (Melanconidaceae, Diaporthales) in the strict sense is here re-evaluated regarding phylogenetic structure, taxonomy, distribution and ecology. Using a matrix of sequences from ITS, LSU, ms204, rpb2, tef1 and tub2, eight species are recognised and their phylogenetic positions are determined. Based on phylogenetic, morphological and geographical differentiation, Melanconis marginalis is subdivided into four subspecies. Melanconis italica is reduced to a subspecies of Melanconis marginalis. The two species Melanconis larissae from Betula sp. and M. pacifica from Alnus rubra are described as new. Melanconis alni and M. stilbostoma are lectotypified and M. alni, M. marginalis and M. stilbostoma are epitypified. All GenBank sequences deposited as Melanconis alni are shown to actually represent M. marginalis and those as M. marginalis belong to the newly described M. pacifica. Currently, Alnus and Betula are the sole host genera of Melanconis. All species and subspecies are (re-)described and illustrated. In addition, the neotypification of Melanconium pterocaryae is here validated.
Highlights
Melanconis, the type genus of the family Melanconidaceae (Diaporthales), was originally described by Tulasne (1856) with M. stilbostoma as its generic type, but without a generic diagnosis
Comparison of our sequences with GenBank sequences revealed that all accessions of Melanconis alni and M. marginalis, deposited in GenBank, were misidentified
Species were relegated to other genera and families based on molecular phylogenetic analyses: Alnecium (Voglmayr and Jaklitsch 2014), Caudospora (Voglmayr and Mehrabi 2018), Coryneum/Pseudovalsa (De Silva et al 2009), Hapalocystis (Jaklitsch and Voglmayr 2004), Juglanconis (Voglmayr et al 2017, 2019), Lamproconium (Norphanphoun et al 2016), Melanconiella (Voglmayr et al 2012), Phaeodiaporthe (Voglmayr and Jaklitsch 2014), Stilbospora/Prosthecium (Voglmayr and Jaklitsch 2008, 2014)
Summary
Melanconis, the type genus of the family Melanconidaceae (Diaporthales), was originally described by Tulasne (1856) with M. stilbostoma as its generic type, but without a generic diagnosis. His inclusion of species like M. spodiaea made the genus heterogeneous from the beginning. Many species names have been erected in the genus.
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