nrDNA Analysis Research Articles

Taraxacum assemanii represents a new section: A revision of the misinterpreted Taraxacum primigenium, and the elucidation of the enigmatic Taraxacum section Primigenia (Compositae, Crepidinae)

On the basis of new gatherings at the type locality, Taraxacum primigenium was evaluated taxonomically. Its achenes differ substantially from the protologue description that is based on achenes of T. assemanii. Taraxacum primigenium, also on the basis of an nrDNA analysis, is close to T. sect. Piesis, and represents a narrow endemic confined to the Lalezar Mts., SE Iran. Taraxacum assemanii, newly typified, is known from mountains of SE Anatolia and Lebanon, and from the Zagros in SW Iran. It is characterized by large, almost or totally smooth achenes with indistinct cone and a very gradual achene body/beak transition, a thick short beak and a short, slightly brownish pappus. It represents a single member of a newly described section, T. sect. Pristina. The name of T. sect. Primigenia, although with a diagnosis corresponding to the characters of T. assemanii, is to be interpreted according to its type, T. primigenium, and is understood as a synonym of T. sect. Piesis. Another taxon evaluated, T. cylleneum, endemic to several mountain ranges in of Peloponnesos, Greece, is similar to T. primigenium, and very close to the core taxa of T. sect. Piesis. All the species dealt with reproduce sexually.

A new species of Lepiota (Agaricaceae) from Punjab, Pakistan

During our surveys of fungi of some areas adjacent to the Cholistan desert, Punjab, Pakistan, we collected a new species in Lepiota sect. Echinatae. It was found on loamy soil under Vachellia nilotica and is described and illustrated as new based on the distinct morphology and ITS nrDNA analysis. The new species, Lepiota haroonabadensis, is characterized macroscopically by a light yellowish orange pileus covered with brown squarrose scales, bright yellowish to yellowish red stipe with pale yellow spiny scales, and rudimentary annulus; and microscopically by ellipsoid basidiospores, narrowly clavate to clavate cheilocystidia, cylindrical to sub-cylindrical or ellipsoidal elements of the pileus covering and cylindrical to globose elements of the stipe covering. A full description, color photos, line illustrations and a phylogenetic tree to show the position of the new species are provided.

Study of the Antimicrobial Potential of Bacteria found in Natural Resources

Bacteriocins are of great interest as potential antimicrobial agents against various types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Isolates of microorganisms derived from natural sources were used in the current study, including lactic acid bacteria and other antagonistic microorganisms. The species of the microorganisms were determined using 16S rDNA and ITS nrDNA analyses. E. coli, S. enterica, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, B. mycoides, A. faecalis, P. vulgaris, S. flexneri , L. monocytogenes, C. albicans, A. flavus, and P. citrinum were used as pathogenic and opportunistic strains. It was found that 11 strains of antagonistic microorganisms have significant antimicrobial activity against all pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. The antimicrobial properties of these microorganisms are currently under study.

<p><strong><em>Taraxacum mirabile</em>, an enigmatic sexual halophilous endemic dandelion, represents a new section</strong></p>

Taraxacum mirabile Wagenitz (Asteraceae, Cichorieae, Crepidinae), a remarkable but taxonomically unexplored endemic species of Central Anatolia, is examined in detail. It is shown to be a sexually reproducing diploid (2n=16) species. It used to be included in Taraxacum sect. Orientalia in the literature. However, the nrDNA analysis revealed that T. mirabile is remote from that section. Moreover, it exhibits a number of unique features, such as fleshy leaves with a white, cartilaginous apex, long, dense, bright white tomentum at the plant base, multiple root heads, achenes with an extremely short conical cone and with very few minute spinules, a very narrow involucre with imbricate outer phyllaries, and white, not numerous florets. The most specific feature of T. mirabile is the fine, microscopic sculpture of achene surface, consisting of hair-like protuberances, not known in other Taraxacum species. These attributes, together with the convincing result of the nrDNA analysis, qualify T. mirabile to be recognized as a member of a separate section, T. sect. Echinulata, sect. nov. The habitat and distribution of T. mirabile are described, and the character of its endemism is discussed.

Resolving robust phylogenetic relationships of core Brassicaceae using genome skimming data

AbstractThe Brassicaceae is an economically and scientifically important family distributed globally, including oilseed rape and the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Although growing molecular data have been used in phylogenetic studies, the relationships among major clades and tribes of Brassicaceae are still controversial. Here, we investigated the core Brassicaceae phylogenetics using 222 plastomes and 235 nrDNA cistrons, including 106 plastomes and 112 nrDNA cistrons assembled from newly sequenced genome skimming data of 112 taxa. The sampling covered 73 genera from 61.5% tribes and four unassigned genera and species. Three well supported lineages LI, LII, and LIII were revealed in our plastomic analyses, with LI sister to LII + LIII. In addition, the monophyly of the newly delimitated LII was strongly supported by three different partition strategies, concatenated methods under Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses. LII comprised 13 tribes, including four tribes previously unassigned to any lineage, that is Biscutelleae as the earliest diverging clade and Cochlearieae as the sister to Megacarpaeeae + Anastaticeae. Within LII, the intertribal relationships were also well resolved, except that a conflicting position of Orychophragmus was detected among different datasets. In LIII, Shehbazia was resolved as a member of Chorisproreae, but Chorisproreae, Dontostemoneae, and Euclidieae were all resolved as paraphyletic, which was also confirmed by nrDNA analyses. Moreover, the loss of the rps16 gene was detected as likely to be a synapomorphy of the tribes Arabideae and Alysseae. Overall, using genome skimming data, we resolved robust phylogenetic relationships of core Brassicaceae and shed new light on the complex evolutionary history of this family.

Cut from the same cloth: The convergent evolution of dwarf morphotypes of the Carex flava group (Cyperaceae) in Circum-Mediterranean mountains.

Plants growing in high-mountain environments may share common morphological features through convergent evolution resulting from an adaptative response to similar ecological conditions. The Carex flava species complex (sect. Ceratocystis, Cyperaceae) includes four dwarf morphotypes from Circum-Mediterranean mountains whose taxonomic status has remained obscure due to their apparent morphological resemblance. In this study we investigate whether these dwarf mountain morphotypes result from convergent evolution or common ancestry, and whether there are ecological differences promoting differentiation between the dwarf morphotypes and their taxonomically related large, well-developed counterparts. We used phylogenetic analyses of nrDNA (ITS) and ptDNA (rps16 and 5’trnK) sequences, ancestral state reconstruction, multivariate analyses of macro- and micromorphological data, and species distribution modeling. Dwarf morphotype populations were found to belong to three different genetic lineages, and several morphotype shifts from well-developed to dwarf were suggested by ancestral state reconstructions. Distribution modeling supported differences in climatic niche at regional scale between the large forms, mainly from lowland, and the dwarf mountain morphotypes. Our results suggest that dwarf mountain morphotypes within this sedge group are small forms of different lineages that have recurrently adapted to mountain habitats through convergent evolution.

Taxonomic resolution of the Tetratheca hirsuta (Elaeocarpaceae) species complex using an integrative approach

The Tetratheca hirsuta Lindl. species complex from south-west Western Australia is one of the last unresolved complexes in this Australian endemic genus, and comprises the highly variable T. hirsuta, two rare, phrase-named taxa, and the closely allied T. hispidissima Steetz. An integrative approach, incorporating multivariate morphometric analysis and molecular phylogenetic and phenetic analyses of nrDNA (ETS) and cpDNA (ndhF–trnL, rpl16, trnS–trnG5ʹ2S), was used to investigate taxonomic boundaries within the complex. Morphological data showed clear divergence within the complex, and allowed several taxonomically uncertain individuals to be assigned. Phenetic and phylogenetic analyses of ETS showed substantial congruence with morphology, indicating that the groups recognised through morphometric analyses are also genetically divergent. By comparison, the chloroplast regions yielded incongruent gene trees, perhaps owing to incomplete lineage sorting, hybridisation or slow evolution of cpDNA. The present results support the recognition of the following four taxa: a morphologically and geographically expanded T. hispidissima, which is highly divergent from the remainder of the complex, and a closer grouping of T. hirsuta subsp. boonanarring Joyce & R.Butcher subsp. nov., T. hirsuta subsp. viminea (Lindl.) Joyce comb. et stat. nov. and T. hirsuta subsp. hirsuta.

Disentangling Phylogenetic Relationships in a Hotspot of Diversity: The Butterworts (Pinguicula L., Lentibulariaceae) Endemic to Italy.

The genus Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) consists of about 100 carnivorous species, also known as butterworts. Eleven taxa are endemic to Italy, which represents a biodiversity hotspot for butterworts in Europe. The aim of our study was to provide a phylogenetic framework for the Italian endemics, in order to: a) investigate the relationships between species in this group; b) evaluate their actual taxonomic value. To achieve this, we analysed all the taxa endemic to Italy, along with several other species, by means of ITS nrDNA analysis. Our results clarify the relationships between Italian endemics and other Pinguicula taxa identifying a basal polytomy defined by five clades. All of the Italian endemics (with the exception of P. lavalvae) fall within a single large clade, which includes P. vulgaris and allied species. Among them, P. poldinii represents the most isolated lineage. Other taxa show strong molecular similarities and form a single subclade, although their taxonomic ranks can be retained. Pinguicula lattanziae sp. nov., seemingly endemic to Liguria (NW Italy), is also described.

Molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses of the traditional tribe Coriandreae (Umbelliferae-Apioideae)

All eight genera (Coriandrum, Bifora, Fuernrohria, Schrenkia, Schtschurowskia, Kosopoljanskia, Lipskya and Sclerotiaria) of the tribe Coriandreae (Umbelliferae), delimited on the basis of morphological characters, were studied using molecular systematic methods to check the monophyly of the tribe. Plastid psbA-trnH data contained very little information and were incongruent with nrDNA data. The nrDNA analyses clearly showed that the tribe Coriandreae consists of three separate groups, differing in their sequences of ITS and ETS of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Only Bifora appears to be closely related to Coriandrum, whereas Fuernrohria falls into tribe Careae, and the five remaining taxa, endemic or subendemic to Middle Asia, form a separate clade, informally named the “Schrenkia clade”. The species of Kosopoljanskia do not form a monophyletic clade, being scattered in molecular trees among the Schrenkia species. Kosopoljanskia and Schrenkia are regarded as congeneric. One new species is described and two new nomenclatural combinations are proposed.

Towards a better understanding of the Taraxacum evolution (Compositae–Cichorieae) on the basis of nrDNA of sexually reproducing species

The genus Taraxacum is characterized by prevailing complex multiple hybridity, frequent polyploidy and widespread agamospermous reproduction, which makes the phylogenetic analysis difficult. On the basis of the previous analysis of the variation of nrDNA in Taraxacum taxa with different ploidy levels and modes of reproduction, to mitigate consequences of the reticulate complexity of the genus, a phylogenetic study of 52 samples of sexually reproducing dandelions of 26 sections (and another 13 agamospermous representatives of other sections known to include sexuals) was carried out. Both sexual and agamospermous samples were analysed using maximum parsimony and neighbour network. Exclusively sexual dandelions were analysed using the same approaches. In spite of the general agreement among various types of analyses, there is a limited overall congruence between results of nrDNA analyses and the established taxonomic system of the genus Taraxacum. The analyses shed light on the relationships among the most primitive groups. A stable clade is formed by representatives of the sections Primigenia, Orientalia, Sonchidium, Piesis and T. cylleneum. Another case of stable relationships is that of the members of the sect. Dioszegia. Relationships between the sects. Erythrosperma and Erythrocarpa were supported, and the relatedness of the members of sect. Australasica was confirmed. Rather unexpectedly, the agamospermous samples of the sect. Oligantha (T. minutilobum) are shown to be closely related with the sect. Macrocornuta. The latter section is generally considered to be close to sect. Ceratoidea (T. koksaghyz) on morphological grounds but this presumption is not corroborated by the results of nrDNA analyses. Analyses of 72 samples of sexual dandelions were also performed using the trnL–trnF region of the chloroplast DNA. The maximum parsimony analysis of this region reveals intraspecific variation in a number of ancestral diploid sexual species, all present in the two main branches of the cladogram. This phenomenon is attributed to the ancient gene flow and possibly to the persistence of ancestral cpDNA polymorphism. The strict consensus cpDNA tree information content and interpretability is quite low. The maximum parsimony analysis of combined nrDNA and cpDNA data sets was also performed with expectably low interpretability of the results.

Taxol Production by an Endophytic Fungus, Fusarium redolens, Isolated from Himalayan Yew

Different endophytic fungi isolated from Himalayan Yew plants were tested for their ability to produce taxol. The BAPT gene (C-13 phenylpropanoid side chain-CoA acetyl transferase) involved in the taxol biosynthetic pathway was used as a molecular marker to screen taxol-producing endophytic fungi. Taxol extracted from fungal strain TBPJ-B was identified by HPLC and MS analysis. Strain TBPJ-B was identified as Fusarium redolens based on the morphology and internal transcribed spacer region of nrDNA analysis. HPLC quantification of fungal taxol showed that F. redolens was capable of producing 66 μg/l of taxol in fermentation broth. The antitumour activity of the fungal taxol was tested by potato disc tumor induction assay using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as the tumor induction agent. The present study results showed that PCR amplification of genes involved in taxol biosynthesis is an efficient and reliable method for prescreening taxol-producing fungi. We are reporting for the first time the production of taxol by F. redolens from Taxus baccata L. subsp. wallichiana (Zucc.) Pilger. This study offers important information and a new source for the production of the important anticancer drug taxol by endophytic fungus fermentation.

<I>Carex viridistellata</I> sp. nov. (Cyperaceae), a New Cryptic Species from Prairie Fens of the Eastern United States

Divergence between evolutionary lineages is not always marked by the development of obvious species-specific characters, whether morphological, physiological, or ecological. Consequentially, extant biodiversity can easily be overlooked. These cryptic species are often not recognized until genetic data are in hand, as is the case for the novel taxon we describe here. Carex viridistellata in Carex section Ceratocystis is an endemic species restricted to calcareous wetlands of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, where it has previously been collected as Carex cryptolepis. Crosses between Carex viridistellata and Carex cryptolepis produce sterile F1 hybrids, and the two species are differentiated by a number of subtle morphological characters, as well as aspects of their respective ecologies. Phylogenetic analyses of nrDNA strongly indicate monophyly of Carex viridistellata and its sister species relationship with the North Carolina narrow endemic Carex lutea. Both species constitute a distinct lineage within a generally poorly resolved section Ceratocystis. This work highlights the broad importance of cryptic taxa, with implications for fields ranging from population genetics to conservation and restoration.

Historical biogeography of the Angelica group (Apiaceae tribe Selineae) inferred from analyses of nrDNA and cpDNA sequences

Abstract Biogeographical patterns and diversification processes of Asia‐centered angiosperm groups have been significantly affected by the multistage uplift of the Himalayas–Tibetan Plateau since the Late Tertiary. The divergence time of the largely East Asian Angelica group (Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae, tribe Selineae) was initially analyzed using Beast and nrDNA internal transcribed spacer sequence data from 96 representatives of tribe Selineae and relatives. Further analyses of the biogeographical history of the Angelica group were carried out using Beast, S‐Diva, Rasp, and Lagrange on datasets containing all or some of the following loci: nrDNA internal and external transcribed spacers; cpDNA rps16 intron; and cpDNA rps16‐trnK, rpl32‐trnL, and trnL‐trnT intergenic spacers. The results suggested that the Angelica group was originally present in the East Palearctic during the global cooling of the late Middle Miocene (13.6 Mya) and that the Angelica s.s. clade originated in the same region at 10.2 Mya. Subsequent diversifications of the Angelica s.s. clade intensified in the East Palearctic during the middle Late Miocene (10.0–7.0 Mya) and in the eastern Himalayan Zone during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene (<4.0 Mya). These diversifications likely corresponded with plateau uplift‐driven climatic changes. Considering elevational reconstructions, the differential responses to altitude appear to be the primary factor explaining the recent radiation of the group in the eastern Himalayas. The North American species of the Angelica group were retrieved as polyphyletic and their migrations involved six independent dispersals to North America at least since the middle Late Miocene, including four times from northeast Asia and twice from Europe.

Allopolyploid origin of highly invasive Centaurea stoebe s.l. (Asteraceae)

Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) occurs from Western Asia to Western Europe both as diploid and tetraploid cytotypes, predominantly in single-cytotype populations with higher frequency of diploid populations. Interestingly, only tetraploids have been recorded so far from its introduced range in North America where they became highly invasive.We performed phylogenetic and network analyses of more than 40 accessions of the C. stoebe and C. paniculata groups and other related taxa using cloned internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and sequences of the chloroplast trnT–trnL and atpBrbcL regions to (i) assess the evolutionary origin of tetraploid C. stoebe s.l., and (ii) uncover the phylogeny of the C. stoebe group. Both issues have not been studied so far and thus remained controversial.Cloned ITS sequences showed the presence of two slightly divergent ribotypes occurring in tetraploid cytotype, while only one major ribotype was present in diploid C. stoebe s.str. This pattern suggests an allopolyploid origin of tetraploids with contribution of the diploid C. stoebe s.str. genome. Although we were not able to detect the second parental taxon, we hypothesize that hybridization might have triggered important changes in morphology and life history traits, which in turn may explain the colonization success of the tetraploid taxon. Bayesian relaxed clock estimations indicate a relatively recent – Pleistocene origin of the tetraploid C. stoebe s.l. Furthermore, our analyses showed a deep split between the C. paniculata and C. stoebe groups, and a young diversification of the taxa within the C. stoebe group. In contrast to nrDNA analyses, the observed pattern based on two cpDNA regions was inconclusive with respect to the origin and phylogeny of the studied taxa, most likely due to shared ancient polymorphism and frequent homoplasies.

Testing the Monophyly and Placement of Lepechinia in the Tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae)

Lepechinia (Lamiaceae subf. Nepetoideae) is a New World genus composed of about 42 species distributed primarily from Northern California to Central Argentina. Previous morphological and molecular studies on Lepechinia have raised questions on the mono- phyly of the genus and its placement within the tribe Mentheae. In this paper the phylogenetic placement and monophyly of Lepechinia is examined within the context of the tribe Mentheae using cpDNA ( ycf1 and trnL-F ) and nrDNA (ITS and ETS) markers. Melissa is shown to be sister to Lepechinia in both cpDNA and nrDNA analyses, and the monotypic genera Chaunostoma and Neoeplingia are found to be embedded within Lepechinia . The subtribe Menthinae is shown to be paraphyletic, with several genera needing to be reassigned. In particular, Neoeplingia should be included within the subtribe Salviinae. The genera Heterolamium and Melissa , both previously unplaced with regard to subtribe, are now clearly assigned to the subtribes Nepetinae and Salviinae, respectively. The cpDNA marker ycf1 has great phylogenetic utility, and is shown to be 50% more informative than trnL-F for the taxa used in this study. Keywords—Chaunostoma , cpDNA , Melissa , molecular phylogeny , Neoeplingia , ycf1.

Affinities in C3Cyperus lineages (Cyperaceae) revealed using molecular phylogenetic data and carbon isotope analysis

Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of nrDNA (ETS1f) and plastid DNA (rpl32-trnL, trnH-psbA) sequence data are presented for ‘C3Cyperus’ (Cyperaceae). The term ‘C3Cyperus’ indicates all species of Cyperus s.l. that use C3 photosynthesis linked with eucyperoid vegetative anatomy. Sampling comprises 77 specimens of 61 different taxa, representing nearly all previously recognized subdivisions of C3Cyperus and the segregate genera Courtoisina, Kyllingiella and Oxycaryum. According to our results, the Cyperus clade is divided in six well-supported clades. The first of these clades (clade 1) forms three subclades largely corresponding to Cyperus sections Haspani, Incurvi and Diffusi. Clade 2 comprises the entirely New World C. section Luzuloidei sensu Denton (1978). Clade 3 is a highly diverse clade including two subclades: clade 3a, C. sections Pseudanosporum and Anosporum plus the segregate genera Courtoisina and Oxycaryum; and clade 3b, C. section Fusci. Clade 4 corresponds to C. section Alternifolii and clade 5 to C. section Leucocephali plus the segregate genus Kyllingiella. The sixth clade is a well-supported monophyletic clade encompassing all C4Cyperus s.l. species (‘C4Cyperus’). This study establishes a phylogenetic framework for future studies. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 167, 19–46.

New Claviceps species from warm-season grasses

Eight undescribed species of Claviceps were recognized from the combinations of molecular and morphological characters. The teleomorph was observed only for Claviceps setariicola. Phylogenetic affinities of the new species inside the genus were revealed by a 5.8S-ITS-28S nrDNA analysis. Claviceps chloridicola, C. tenuispora, C. setariicola and C. setariiphila are related to C. maximensis; C. truncatispora is a sister species to C. pusilla. Claviceps clavispora and C. langdonii cluster with species colonizing maize and sorghum. The position of C. loudetiae is unclear. Comparisons with herbarium specimens showed C. setariicola as a well-established species on Setaria spp. in the southern USA. C. tenuispora was recorded on Cenchrus and Pennisetum in Brazil, USA, and Zimbabwe. C. setariiphila was found on S. geniculata in Brazil. C. chloridicola, C. loudetiae and C. truncatispora occurred in African savannas on Chloris, Loudetia, and Hyparrhenia spp., respectively. C. clavispora was found on Paspalum sp. and Urochloa sp. in Mexico and C. langdonii colonized Dichanthium spp. in the southern USA and probably in Mexico. The occurrence of C. pusilla on pearl millet in the USA (Texas) is reported and the record of C. sulcata on Urochloa brizantha in Brazil is confirmed by nrDNA sequence comparison with an African herbarium specimen. No alkaloids were detected in sclerotia and/or sphacelia of the new species.

Phylogeny and evolutionary diversification of Adenocarpus DC. (Leguminosae)

AbstractPhylogenetic relationships of Adenocarpus species were assessed by sequence analyses of the ITS and 3′ end of ETS (nrDNA) regions and the trnL–trnF intergenic spacer (cpDNA). The nrDNA analysis recovered four main clades within Adenocarpus. Clades 1–3 comprise morphological and molecularly well–differentiated species that occur in the western Mediterranean realm. Clade 4 comprises three distinctive endemic species from the Canary Islands, an endangered Algerian endemic, and a set of species close to A. complicatus with distinct geographical areas but with little molecular variation between taxa. The latter species are centred in the Iberian Peninsula but also distributed along the Mediterranean basin (from the Iberian Peninsula to Turkey). The phylogenetic position of A. mannii, a morphologically distinctive species with a unique afro–tropical distribution, is not unequivocally resolved, being sister to clade 3 in the ETS tree but to clade 4 in the ITS tree. Rates of evolution and ages of divergence of major groups were estimated using nonparametric rate smoothing with a fixed calibration point of 41.2 Ma and constraining the node of the separation of Anarthrophyllum and Mediterranean Genisteae at a minimum age of 13.6 and a maximum of 25.8 Ma. The estimated ages indicate that the diversification of Adenocarpus and first separation of two lineages may have occurred during the onset and the wake of the profound Middle Miocene cooling episode. One of the lineages separated rapidly into two groups (clades 1 and 2) while the second one led to clade 3, A. mannii and clade 4. Clades 1, 2 and 3 differentiated into the present species soon after these major events whereas clade 4 radiated much later, during the Pliocene.

Three new Xylaria species from southwestern Europe

Three undescribed European species of Xylaria are recognized from new combinations of anamorphic and teleomorphic characters. Their phylogenetic affinities are revealed by a 5.8S/ITS nrDNA analysis. Two of them (X. karsticola and X. vasconica) appear closely related to X. hypoxylon sensu stricto. Xylaria cinerea is distributed in western Europe (France, Spain, United Kingdom) and the Canary Islands and appears closely related to a yet unnamed taxon from New Zealand. In addition to southwestern Europe, X. vasconica is also present in eastern USA. A specimen of X. hypoxylon from the US West Coast agreed with European material with regard to the teleomorph, but its cultures showed a different morphology. Xylaria arbuscula var. plenofissura is reported from a natural habitat on the European mainland for the first time, and the occurrence of this member of the X. arbuscula complex on the Canary Islands is confirmed.

Comparative taxonomy of desert truffles of the Australian outback and the African Kalahari

Seven truffle species are reported from the Australian Outback—six Ascomycota (Elderia arenivaga, Mattirolomyces mulpu sp. nov., Mycoclelandia arenacea, M. bulundari, Reddelomyces westraliensis, Ulurua nonparaphysata gen. & sp. nov.) and one Basidiomycota (Horakiella watarrkana sp. nov.) Three Ascomycota species are redescribed from the African Kalahari (Eremiomyces echinulatus, Kalaharituber pfeilii and Mattirolomyces austroafricanus comb. nov.). The phylogenetic analyses of nrDNA of the Australian Ascomycota provided strong support for placement of all but one in the Pezizaceae (Reddellomyces belongs in the Tuberaceae), as is true of most, if not all, other ascomycetous desert truffles. These genetic results also highlight that the genus Mattirolomyces is more taxonomically, ecologically, and geographically diverse than previously realized.