Similar Fungi Research Articles

Fungal Incidence and Growth of Two Pleurotus Species on Sawdust of Ceiba pentandra (Linn.) Gaertn and Ficus Mucuso welw (Softwoods)

Objective: Nigeria is faced with one of the most pressing environmental challenge which is the large production of sawdust waste of which Ceiba pentandra and Ficus mucuso are among the major contributors. This work seeks to harness waste through mushroom cultivation thereby reducing environmental hazards usually caused by improper disposal and burning. Softwood sawdust of Ceiba pentandra and Ficus mucuso was evaluated for their effects on the production of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus pulmonarius. Similarly, probable relationship among the fungal incidence of the substrates (sawdust) and that of mushrooms were examined. Methods: The treatments used were replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The fruiting bodies were harvested and growth parameters, total yield and biological efficiency (BE) of the mushroom were recorded while their nutritional analysis was carried out. Resident fungi in the sawdust and mushrooms were isolated and identified after obtaining pure cultures. The data obtained were subjected to analysis. Results: Ceiba pentandra and Ficus mucuso sawdust (substrates) supported the growth of the two mushrooms. P. ostreatus grew significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than that of P. pulmonarius. However, the substrates had significant (p ≤ 0.05) impact on the different growth parameters of the mushrooms. Generally, fermented sawdust significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved some growth parameters of the mushrooms compared to unfermented one. Zero percent (0%) additive had significant (p ≤ 0.05) impact on growth parameters of the mushrooms than other concentrations. The mushrooms was nutritionally good. Similar fungi were isolated from the substrates (sawdust) and the mushrooms. Conclusion: Softwood sawdust is thus a conducive substrate for mushroom cultivation and could be part of the solution to environmental challenge due to sawdust in Nigeria.

A rare temperate terrestrial orchid selects similar Tulasnella taxa in ex situ and in situ environments

Mycorrhizal symbiosis in orchids is unique in that fungal presence is considered a requirement for germination as well as for further development. Additionally, orchid fungal associations can exhibit high specificity in nature. Yet, an important ecological question remains unanswered: ‘With which orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) do un-inoculated orchid seedlings form symbiosis when cultured ex situ?’ Simultaneously, it is asserted that orchid conservation efforts involving ex situ plant culture should exclusively utilize natural symbionts of the respective orchid taxa. We present a first comparison of OMF communities within the roots of asymbiotically cultured plants of the rare orchid Platanthera chapmanii grown ex situ (ES), and those occurring naturally in situ (IS). Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) barcoding region was used to identify peloton forming OMF from roots collected between 2012 and 2014 from both growing environments. Our 114 sequences clustered into 11 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to four closely related clades of the fungal family Tulasnellaceae. Shannon–Wiener (H) and Simpson diversity (D) indices were similar (p = 0.81 for both) for ES and IS OMF communities. Beta diversity comparisons also showed similarity between ES and IS treatments based on weighted (p = 0.10) and unweighted (p = 0.20) Bray–Curtis dissimilarity matrices. Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood (ML) phylograms clustered ES and IS derived fungal OTUs into the same clades. Our data suggest that P. chapmanii: (1) forms symbiosis with taxonomically similar fungi in ex situ culture and in its native soil, and (2) exhibits a narrow phylogenetic breadth of mycorrhizal fungal OTUs within the Tulasnellaceae.

Multi-locus phylogeny and morphology reveal five new species of Fomitiporia (Hymenochaetaceae) from China

Five newly identified species of Fomitiporia (F. alpina, F. gaoligongensis, F. hainaniana, F. subrobusta and F. subtropica) and their morphological and molecular characterisation are described in this paper. Fomitiporia alpina sp. nov. is distinguished by its pileate basidiomata, parallel tramal hyphae and large basidiospores (6.5–8 × 6–8 μm), and by its gymnosperm wood-living habitat. Fomitiporia gaoligongensis sp. nov. is distinct from other species due to its semicircular pileus and subglobose to globose basidiospores (6.5–7.6 × 6–7.4 μm). Fomitiporia hainaniana sp. nov. is marked by its resupinate basidiomata, the presence of setae and small globose basidiospores (4–5 × 3.8–4.4 μm). Fomitiporia subrobusta sp. nov. is characterised by its triquetrous basidiomata, small pores (6–9 per mm) with entire and thick dissepiments, and subglobose to obovoid basidiospores (6.2–6.8 × 5.2–6 μm). Fomitiporia subtropica sp. nov. can be differentiated by its resupinate basidiomata, smaller pores (6–10 per mm) and smaller basidiospores (5.2–6 × 4.4–5 μm). Phylogenetic analysis, based on multi-gene comparison of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA gene regions (nLSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1α) and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), confirmed affinity with the Fomitiporia species and showed association with similar fungi in the genus.

Bifiguratus adelaidae, gen. et sp. nov., a new member of Mucoromycotina in endophytic and soil-dwelling habitats

ABSTRACTIllumina amplicon sequencing of soil in a temperate pine forest in the southeastern United States detected an abundant, nitrogen (N)-responsive fungal genotype of unknown phylogenetic affiliation. Two isolates with ribosomal sequences consistent with that genotype were subsequently obtained. Examination of records in GenBank revealed that a genetically similar fungus had been isolated previously as an endophyte of moss in a pine forest in the southwestern United States. The three isolates were characterized using morphological, genomic, and multilocus molecular data (18S, internal transcribed spacer [ITS], and 28S rRNA sequences). Phylogenetic and maximum likelihood phylogenomic reconstructions revealed that the taxon represents a novel lineage in Mucoromycotina, only preceded by Calcarisporiella, the earliest diverging lineage in the subphylum. Sequences for the novel taxon are frequently detected in environmental sequencing studies, and it is currently part of UNITE’s dynamic list of most wanted fungi. The fungus is dimorphic, grows best at room temperature, and is associated with a wide variety of bacteria. Here, a new monotypic genus, Bifiguratus, is proposed, typified by Bifiguratus adelaidae.

Microbial Tools in Agriculture Require an Ecological Context: Stress‐Dependent Non‐Additive Symbiont Interactions

Core IdeasLeaf fungal symbionts represent a potential new tool in agriculture.Effective fungal application requires an understanding of their interactions.Fungal interactions resulted in non‐additive plant growth and wilt responses.Fungal metabolites indicated qualitative additive, synergistic, or antagonistic plant responses.Fungal trait dissimilarity predicted the size of plant response deviations.Fungal symbionts are increasingly targeted as tools for crop management, but their use in the field requires an understanding of how fungi interact in a community context. Fungal interactions may result in additive effects on the host plant, which could be predicted simply based on individual fungal behavior. Alternatively, interactions among fungi may result in non‐additive synergistic or antagonistic effects on plant performance that are more challenging to predict. Here, we hypothesized that the effects of fungal interactions on the plant host could be predicted from their niche overlap. To test this idea, we used foliar fungal endophytes with a range of niche overlap based on trait dissimilarities to examine the effects of six fungal species pairs compared to the corresponding individual fungal species on switchgrass (Panicum virgatumL.) in water‐stressed and well‐watered conditions. Mixtures of endophytes had either no effect or predictable, additive effects on plant tiller number, but effects on plant growth rate and wilting were largely non‐additive. Moisture level, fungal stress, and metabolic trait dissimilarity predicted 51 to 92% of the deviation of fungal effects from additive, with less similar fungi likely to have more synergistic effects on the plant host. Furthermore, we identified indicator metabolites for fungal interaction outcomes. However, the effects of endophyte interactions on the plant host were environment dependent making single community applications more challenging. Overall, future development of microbial tools for use in agriculture must consider their interactions to optimize application.

Biodiversity and human-pathogenicity of Phialophora verrucosa and relatives in Chaetothyriales.

Phialophora as defined by its type species P. verrucosa is a genus of Chaetothyriales, and a member of the group known as 'black yeasts and relatives'. Phialophora verrucosa has been reported from mutilating human infections such as chromoblastomycosis, disseminated phaeohyphomycosis and mycetoma, while morphologically similar fungi are rather commonly isolated from the environment. Phenotypes are insufficient for correct species identification, and molecular data have revealed significant genetic variation within the complex of species currently identified as P. verrucosa or P. americana. Multilocus analysis of 118 strains revealed the existence of five reproductively isolated species apparently having different infectious potentials. Strains of the sexual morph Capronia semiimmersa cluster within P. americana. The newly defined taxa differ markedly in their predilection for the human host.

Fungi and diabetes

Fungi and diabetes

Two new lineages of aquatic ascomycetes: Atractospora gen. nov. and Rubellisphaeria gen. et sp. nov., and a sexual morph of Myrmecridium montsegurinum sp. nov.

Two new genera, Atractospora and Rubellisphaeria, are described for perithecial ascomycetes occurring on decaying wood submerged in freshwater habitats. Their relationships with other morphologically similar fungi were investigated utilising four nuclear ribosomal and protein-coding loci. They are nested together with members of five orders and families and numerous genera incertae sedis in the Sordariomycetidae in a clade supported by Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Their closest relative is Lentomitella. Atractospora includes species characterised by dark, immersed to semi-immersed beaked ascomata lying horizontally to the host, stipitate asci with a pronounced non-amyloid apical annulus and hyaline, fusiform, septate, thick-walled ascospores with smooth or ornamented wall. Three novel species are introduced (A. decumbens, A. reticulata and A. verruculosa). A new combination for Aquaticola ellipsoidea is proposed in Atractospora based on molecular data and morphological characters. Rubellisphaeria, with a new species R. abscondita, is distinct by subhyaline to reddish brown, immersed ascomata with a lateral neck, short-stipitate asci and ellipsoidal smooth ascospores with a delayed formation of a middle septum. The sexual morph of the dematiaceous hyphomycete genus Myrmecridium was encountered for the first time on decaying wood submerged in a stream. It is nested in a strongly supported monophyletic clade of the Myrmecridiales. The novel species M. montsegurinum is described; it possesses papillate ascomata immersed beneath a clypeus with subhyaline to weakly pigmented ascomatal wall, long-stipitate asci with a non-amyloid apical annulus and three-septate, hyaline, ellipsoidal, delicately verruculose ascospores. A morphology-based key is provided to facilitate identification of species of Atractospora.

A new genus and species of polypore fungus beetle in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera, Tetratomidae, Eustrophinae)

A new polypore fungus beetle is described and figured from an individual preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) amber from northern Myanmar. Cretosynstrophus archaicus gen. et sp. nov. is confidently placed in the extant subfamily Eustrophinae based on its elongate oval body and pronotum with two basal, sublinear impressions. It shares several characters belonging to two Recent tribes (Eustrophini and Holostrophini), but it cannot be attributed to either of them. Together with other tetratomid genera from the Cretaceous, the new discovery implies that the Recent small family Tetratomidae is much more diverse and more widespread than previously documented. In addition, a morphological similarity between Cretosynstrophus and extant Synstrophus suggests a similar fungi feeding habit for Cretosynstrophus, highlighting an ancient association between tetratomid beetles and fungi in the Mesozoic.

On the Discovery of TOR As the Target of Rapamycin.

On the Discovery of TOR As the Target of Rapamycin.

Acrophialophora, a poorly known fungus with clinical significance.

Acrophialophora fusispora is an emerging opportunistic fungus capable of causing human infections. The taxonomy of the genus is not yet resolved and, in order to facilitate identification of clinical specimens, we have studied a set of clinical and environmental Acrophialophora isolates by morphological and molecular analyses. This set included the available type strains of Acrophialophora species and similar fungi, some of which were considered by various authors to be synonyms of A. fusispora. Sequence analysis of the large subunit (LSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and a fragment of the β-tubulin (Tub) gene revealed that Acrophialophora belongs in the family Chaetomiaceae and comprises three different species, i.e., A. fusispora, Acrophialophora levis, and Acrophialophora seudatica; the latter was previously included in the genus Ampullifera. The most prevalent species among clinical isolates was A. levis (72.7%), followed by A. fusispora (27.3%), both of which were isolated mostly from respiratory specimens (72.7%), as well as subcutaneous and corneal tissue samples. In general, of the eight antifungal drugs tested, voriconazole had the greatest in vitro activity, while all other agents showed poor in vitro activity against these fungi.

Common, unsightly and until now undescribed: Fumiglobus pieridicola sp. nov., a sooty mold infesting Pieris japonica from western North America

Sooty molds (Capnodiaceae) are saprotrophs on the surfaces of leaves, and they take their nutrients from honeydew exuded by sap-sucking insects. We describe and illustrate the sooty mold Fumiglobus pieridicola sp. nov., which, to the dismay of gardeners, forms a thick black mycelial coating on the leaves and twigs of ornamental Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica) in western North America. As a mitosporic species with a pycnidium that lacks an elongated neck and has at most a rudimentary stalk, the species belongs in the genus Fumiglobus. Although locally common, we found no specimens identified under Fumiglobus or its synonyms in regional herbaria and no record of any similar fungus in host indices. Our species differs from others in Fumiglobus in having smaller pycnidia and conidia and in having intercalary as well as apical pycnidia. We determined partial 18S and 28S ribosomal gene sequences for F. pieridicola, the first for any Fumiglobus species. Sequence analysis provides strong bootstrap support for including Fumiglobus within Capnodiaceae. We also determined 18S and 28S sequences for the type species of the mitosporic genus Conidiocarpus, also in Capnodiaceae. We confirm that Conidiocarpus is the anamorph of Phragmocapnias. Following the rules of nomenclatural priority, we propose the new combinations Conidiocarpus asiaticus, Conidiocarpus betle, Conidiocarpus callitris, Conidiocarpus fuliginodes, Conidiocarpus heliconiae, Conidiocarpus imperspicuus and Conidiocarpus siamensis. We hope that describing the mystery fungus from our region and providing sequences for its molecular identification will lead to new studies on its biology and distribution.

Microsporum aenigmaticum sp. nov. from M. gypseum complex, isolated as a cause of tinea corporis

An undescribed Microsporum species was isolated from skin scales recovered from a 40-mm large, annular, scaling lesion on the wrist of a 46-year-old woman. The risk factors for dermatophyte infection in the patient were frequent work in the garden, hunting, and contact with dogs and horses. Direct microscopic examination of the scales revealed the presence of dermatophyte hyphae; when the samples were cultured, a morphologically similar fungus grew on all slants in pure culture. Both of these findings strongly suggested that the isolate was the true causal agent of infection. The possible geophilic nature of the species was based on phylogenetic analysis (internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA and β-tubulin gene) that placed it in between species of the M. gypseum complex. However, its divergencies from all other Microsporum species exceeded 4% base pairs. Based on β-tubulin phylogeny, the isolated species is a sister to M. gypseum. The species produces abundant chlamydospores and clumps of hyphae similar to those of ascomatal primordia but no conidia and ascospores. The species was unable to grow at 37°C and does not grow on T6 basal medium, which is unlike other Microsporum species; hair perforation and urease tests were positive. The addition of histidine to the T6 medium resulted in rapid growth of the fungus. The phylogenetic evidence, morphology, growth parameters, and physiology justified the proposal that the isolate is a new species, M. aenigmaticum, sp. nov.

First Report of Colletotrichum phormii Causing Anthracnose on New Zealand Flax in the United States.

Phormium colensoi Hook.f. (syn. P. cookianum), New Zealand flax, (family Xanthorrhoeaceae) is popular in ornamental landscapes in the United States because of its sturdy blade-like foliage available in diverse colors. In February 2012, the Oregon State University Plant Clinic received three potted plants of P. colensoi 'Black Adder' from a commercial nursery in Santa Cruz County, California. The margins and midribs of several leaves had brown lesions that were variable in size, and fusiform to ellipsoidal in shape. Embedded in the lesions were black acervuli without setae that exuded salmon-colored spore masses under moist conditions. Conidia were hyaline, cylindrical to fusiform, straight to slightly curved, and 22.4 to 35.2 × 4.0 to 6.4 (average 24.7 × 4.9) μm. Based on morphology, the fungus was confirmed by USDA-APHIS National Identification Services to be Colletotrichum phormii (Henn.) D.F. Farr & Rossman (2). In March 2012, the California Department of Food and Agriculture Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab received additional samples from the same nursery lot (25% disease incidence) from which a similar fungus was recovered. rDNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region from the California isolate (GenBank KC122681), amplified using primers ITS1 and ITS4 (2), were 100% identical to multiple species of Colletotrichum, including C. phormii by a BLAST query (JQ948446 through JQ948453). ITS sequence similarity alone is not sufficient to address Colletotrichum taxonomy and must be used in combination with host range and morphology (1). Pathogenicity of C. phormii (isolate CDFA986) was tested on three 'Black Adder' plants, which were inoculated with 6-mm agar plugs from a 14-day-old culture grown on half strength potato dextrose agar (PDA). Leaves were wound-inoculated along the midrib using colonized plugs (4). Five leaves per plant were inoculated with C. phormii plugs and five leaves per plant were treated with uncolonized PDA agar plugs as controls. Plants were sprayed with water and incubated in plastic bags at 22°C with a 12-h photoperiod. After 48 h, the bags and caps were removed and plants were kept under the same conditions. Two weeks later, water-soaked lesions had developed on the inoculated leaves. Lesions expanded along the midrib and became fusiform in shape after 21 to 28 days. C. phormii was isolated from lesion margins of all the inoculated leaves, but not from control leaves. This experiment was repeated once with similar results. Another Colletotrichum species, C. gloeosporiodes, also occurs on Phormium spp., but differs from C. phormii in morphology and symptom expression. Subsequent nursery and landscape surveys showed that anthracnose caused by C. phormii occurs on several P. colensoi cultivars as well as on P. tenax in five California counties including Santa Cruz, Yolo, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, and Solano. C. phormii is also reported to infect P. colensoi and P. tenax in New Zealand, Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa (2,3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. phormii causing anthracnose on Phormium in North America. This disease could impact the American nursery trade and New Zealand flax production due to crop loss and increased production costs for pest management.

Three new species of Hymenoscyphus from tropical China

Three new species of Hymenoscyphus collected from tropical regions of China are described and illustrated. Hymenoscyphus magnicellulosus possesses whitish sessile apothecia with large-celled textura prismatica at flank and isodiametric cells at the base, and inequilateral ellipsoid ascospores 12.5–19(–22) × 4.5–6.7 μm. Hymenoscyphus uniseptatus has white stipitate apothecia, rectangular ectal excipular cells, broadly clavate asci, and broadly fusoid 1-septate ascospores 16.7–20.5 × 5–6.5 μm. Hymenoscyphus yunnanicus is characterized by cream to light yellow stipitate apothecia, narrow ectal excipular hyphae, and multiguttulate fusoid ascospores 16.5–19.5 × 5–5.6 μm. Comparisons were made among the new species and their morphologically similar fungi.

Anthracnose of Madagascar periwinkle caused by species belonging to the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex

Severe blight of stems was found on Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) in Shizuoka and Okinawa prefectures, Japan, in July 2003 and September 2004, respectively. Similar fungi were isolated from the diseased plants. The isolated fungi caused the disease after inoculation and subsequently were reisolated from diseased tissues. The fungi were identified as species closely related to C. siamense or C. tropicale according to sequences of the β-tubulin-2 gene, indicating that they belong to the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex. This is the first report specifying the genetic relationships of the pathogens of Madagascar periwinkle anthracnose in the complex.

First reported case of subcutaneous hyalohyphomycosis caused by Paecilomyces variotii

Hyalohyphomycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection caused by saprophytes of genera such as Fusarium, Paecilomyces, Scedosporium, Penicillium, Scopulariopsis Acremonium, and similar fungi. The literature includes only one previous report of Paecilomyces variotii human infection and very few reports of subcutaneous mycosis caused by any of the hyalohyphomycosis group of fungi. We report an instance of fungal infection in a 50-year-old woman, known to have diabetes, who presented with multiple raised lesions on the upper back of twoyears' duration. Dermatological examination revealed a 20×22-cm, swollen, indurated area on the upper back with multiple violaceous, exophytic nodules on the surface. Microscopy from pus and tissue smear revealed septate branching fungi. Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain was positive for fungal elements. Culture on three occasions yielded P.variotii. Slide culture mounts showed septate hyaline hyphae of P.variotii with elongated phialides demonstrating bulbous bases and tapering apices attached to the conidiophores. The patient was treated with itraconazole, to which she responded well. This is the first reported case of subcutaneous hyalohyphomycosis caused by P.variotii. It appears that this relatively rare fungal pathogen may be starting to assert itself as an important cause of infection in humans.

Two taxonomic novelties in the Sordariomycetidae: Ceratolenta caudata gen. et sp. nov. and Platytrachelon abietis gen. et comb. nov. for Ceratosphaeria abietis

Wood-inhabiting taxa of the Sordariomycetidae comprise several distantly related monotypic or small genera, which lack familial or ordinal affiliation and share a simple and inconspicuous morphology of dark ascomata with carbonaceous walls and long necks, stipitate asci and hyaline ellipsoidal, fusiform to cylindrical ascospores. Recent collections of an undescribed fungus and of Ceratosphaeria abietis reveal two additional evolutionary lineages characterized by this simple and indistinct teleomorph morphology. Phylogenetic analysis of three genes, small and large subunit nuclear ribosomal DNA (nc28S and nc18S rDNA) combined with the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), supports the recognition of two new genera, Ceratolenta and Platytrachelon for C. abietis. Platytrachelon abietis is redescribed and illustrated based on additional collections. In culture it produced a dematiaceous hyphomycetous anamorph with blastic conidiogenesis and ellipsoidal, septate, pale brown conidia. It was associated with a synanamorph producing cylindrical, strongly curved hyaline conidia. Molecular data suggest a relationship of Platytrachelon with the Papulosaceae, while Ceratolenta forms a monophylum on a separate branch. Both taxonomic novelties possess striking morphological similarities with Ceratosphaeria, Lentomitella and Rhodoveronaea, which recently were reinstated based on DNA sequence data. A key to morphologically similar wood-inhabiting fungi classified in the Sordariomycetidae is provided.

Fungal polymerase chain reaction testing in equine ulcerative keratitis

To assess the diagnostic utility of fungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in forty-three horses with naturally acquired corneal ulcers presenting to a private practice. Routine evaluation of cytologic, histologic, and microbiologic samples was performed. Two PCR approaches were compared - generic and specific fungal nested PCR followed by sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR). PCRs were applied to pure control fungal cultures, corneal tissue from ulcerated eyes and in a subset of 9 horses, to swabs from contralateral normal eyes. The expected fungus was identified by nested PCR and qPCR in all control fungal cultures. In all fungal culture-positive affected eyes (10/43), one or more fungi were identified by nested PCR and 4/10 were positive by qPCR. In 6/10 animals, the same fungus was identified by nested PCR and culture. Of these 6, only three were positive by qPCR. Fungal agents were identified by morphology in 8/10 horses. Diagnosis of fungal keratitis was reserved for only those cases in which the same fungus could be identified by PCR, culture, and morphology (5 horses). In 33/43 culture-negative affected eyes and in 6/9 unaffected eyes, one or more fungi were identified by nested PCR in 26 samples and by qPCR in 2 samples. Apart from Aspergillus spp, similar fungi were identified in affected and control eyes. Most eyes harbored mixed bacterial and fungal agents. Nested PCR results confirmed all cytologically positive cases of fungal keratitis. Nested PCR identified a greater spectrum of agents than either culture or qPCR.

First Record of Didymella anemones sp. nov. Teleomorph of Ascochyta anemones, the Causal Agent of Leaf Spots on Pulsatilla korreana in China

AbstractThe teleomorph of Ascochyta anemones has been recorded for the first time on overwintering windflower stalk in Liaoning, China. The features of this new species were described, and it was distinguished from other species to which it is similar. The morphological characteristics of this species, such as asci and ascospores, phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer sequences, comparison with similar fungi so far described from Ranunculaceae indicated that the teleomorph is an undescribed species of Didymella.