Multi-Gene Phylogeny and Morphology Reveal <i>Haplohelminthosporium</i> gen. nov. and <i>Helminthosporiella</i> gen. nov. Associated with Palms in Thailand and A Checklist for <i>Helminthosporium</i> Reported Worldwide

• Main Authors: Sirinapa Konta, Kevin D. Hyde, Samantha C. Karunarathna, Ausana Mapook, Chanokned Senwanna, Lucas A. P. Dauner, Chandrika M. Nanayakkara, Jianchu Xu, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Saisamorn Lumyong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Life
• Subjects: 4 new taxa; Massarinaceae; morphology; multi-genes; palm fungi; Thailand
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/5/454

Palms (Arecaceae) are substrates for a highly diverse range of fungi. Many species are known as saprobes and many are important plant pathogens. Over the course of our studies of micro-fungi from palms in Thailand, two new taxa were discovered. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, SSU, and <i>tef1-α</i> sequence data revealed their taxonomic positions within Massarinaceae. There are currently ten genera identified and accepted in Massarinaceae, with the addition of the two new genera of <i>Haplohelminthosporium</i> and <i>Helminthosporiella</i>, that are introduced in this paper. Each new genus is provided with a full description and notes, and each new taxon is provided with an illustration for the holotype. A list of identified and accepted species of <i>Helminthosporium</i> with morphology, host information, locality, sequence data, and related references of <i>Helminthosporium</i> reported worldwide is provided based on records in Species Fungorum 2021. This work provides a micro-fungi database of <i>Haplohelminthosporium</i>, <i>Helminthosporiella</i>, and <i>Helminthosporium</i> which can be modified and validated as new data come to light.