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Endomelanconiopsis, a new anamorph genus in the Botryosphaeriaceae

     Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama

Luis C. Mejía

     Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Road, Foran Hall, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901

A. Elizabeth Arnold

     Division of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721

Priscila Chaverri ¹

     Department of Biology, Howard University, 415 College Street NW, Washington D.C. 20059

Gary J. Samuels ²

     United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Systematic Mycology & Microbiology Laboratory, B-011A, Room 304, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, Maryland 20705

A new lineage is discovered within the Botryosphaeriaceae (Ascomycetes, Dothideomycetes, incertae sedis). Consistent with current practice of providing generic names for independent lineages, this lineage is described as Endomelanconiopsis gen. nov., with the anamorphic species E. endophytica sp. nov. and E. microspora comb. nov. (= Endomelanconium microsporum). Endomelanconiopsis is characterized by eustromatic conidiomata and holoblastically produced, brown, nonapiculate, unicellular conidia, each with a longitudinal germ slit. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of LSU, ITS and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (tef1) indicate that E. endophytica is sister of E. microspora and that they are nested within the Botryosphaeriaceae. However because there is no support for the "backbone" of the Botryosphaeriacae we are not able to see the interrelationships among the many genera in the family. Neither species is known to have a teleomorph. Endomelanconiopsis differs from Endomelanconium because conidia of the type species of Endomelanconium, E. pini, are papillate at the base, conidiogenous cells proliferate sympodially and the pycnidial wall is thinner; we postulate that the teleomorph of E. pini as yet unknown is an inoperculate discomycete. Endomelanconiopsis endophytica was isolated as an endophyte from healthy leaves of Theobroma cacao (cacao, Malvaceae) and Heisteria concinna (Erythroplaceae) in Panama. Endomelanconiopsis microspora was isolated from soil in Europe.

Key words: Austrocenangium, Endomelanconium, endophytic fungi, Heisteria concinna, systematics, Theobroma cacao