Lophodermium resinosum sp. nov. from red pine (Pinus resinosa) in Eastern Canada

Abstract

A morphologically distinct Lophodermium species was collected from fallen secondary needles of Pinus resinosa Aiton over two consecutive years in Eastern Ontario; subsequent herbarium studies confirmed its presence in Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Maine. Symptomatic needles frequently exhibited red bands and completely subepidermal ascomata and conidiomata. Ascospore isolates from specimens were used to reconstruct phylogenies inferred from internal transcribed spacer rDNA and partial actin gene sequences. Both phylogenetic analyses delineated the specimens from other sequenced Lophodermium species. Phylogenetic evidence combined with morphological characters of ascomata and conidiomata supported the distinctiveness of this species, described here as Lophodermium resinosum sp. nov.