New and interesting ascomycetes from Everglades National Park, Florida

Abstract

A new parasitic fungus and a new hyperbiotrophic fungus were found on the leaves of the subtropical plant, Tetrazygia bicolor (Mill.) Cogn., collected from Florida, USA. The parasitic fungus is placed in the genus Asterina as a new species, Asterina tetrazygiicola Ahn & Crane, sp. nov. The hyperbiotrophic fungus on A. tetrazygiicola is assigned to the genus Phaeodimeriella as Phaeodimeriella asterinae Ahn & Crane sp. nov. Both fungi are described, illustrated, and typified. A previously described species, Asterina tetrazygiae Ryan, living on Tetrazygia elaeagnoides (Sw.) DC., is redescribed, illustrated, and lectotypified from the original Puerto Rican material. A lectotype is chosen for Asterina melastomatacearum Ryan.Key words: Asterina, epiphytic fungi, hyperbiotrophic fungi, Phaeodimeriella, systematics.