A new genus of Bambusicolaceae (Pleosporales) on Corylus avellana (Fagales) from Italy

Abstract

In this study, we introduce Corylicola gen. nov. in the family of Bambusicolaceae (Pleosporales), to accommodate Corylicola italica sp. nov. The new species was isolated from dead branches of Corylus avellana (common hazel) in Italy. The discovery of this new genus with both sexual and asexual characters will contribute to expand the knowledge and taxonomic framework of Bambusicolaceae. Corylicola gen. nov. has similar morphological characters compared to other genera of Bambusicolaceae. These are solitary, scattered, globose to subglobose and ostiolate ascomata; anastomosing and branching pseudoparaphyses; cylindrical asci with a well-developed ocular chamber and short furcate pedicel; and single-septate ascospores. The coelomycetous asexual morph of Corylicola has holoblastic, phialidic conidiogenous cells and light brown conidia analogous to other members in the family. Corylicola differs from the other genera of Bambusicolaceae in having yellowish-brown ascospore masses at the top of the ascomatal neck. Detailed morphological illustrations with comprehensive descriptions for the new taxa are provided, as well as a key to the genera of Bambusicolaceae. Maximum Likelihood analysis and Bayesian Inference of a combined SSU, LSU, ITS, RPB2 and TEF1 sequence dataset confirms the placement of this genus as a distinct lineage in Bambusicolaceae.