Two new species of Crocicreas (Helotiaceae, Ascomycota) revealed by morphological and molecular data

Abstract

Two new species of Crocicreas are established based on morphological features and DNA sequence data. Crocicreas luteolum is distinct by combination of the following features: caulicolous, hymenium surface yellow, margin plane, ectal excipulum of textura prismatica, asci J+, 62−81 × 6.0−7.7 µm, and ascospores fusoid, biguttulate, 11−14 × 2.2−3.3 µm. Crocicreas pseudobambusae is featured by combination of bambusicolous, hymenium surface white to beige, margin plane, ectal excipulum of textura intricata, asci J+, 36−58 × 3.5−5.5 µm, and ascospores ellipsoid, eguttulate, 4.5−7.7 × 1.8−2.5 µm. Description, illustration and comparison with related fungi are provided for each species. Sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA are used to confirm their generic positions.