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Issue: Vol. 773 No. 2: 8 Sept. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-09-08
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.773.2.1
Page range: 101-118
Abstract views: 32
PDF downloaded: 1

Saprobic Melomastia taxa from Bauhinia variegata and Litchi chinensis: a new species and a new host record from southern China

Center of Excellence in Fungal Research; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai 57100; Thailand; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Management on Fruit Diseases and Pests in North China; Institute of Plant Protection; Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences; Beijing 100097; People’s Republic of China; School of Science; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai; Thailand; Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering; Guangzhou; People’s Republic of China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Gastrodia and Fungi Symbiotic Biology; Zhaotong University; Zhaotong; Yunnan 657000; China; Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Green Planting and Processing of Gastrodia; Zhaotong University; Zhaotong; Yunnan 657000; China
Department of Botany and Microbiology; College of Science; King Saud University; P.O. Box 22452; 11495 Riyadh; Saudi Arabia
Center of Excellence in Fungal Research; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai 57100; Thailand; School of Science; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai; Thailand
School of Science; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai; Thailand; Microbial Products and Innovations Research Group; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai 57100; Thailand
Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Management on Fruit Diseases and Pests in North China; Institute of Plant Protection; Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences; Beijing 100097; People’s Republic of China; Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering; Guangzhou; People’s Republic of China
Center of Excellence in Fungal Research; Mae Fah Luang University; Chiang Rai 57100; Thailand; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Management on Fruit Diseases and Pests in North China; Institute of Plant Protection; Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences; Beijing 100097; People’s Republic of China; Department of Botany and Microbiology; College of Science; King Saud University; P.O. Box 22452; 11495 Riyadh; Saudi Arabia
Fungi one new species Fabaceae multi-gene phylogeny Pleurotremataceae taxonomy woody litter

Abstract

During investigations of saprobic microfungi associated with the litter of Bauhinia variegata and Litchi chinensis in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, southern China, four fungal strains were isolated. Based on combined phylogenetic analyses of LSU, SSU, ITS, and tef1-α gene regions, morphological comparisons, and a Pairwise Homoplasy Index (PHI) test, we describe a new species, Melomastia bauhiniae from B. variegata, and a new host record for Melomastia winteri from L. chinensis. Morphologically, M. bauhiniae differs from other species in the genus in having semi-immersed, globose to subglobose, carbonaceous perithecia, a thin peridium, cylindrical asci, and fusiform and hyaline ascospores. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new taxon forms a distinct lineage within Melomastia, and the PHI test showed no significant recombination, supporting its recognition as an independent species. For all novel identifications, detailed morphological descriptions, photographic documentation, phylogenetic analyses, and PHI test results are provided. These findings expand the host range and geographic distribution of Melomastia, contribute to the understanding of saprobic fungi associated with Bauhinia variegata and Litchi chinensis, and expand the known fungal diversity of southern China.

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How to Cite

Yang, Y.-H., Liao, C.-F., Al-Otibi, F., Bhunjun, C.S., Kakumyan, P., Manawasinghe, I.S. & Hyde, K.D. (2026) Saprobic Melomastia taxa from Bauhinia variegata and Litchi chinensis: a new species and a new host record from southern China. Phytotaxa 773 (2): 101–118. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.773.2.1