Evolution of Reproductive Morphology in Leaf Endophytes

The endophytic lifestyle has played an important role in the evolution of the morphology of reproductive structures (body) in one of the most problematic groups in fungal classification, the Leotiomycetes (Ascomycota). Mapping fungal morphologies to two groups in the Leiotiomycetes, the Rhytismatales and Hemiphacidiaceae reveals significant divergence in body size, shape and complexity. Mapping ecological roles to these taxa reveals that the groups include endophytic fungi living on leaves and saprobic fungi living on duff or dead wood. Finally, mapping of the morphologies to ecological roles reveals that leaf endophytes produce small, highly reduced fruiting bodies covered with fungal tissue or dead host tissue, while saprobic species produce large and intricate fruiting bodies. Intriguingly, resemblance between asexual conidiomata and sexual ascomata in some leotiomycetes implicates some common developmental pathways for sexual and asexual development in these fungi

Phacidium and Ceuthospora (Phacidiaceae) are congeneric: taxonomic and nomenclatural implications

The morphologically diverse genus Ceuthospora has traditionally been linked to Phacidium sexual morphs via association, though molecular or cultural data to confirm this relationship have been lacking. The aim of this study was thus to resolve the relationship of these two genera by generating nucleotide sequence data for three loci, ITS, LSU and RPB2. Based on these results, Ceuthospora is reduced to synonymy under the older generic name Phacidium. Phacidiaceae (currently Helotiales) is suggested to constitute a separate order, Phacidiales (Leotiomycetes), as sister to Helotiales, which is clearly paraphyletic. Phacidiaceae includes Bulgaria, and consequently the family Bulgariaceae becomes a synonym of Phacidiaceae. Several new combinations are introduced in Phacidium, along with two new species, P. pseudophacidioides, which occurs on Ilex and Chamaespartium in Europe, and Phacidium trichophori, which occurs on Trichophorum cespitosum subsp. germanicum in The Netherlands. The generic name Allantophomopsiella is introduced to accommodate A. pseudotsugae, a pathogen of conifers, while Gremmenia is resurrected to accommodate the snow-blight pathogens of conifers, G. abietis, G. infestans, and G. pini-cembrae

Diversity and ecology of edible mushrooms from Patagonia native forests, Argentina

Forests from the Patagonian Andes of Argentina offer a very interesting although little known and exploited variety of edible wild mushrooms so far. In this work, 12 selected species of wild mushrooms from these forests, which have been reported as edible (Hydropus dusenii, Cyttaria hariotii, Fistulina antarctica, F. endoxantha, Grifola gargal, Cortinarius magellanicus complex, C. xiphidipus, Lepista nuda, Lycoperdon perlatum, Macrolepiota procera, Ramaria patagonica, and Aleurodiscus vitellinus), were investigated. Registers of effective consumption and bibliography on their traditional knowledge were used as a reference, leaving aside some much studied taxa, such as Morchella spp. (Pildain et al., Fungal Biol 118: 755–763, 2014), and some others that were very infrequently detected. We went deep in the study on the ecological and organoleptic characteristics of each species. A brief morphological description, substrates, way of life, and fruiting habits, is presented along with organoleptic characteristics. The ecological analysis included the evaluation of the environmental variables associated with their fructification, phenology, availability, and finding frequency. Species with the longest fruiting period were F. antarctica, R. patagonica, and C. magellanicus complex, from mid-March to mid-May, being also the most frequent, along with C. hariotii. Detection of narrow value ranges for certain environmental variables associated with the fruiting of humic and mycorrhizal species, such as the presence of wood debris, organic matter percentage, mulch distribution, and tree cover, suggests that fruiting of these species would be affected by not necessarily drastic changes of these parameters. Information generated in this work seeks to favor local development by promoting the sustainable use of wild edible mushrooms through innovative activities, such as mycogastronomy and mycotourism, linked with the important tourist profile of Patagonia.Fil: Barroetaveña, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ingeniería - Sede Esquel. Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal; Argentina. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Toledo, Carolina Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; Argentin