Dictyosporium sichuanense sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from Sichuan Province, China

Abstract

Dictyosporium sichuanense is described as a new species collected from submerged decaying twigs of Malus domestica (Rosaceae) in Sichuan Province, China. The species was identified using an integrative approach that combined morphological observations with molecular phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred from a combined dataset of the ITS, LSU, and tef1-α loci using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The new isolate was placed within a well-supported clade as the sister taxon to Dictyosporium oilvaceosporum and was separated from other Dictyosporium species. Its morphological characteristics further support its designation as a novel species. Morphologically, the new species differs from D. olivaceosporum by its dark black to olivaceous-brown conidia, composed of 15–32 cells arranged in 4–5 rows, and lacking conidial appendages. A detailed description, illustration, and a morphological comparison with closely related taxa are provided.