Phylogeny of Gelatinodiscaceae (Leotiomycetes) with emphasis on the taxonomy of Ascocoryne in North America
Journal Article
Overview
abstract
; The family; Gelatinodiscaceae; and genus; Ascocoryne; represent diverse lineages in; Helotiales; (; Ascomycota; ,; Leotiomycetes; ) that lack well-sampled phylogenies and taxonomic study. Our research objectives were to 1) determine whether certain genera that lacked DNA sequence data or had uncertain phylogenetic placement —; Clathrosporium; ,; Phaeangellina; ,; Skyathea; , and; Xerombrophila; — belonged to; Gelatinodiscaceae; , 2) estimate species richness and describe new species in; Ascocoryne; , 3) determine if morphological characteristics delineate intrageneric clades in; Ascocoryne; , and 4) test the mitochondrial tricarboxylate transport protein (; CTP; ) as an alternative DNA barcode in; Ascocoryne; . We made 83; Gelatinodiscaceae; collections primarily from the midwestern United States, examined 61 collections previously deposited in herbaria, and generated DNA sequence data for seven loci (18S, ITS, 28S,; EF1; ,; RPB1; ,; RPB2; ,; CTP; ) from these collections. We found that; Skyathea; ,; Xerombrophila; , and up to four other unnamed, putative genera belong to; Gelatinodiscaceae; , while; Clathrosporium; and; Phaeangellina; are excluded. Up to 37 putative undescribed species-level clades or single isolates are present in; Ascocoryne; , in addition to the nine previously described species and four newly described ones here:; Ascocoryne diminutiva; ,; A. fibrosa; ,; A. neoinflata; , and; A. wilsoniae; . Additionally, descriptions for two unnamed species similar to; A. cylichnium; are given, a preliminary description of the sexual morph of; A. laurisilvae; is provided, and A.; trichophora; is synonymized with; A. vinosa; . Four main clades are found in the genus; Ascocoryne; . The size of lipid bodies in living ascospores, the arrangement of conidia borne on ascospores, and the presence of calcium oxalate crystals are the most important morphological characteristics for distinguishing among clades. The; CTP; and ITS loci successfully identified six of six; Ascocoryne; species tested. This study provides the best-sampled phylogeny of; Gelatinodiscaceae; and; Ascocoryne; and highlights unnamed genus- and species-level diversity in this group;
