Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis C. L. Hou & L. Zhuo, 2022

Zhuo, Lan, Guo, Mei-Jun, Wang, Qiu-Tong, Zhou, Hao, Piepenbring, Meike & Hou, Cheng-Lin, 2022, A new study of Nagrajomyces: with two new species proposed and taxonomic status inferred by phylogenetic methods, MycoKeys 93, pp. 131-148 : 131

Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis C. L. Hou & L. Zhuo sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 5

Etymology.

The epithet Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis refers to the location where the type specimen was collected.

Type.

China, Yunnan Province, Lijiang, Laojunshan , 26°39'44"N, 99°46'58"E, alt. 2910 m, on living twigs of Rhododendron cinnabarinum Hook. f., 20 June 2021, coll. C.L. Hou, M.J. Guo, H. Zhou (holotype CAF 800049). Ex-type culture CFCC 58177 .

Diagnosis.

This new species differs from N. fusiformis by conidia that are elongate-elliptical, blunter at both ends, and usually 3-septate and larger. Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis differs from N. dictyosporus by conidiomata that are unilocular and without stalks.

Description.

Conidiomata solitary, pycnidial, unilocular, subglobose to ellipsoidal, subepidermal in origin, immersed at first, then becoming erumpent, 218-406 μm wide, 188-275 μm high, peridia black, 37-43 μm thick, opening irregularly in the upper part, with faint yellow content. Conidiophores ampulliform, smooth, hyaline, multiguttulate, 16.0-25.5 × 2-4 μm (x̄ = 21 × 3 μm, n = 20). Conidia elongate-elliptical, 1-3-septate, mostly 3-septate, smooth, hyaline, 18-23 × 5.5-7.0 μm (x̄ = 19.5 × 6.5 μm, n = 20), with a long, whip-like appendage at the tip of each conidium, 70-200 μm (x̄ = 143.5 μm, n = 20) in length. Sexual morph not observed.

Culture characteristics.

Cultures (ex-type CFCC 58177) on PDA 8 cm diameter after 1 month, with irregular margins, sparse aerial mycelium, colonies with whitish margins, with center turning black olive (#3b3c36) with increasing age. On MEA, 5.7 cm diameter after 1 month, with irregular margins, colonies with beaver (#9f8170) -colored margins, with center turning black olive (#3b3c36) with increasing age. Conidia not observed.

Additional specimen examined.

China, Yunnan province, Kunming, Luquan, Jiaozixueshan, 26°05'04"N, 102°50'54"E, alt. 3823 m, on living twigs of Rhododendron cinnabarinum Hook. f., 23 June 2021, coll. C.L. Hou, M.J. Guo, H. Zhou, (BJTC 1849).

Notes.

Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis differs from N. dictyosporus by conidia that are colorless and conidiomata that are without stalks. Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis differs from N. fusiformis by elongate-elliptical conidia with blunter ends, which are longer (18-23 μm vs. 13-19 μm) and wider (5.7-7.0 μm vs. 2.8-3.7 μm). Conidia of N. laojunshanensis are mostly 3-septate, whereas those of N. fusiformis are 1-septate. Molecular sequence data confirm the presence of two distinct species.

Figures

Figure 4. Micrographs of Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis on Rhododendron cinnabarinum (holotype CAF 800049) A conidiomata on a living twig B ex-type culture (CFCC 58177) on PDA after 30 days, seen from above C ex-type culture (CFCC 58177) on MEA after 30 days, seen from above D vertical section of a conidioma E, F conidiophores and conidia G conidia forming a cirrus H conidium with appendage. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 1 cm (B, C); 100 µm (D, E); 10 µm (F-H).

Figure 5. Nagrajomyces laojunshanensis (holotype CAF 800049) A vertical section of a conidioma B conidiophores and conidia C conidia with appendages. Scale bars: 50 µm (A); 10 µm (B); 5 µm (C).