Xenopleopunctum sporodochiale J. Y. Zhang, Y. Z. Lu & K. D. Hyde, 2025

Zhang, Jing-Yi, Hyde, Kevin D., Yang, Ming-Fei, Sun, Ya-Ru, Xiao, Xing-Juan, Meng, Ze-Bin, Bao, Dan-Feng & Lu, Yong-Zhong, 2025, Discoveries of Dothideomycetes (Fungi) associated with pteridophytes in China, IMA Fungus 16, pp. e 167717-e 167717 : e167717-

Xenopleopunctum sporodochiale J. Y. Zhang, Y. Z. Lu & K. D. Hyde sp. nov.

Fig. 9

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to its sporodochial conidiomata.

Diagnosis.

Differs from Xenopleopunctum guizhouense in having small conidia (35–45 (– 47.8) × 18.3–25.5 µm vs. 46.5–66.5 × 22–32.5 µm).

Holotype.

HKAS 129694

Description.

Sexual morph: Undetermined. Asexual morph: Hyphomycetous. Colonies on natural substrate effuse, superficial, scattered to gregarious, sporodochial, punctiform, brown to black. Mycelium partly superficial, partly immersed, composed of branched, septate, hyaline to brown hyphae. Conidiophores micronematous, mononematous, reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells monoblastic, integrated, terminal, cylindrical, thick-walled, brown, 3–6.2 × 2.5–3.1 µm ( x ̄ = 4.6 × 2.8 µm, n = 15). Conidia acrogenous, oval to ellipsoidal, muriform, slightly constricted at septa, hyaline or subhyaline when immature, hyaline to brown from base to upper part during maturation, brown when mature, darked at the septum, 35–45 (– 47.8) × 18.3–25.5 µm ( x ̄ = 40.7 × 21.5 µm, n = 30), often with a cylindrical to subglobose, hyaline or subhyaline to pale brown basal cell, 7.5–12 × 7.3–12 µm ( x ̄ = 9.8 × 10.9 µm, n = 20).

Culture characteristics.

Conidia germinating on WA within 13 h and germ tube produced from the base of conidia. Colonies growing on PDA under natural light, reaching ca. 26 mm diameter after one month at 26 ° C, irregular or subrotund in shape with lobate edge, raised with convex in the center, dry, fluff, white to pale brown towards the edge from the front; middle brown to dark brown to white from the center to margin from below, and not producing pigmentation in culture.

Material examined.

CHINA • Guizhou Province, Zunyi City, Chishui County, Hushi Town, Chishui Alsophila Natural Reserve , on dead frond stalks of Cyatheaceae sp., 22 September 2019, J. Y. Zhang, C 22 ( HKAS 129694 , holotype, GZAAS 23-0774 , isotype), living culture, GZCC 23-0742 .

Additional sequence.

ITS ( PV 862376).

Notes.

Xenopleopunctum sporodochiale formed a distinct clade and shared a sister relationship with X. guizhouense , which confirmed they are separate species. The difference between these two species was mentioned above.

Figures

Figure 9. Xenopleopunctum sporodochiale (HKAS 129694, holotype). A, B Colonies on the host substrate; C, D Mycelium; E – I Conidia; J, K Pure culture from above and below. Scale bars: 20 μm (C – I).