Dolabra nepheliae on rambutan and lychee represents a novel lineage of phytopathogenic Eurotiomycetes.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) and lychee (Litchi chinensis) are tropical trees in the Sapindaceae that produce delicious edible fruits and are increasingly cultivated in tropical regions. These trees are afflicted with a stem canker disease associated with the ascomycete Dolabra nepheliae. Previously known from Asia and Australia, this fungus was recently reported from Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The sexual and asexual states of Dolabra nepheliae are redescribed and illustrated. In addition, the ITS and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA plus fragments from the genes RPB2, TEF1, and the mitochondrial small ribosomal subunit were sequenced for three isolates of D. nepheliae and compared with other sequences of ascomycetes. It was determined that D. nepheliae represents a new lineage within the Eurotiomycetes allied with Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, the causal agent of Petri grapevine decline.

New species of the diaporthales from eastern Asia and eastern North America.

Seven previously undescribed diaporthalean species were found in eastern Asia and eastern North America. Three of these new species and one previously known species are assigned to a new genus Leucodiaporthe. Descriptions and illustrations are provided for the new taxa including Allantoporthe leucoth6es sp. nov., Diaporthella corylina sp. nov., Leucodiaporthe acerina sp. nov., L. juglandis sp. nov., L. maackii comb. nov., L. robiniae sp. nov., Leucostoma pseudoniveum sp. nov., Leucostoma excipienda comb. nov., and Phragmodiaporthe padi sp. nov.

Species of colletotrichum on agavaceae.

Species of Colletotrichum cause diseases on a wide range of hosts, frequently infecting plants in the Agavaceae (monocotyledons: Liliales). Three species of Colletotrichum restricted to the Agavaceae were detected through morphological studies of specimens and molecular sequence analyses of the LSU of the nu-rDNA and the ITS region of the nu-rDNA from cultures. Colletotrichum agaves on Agave is fully described and illustrated. Colletotrichum dracaenophilum is described as a new species for isolates having long conidia and occurring on Dracaena sanderiana from China. Colletotrichum phormii and Glomerella phormii are determined to be the correct scientific names for the asexual and sexual states, respectively, of a species commonly referred to as C. rhodocyclum and G. phacidiomorpha occurring mainly on Phormium. In addition, C. gloeosporioides and C. boninense were isolated from plants in the Agavaceae. All species of Colletotrichum described on Agavaceae were evaluated based on type specimens. A key to the five species of Colletotrichum on Agavaceae is included. This paper includes one new species, Colletotrichum dracaenophilum, and three new combinations, Colletotrichum phormii, Glomerella phormii, and Phaeosphaeriopsis phacidiomorpha.

Fusicoccum arbuti sp. nov. causing cankers on pacific madrone in western North America with notes on Fusicoccum dimidiatum, the correct name for Scytalidium dimidiatum and Nattrassia mangiferae.

Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) is a broadleaf evergreen tree native to western North America that has been in decline for the past 30 years. A fungus has been isolated and was verified as the cause of cankers on dying trees. It was determined to belong in the genus Fusicoccum, an asexual state of Botryosphaeria. This genus in both its sexual and asexual states commonly causes canker diseases of deciduous woody plants. Using morphological and molecular data the fungus causing cankers on Pacific madrone is characterized, described and illustrated as a new species of Fusicoccum, F. arbuti D.F. Farr & M. Elliott sp. nov. No sexual state is known for F. arbuti. Evidence from the literature, cultures and specimens suggests that F. arbuti, often mistakenly identified as Nattrassia mangiferae, has been causing madrone canker since at least 1968. Authentic isolates of Nattrassia mangiferae as the synanamorph Scytalidium dimidiatum were sequenced and determined to be different from Fusicoccum arbuti and to belong in Botryosphaeria/Fusicoccum. In addition to molecular sequence data, the morphology of the pycnidial and arthric conidial states of Nattrassia mangiferae/ Scytalidium dimidiatum resembles that of Fusicoccum. Therefore the correct name for Nattrassia mangiferae and its numerous synonyms (Dothiorella mangiferae, Torula dimidata, Scytilidium dimidiatum, Fusicoccum eucalypti, Hendersonula toruloidea, H. cypria, Exosporina fawcetii, H. agathidia, and S. lignicola) is Fusicoccum dimidiatum (Penz.) D.F. Farr, comb. nov.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Phomopsis vaccinii and additional isolates of Phomopsis from blueberry and cranberry in the eastern United States.

Forty isolates of Phomopsis were obtained from twigs and berries of highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum, and cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon, isolated primarily from plants grown in the eastern United States. They were characterized using conidiomatal morphology, conidial dimensions, colony appearance and growth rate, and sequences of ITS rDNA. Based on morphological and molecular similarities, most isolates grouped together with an authentic culture of Phomopsis vaccinii Shear. This taxon is described and illustrated. However, some Phomopsis isolates from Vaccinium differed in colony and conidiomatal morphology from P. vaccinii and, based on ITS sequences, were related to isolates of Phomopsis from diverse hosts. These isolates were excluded from P. vaccinii.