New records of the Cryphonectriaceae from southern Africa including Latruncellus aurorae gen. sp. nov

Mycologia. 2011 May-Jun;103(3):554-69. doi: 10.3852/10-283. Epub 2011 Jan 24.

Abstract

The Cryphonectriaceae accommodates some of the world's most important tree pathogens, including four genera known from native and introduced Myrtales in Africa. Surveys in the past 3 y in southern Africa have led to the discovery of cankers with fruiting structures resembling those of the Cryphonectriaceae on trees in the Myrtales in Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia. These fungi were identified with morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data. For the first time we report Chrysoporthe austroafricana from Namibia and on Syzygium guineense and Holocryphia eucalypti in Swaziland on a Eucalyptus grandis clone. The host and geographic ranges of Celoporthe dispersa are expanded to include S. legatti in South Africa and S. guineense in Zambia. In addition a monotypic genus, Latruncellus aurorae gen. sp. nov., is described from Galpinia transvaalica (Lythraceae, Myrtales) in Swaziland. The present and other recent studies clearly emphasize the limited understanding of the diversity and distribution of fungi in the Cryphonectriaceae in Africa.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Africa, Southern
  • Ascomycota* / classification
  • Ascomycota* / genetics
  • Ascomycota* / isolation & purification
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Fungal / chemistry
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • Eucalyptus / microbiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Diseases / classification
  • Plant Diseases / genetics
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Syzygium / microbiology*
  • Trees / microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Fungal