Thirty-four ITS, 23 RPB2, 28 β-tubulin and 37 LSU sequences were generated from this study. The conatenated ITS-RPB2-TUB2 dataset contained 125 ITS, 107 RPB2 and 111 β-tubulin sequences from 127 samples representing 97 Xylariaceae taxa and the outgroup (Table 1). The concatenated dataset had an aligned length of 2915 characters, of which 1849 were parsimony-informative. Phylogenetic trees generated from BI and ML analyses of the combined dataset of ITS-RPB2-TUB2 were highly similar in topology. Only the BI tree is shown in Figure 1 with Bayesian posterior probabilities ≥ 0.50 and ML bootstrap values ≥ 50% labelled along the branches.
Taxonomy
Xylaria aleuriticola Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 2; Figure 15a)
MycoBank: MB840908
Type - China, Yunnan Province, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park, on buried fruits of Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd (Euphorbiaceae), 22 October 2013, Ma HaiXia, Col.11 (FCATAS 858, holotype).
Etymology - Refers to the host which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, solitary to often densely clustered, dichotomously branched several times, or unbranched infrequently, 2–11 cm total height, long-stipitate; fertile parts 7–30 mm high × 1.0–2.5 mm broad, narrowly fusiform to cylindrical, often flattened, with acute sterile apices up to 8 mm long, strongly nodulose, particularly tomentose; stipes 12–90 mm high × 0.7–2.6 mm broad, terete to rarely flattened, most often contorted, usually ill-defined, with conspicuously tomentose, arising from a slightly enlarged pannose base; surface roughened with perithecial mounds and tomentose except for stromatal apices, black brown to black; interior white to cream, tan at center, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 300–500 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (90–)110–135(–150) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (55–)60–70(–75) µm long × (5.5–)6.0–7.0(–7.5) µm broad, the stipes 30–70 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, urn-shaped, 2.0–2.8 µm high × 1.0–1.8 µm diam. Ascospores brown to dark brown, unicellular, ellipsoid to fusiform, inequilateral, with narrowly rounded ends, occasionally one end slightly pinched, smooth, (7.1–)7.5–9.5(–10.5) × (3–)3.5–4(–4.5) µm (M = 8.1 × 3.6 µm, Q = 2.3, n = 60/2), with a conspicuous straight germ slit spore-length or slighlty less than spore-length, lacking a hyaline sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park, on buried fruits of Aleurites moluccana (Euphorbiaceae), 22 October 2013, Ma HaiXia, Col.23 (FCATAS859); 22 January 2015, Ma Haixia, Col.231 (FCATAS862), Col.232 (FCATAS863), Col.238 (FCATAS864), COL.270 (FCATAS865).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, only found in association with fruits of Aleurites moluccana buried in the ground.
Notes - Xylaria aleuriticola, associated with the pericarps of A. moluccana (Euphorbiaceae), is characterized by stromata dichotomously branched several times with long acute sterile apices, fertile parts roughened with perithecia and tomentose, and tomentose stipes. It is similar to X. culleniae Berk. & Broome by having dichotomously branched stromta and ascospores dimensions, but the latter species branches dichotomously only once in fertile parts, ascospores surrounded with a hyaline sheath and non-cellular appendages, and grows on capsules of Cullenia excelsa (Malvaceae) (Rogers et al., 1988; Ju et al., 2018).
Xylaria euphorbiicola Rehm was described on fruits of Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) from Brazil, but it has unbranched stromata, lacking perithecial mounds, overlain with a brown striped outermost layer, and smaller discoid apical ring 1µm high × 1.5–2 µm broad (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria xanthinovelutina somewhat resembles X. aleuriticola in stromatal morphology, but it has stronger stromata, larger ascospores (9–)9.5–11(–12) × (3.5–)4–4.5(–5) µm (M = 10.3 × 4.0 µm), and often associated with leguminous pods (Dennis, 1956, 1957, 1961; Ju et al., 2018), while stromata of the new speices has sharper and longer sterile apices, more forked. Xylaria luzonensis Henn. differs from X. aleuriticola by its smaller stromata (1.5–3 cm long × 0.5–1 mm diam), smaller perithecia (200–300 µm diam), slightly smaller apical ring (1–1.5 µm high × 1.5 µm broad), light brown ascospores, and grows on pod of Bauhinia cumingiana (Fabaceae) (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria apeibae Mont. is colse to X. aleuriticola, from which it differs mainly by having smaller stromata 4 cm long × 0.8–1.5 mm diam, light brown and larger ascospores (9.5–)10–12(–13) × (3–)3.5–4(–4.5) µm (M = 11.0 × 3.7 µm), and grows on fruits of Apeiba species (Tiliaceae) (Ju et al., 2018).
The phylogenetic trees (Figure 1) shows that X. aleuriticola and X. fabaceicola R.H. Perera, E.B.G. Jones & K.D. Hyde are closely related, the latter species is distinct morphologically for smaller stromata 13–25 mm long, pale brown to brown ascospores with a hyaline sheath and appendages, and grows on decaying pods of Fabaceae (Perera et al., 2020).
Xylaria carpophila (Pers.) Fr., Summa Veg. Scand. Ⅱ, p. 382. 1849. (Figure 3)
Teleomorph - Stromata upright, usually solitary, unbranched or branched occasionally, with acute sterile apices, on a tomentose stipe, 0.9–4 cm total height; fertile parts 2.5–4.5 mm high × 1.2–2.3 mm broad, short cylindrical, with slight perithecial mounds; the stipes 1–4.5 cm high × 0.2–1.0 mm broad, terete, arising from slighly enlarged base; surface black, overlain with a brown striped outermost layer, interior white, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 270–400 µm. Ostioles minutely papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate or partially biseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (83–)96–120(–130) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (52–)61–67(–87) µm long × (6.5–)8.5–11.5(–12.7) µm broad, the stipes 30–62 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, tubular to urn-shaped, (2.3–)3.0–4.0(–4.3) µm high × 2.0–3.0 µm diam. Ascospores light brown to brown, unicellular, ellipsoidal-inequilateral, with broadly to narrowly rounded ends, smooth, (11.0–)11.8–13.5(–15) × (6–)6.5–7.5(–8) µm (M = 12.8 × 6.7 µm, Q = 1.9, n = 60/1), with a conspicuous straight germ slit less than spore-length, lacking sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Wenshan Zhuang Autonomous Prefectures, Wenshan County, Xiaoqiaogou Nature Reserve, on pericarps of Fagus sylvatica L. (Fagaceae), 16 November 2019, Ma Haixia, Col.Z191 (FCATAS917).
Notes - Xylaria carpophila shows high specificity to the pericarps of Fagus sylvatica, and is characterized by short cylindrical stromata with acute sterile apices on tomentose stipe, black surface with a brown striped outermost layer, tubular to urn-shaped apical ring, light brown to brown ascospores with conspicuous straight germ slit, without a sheath or appendages. The materials from China are well fit the descriptions of X. carpophila from Europe which grows on beech cupules (Ju et al., 2018). ITS sequences generated from this study matched the ITS sequences of X. carpophila deposited at GenBank MH 860527 well, and phylogenetic analyses showed that the Chinese materials and Netherlands' formed a close lineage (Vu et al., 2019).
Xylaria cordiicola Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 4; Figure 15b)
MycoBank: MB840909
Type - China, Guizhou Province, Libo County, Maolan Nature Reserve, on endocarps of Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. (Boraginaceae), 16 July 2014, Ma Haixia, Col.135 (FCATAS 907).
Etymology - Refers to the host which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright, simple, unbranched or occasionally branching, 3.0–7.5 cm total height, long stipitate; fertile parts 0.5–20 mm high × 0.8–2.0 mm broad, narrowly fusiform to cylindrical with acute sterile apices up to 2 mm long, at times furrowed, strongly nodulose with deep wrinkles isolating small groups of perithecia; stipes 2–50 mm high × 0.3–1.2 mm broad, glabrous to tomentose, somewhat flattened, with longitudinally wrinkles, arising from slighly enlarged base. Surface black, with gray peeling outer layer and conspicuous perithecial mounds, continuous, glabrous; interior white to pale yellow, solid, woody. Texture hard. Perithecia subglobose to obovoid, 280–450 × 300–500 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (100–)115–135(–145) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (65–)70–78(–84) µm long × (6.7–)7.0–8.0 (–8.2) µm broad, the stipes 30–65 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, urn-shaped to more or less rectangular, 1.5–2.0 µm high × 2.0–2.5 µm diam. Ascospores brown to dark brown, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral with broadly rounded ends, sometimes with pinched on one end, smooth, (9–)10–11.7(–13) ×(4.4–)5.0–6.0(–6.5) µm (M = 10.8 × 5.3 µm, Q = 2.0, n = 60/2), with a conspicuous straight germ slit full-length or nearly so, lacking a hyaline sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Guizhou Province, Maolan Nature Reserve, on seeds of C. dichotoma (Boraginaceae), 16 July 2014, Ma Haixia, Col.138 (FCATAS 908).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Guizhou province, so far found in association with fruits of Cordia dichotoma buried in the ground.
Notes - Xylaria cordiicola resembles Xylaria psidii J.D. Rogers & Hemmes in stromatal morphology, but the latter species has cylindrical stromata with inconspicuous perithecia mounds and long acute sterile apex, smaller perithecia 200–300 µm, slightly smaller ascospores (7.5–)8–11(–12) × 4.5–5 µm, with a straight to slightly sigmoid germ slit (Rogers, 1992; Ju et al., 2018), and grows on seeds of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae). Xylaria cordiiacola is somewhat similar to X. oxyacanthae in stromatal morphology, but the latter species has a paler peeling stromatal layer, long tomentose stipes, longer spore-bearing portion 65–100 µm, larger inverted hat-shaped apical ring 2.0–2.5 × 3.0 µm, and grows on mummified seeds of C. monogyna (Rosaceae) (Stowell & Rogers, 1983; Martín & Rogers, 1989). Phylogenetically, X. cordiiacola is closely related to Xylaria palmicola Winter (Hsieh et al., 2010). However, X. palmicola can be distinguished from X. cordiacola by its longer stromata, larger ascospores (13.5–)14.5–16.5(–18.5) ×(6–)6.5–7.5(–8.5) µm (M = 15.7 × 7.2 µm), and grows on Euterpe (Arecaceae) (Dennis, 1956; Ju et al. 2018).
Xylaria liquidambaris J.D. Rogers, Y.M. Ju & F. San Martín, Sydowia 54(1): 92. 2002. (Figure 5; Figure 15k)
Teleomorph - Stromata upright, solitary or sometimes clustered, unbranched or occasionally branched, 1.2–8.0 cm total height; fertile parts 6–25 mm high × 1.5–5.0 mm broad, cylindrical with acute sterile apices, at times longitudinally furrowed, with wrinkles isolating somewhat prominent perithecia; stipes 6–55 mm high × 1.0–2.5 mm broad, glabrous to pubescent arising from a pannose base; surface dark brown to black, interior white, with dark brown to black a circle, and white at center. Texture solid, soft, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 250–400 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (110–)125–145(–165) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (80–)90–105(–115) µm long × (6–)7–8(–8.5) µm broad, the stipes 30–60 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, inverted hap-shaped to more or less rectangular, 2.5–3.5 µm high × 2.0–2.5 µm diam. Ascospores brown, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral with narrowly to broadly rounded ends, smooth, (12.5–)13–14(–15) × (4.8–)5.5–6.5(–6.8) µm (M = 13.5 × 6.1 µm, Q = 2.2, n = 90/3), with spiraling germ slit, lacking a sheath or appendages in india ink or 1% SDS.
Specimens examined - China, Jiangsu Province, Baohua Mountain, on fruits of Liquidamba formosana Hance (Altingiaceae), 20 July 1936, Ou S.H., (HMAS 7259); Guizhou Province, Ceheng County, on fruits of L. formosana, 22 September 1958, Wang Q.Z., (HMAS 26828); Wangnuo County, Lekang Town, on fruits of L. formosana, 1 July 2009, Wu X.L., (HMAS 220875); Guangdong Province, Chebaling Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 26 June 2010, Ma Haixia, Col. 10062607; Fengkai County, Heishiding Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 2 July 2010, Ma Haixia, Col. 10070206; Jiangxi Province, Guanshan Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 21 June 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 16 (FCATAS 873); Fuzhou City, Tang Xianzu Museum, on fruits of L. formosana, 17 June 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 36 (FCATAS 877); Anyuan County, Sanbai Mountain Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 15 August 2016, Ma Haixia, Col. O37 (FCATAS 878); Zhejiang Province, Tianmu Mountain Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 6 August 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 10 (FCATAS 872); Gutian Mountain Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 13 August 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 10 (FCATAS 496); Quzhou City, Kaihua County, Gutian Mountain Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 13 August 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 29 (FCATAS 496); Anhui Province, Huangshan City, Qiman County, Guniujiang Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 8 August 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 19 (FCATAS 874); Huangshan Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 27 June 2019, Ma Haixia, Col. P6 (FCATAS 879); Hainan Province, Diaoluoshan Nature Reserve, on fruits of L. formosana, 31 December 2020, Ma Haixia, Col. Z211 (FCATAS 880).
Notes - Xylaria liquidambaris was originally described by Rogers et al. (2002) from USA, and has high specificity to fruits of Liquidambar (Altingiaceae). It is characterized by unbranched stromata with acute sterile apex, embedded to slightly prominent perithecia with longitudinal striations, brown ascospores with long spiraling germ slit (Rogers et al., 2002). These Chinese materials are well fit the descriptions and illustrations of X. liquidambaris by Rogers et al. (2002).
Xylaria meliicola Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 6; Figure 15c)
MycoBank: MB840910
Type - China, Yunnan Province, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, on buried fruits of Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc. (Meliaceae), 20 October 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 9 (FCATAS 869).
Etymology - Refers to the host which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, cylindrical to irregular, terete to somewhat flattened, unbranched or occasionally branched, with acute sterile apices up to 5.5 mm, on long stipes originating from pannose bases, 4.5–8 cm total length; fertile parts cylindrical, 20–35 × 1.5–5 mm diam., slightly nodulose with wrinkles and finely longitudinally striate; stipes 20–25 mm length × 1–2.5 mm diam., well-defined, glabrous, with longitudinally furrowed, arising from a pannose, slighly enlarged base; surface blackish with dark brown peeling outer layer, with immersed perithecia, interior white, often brown at center, solid, woody. Texture hard. Perithecia subglobose, 300–500 µm. Ostioles faintly to papillate. Asci eight-spored usually arranged in uniseriate manner or occasionally in partially biseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (96–)110–125(–140) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (60–)63–82(–88) µm long ×(6.5–)7.0–8.0(–8.6) µm broad, the stipes 30–76 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, urn-shaped to tubular, 1.6–2.2 µm high × 1.5–2.0 µm broad. Ascospores brown to dark brown, unicellular, ellipsoid or pyriform, inequilateral, with narrowly to broadly rounded ends, smooth, aberrant ascospores with strongly pinched or beaked ends can be often encountered, (8.5–)9.5–12.0(–12.7) ×(4.2–) 5.0–6.0(–6.5) µm (M = 10.4 × 5.0 µm, Q = 2.1, n = 90/3), with a conspicuous straight germ slit almost spore-length or less than spore-length, lacking a sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, on buried fruits of M. toosendan (Meliaceae), 5 August 2010, Ma Haixia Col. 66 (FCATAS 870); Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, rainforests, on buried fruits of M. toosendan, 21 October 2013, Ma Haixia Col. 67 (FCATAS 871).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, so far found in association with fruits of M. toosendan (Meliaceae).
Notes - Xylaria meliicola is characterized by long cylindrical to irregular stromata with inconspicuous perithecial mounds and longitudinally striate, ellipsoid or pyriform ascospores with a straight germ slit, and grows on endocarp of M. toosendan in Meliaceae. Læssøe & Lodge (1994) described two Xylaria species (X. meliacearum Læssøe and X. guareae Læssøe et Lodge) on the Meliaceaea, X. meliacearum was found on leaf petioles and midveins of Trichila and Guarea, and X. guareae on the branches of G. guidonia. However, X. meliicola is distinctly different from the two species. X. meliacearum has strap-like stromata, stipitate unclear separated from fertile part and larger ascospores (18.5–)19.1–30.0(–33.0) × (4.0–)4.6–6.6(–7.9) µm, whereas X. guareae has smaller stromata [2–6(–8) × 1.5–3(–6) mm], compressed obpyriform or pulvinate, and larger ascospores 39–50 × 13.6–17.0 µm (Læssøe & Lodge, 1994).
Two species, X. oxyacanthae and X. palmicola, are somewhat similar to the Chinese collections in stromatal morphology, but X. oxyacanthae has a paler peeling stromatal layer, long tomentose stipes, larger inverted hat-shaped apical ring 2.0–2.5 × 3.0 µm, and grows on mummified seeds of C. monogyna (Rosaceae) (Stowell & Rogers, 1983; Martín & Rogers, 1989; Ju et al., 2018). While X. palmicola differs in having larger ascospores (13.5–)14.5–16.5(–18.5) ×(6–)6.5–7.5(–8.5) µm (M = 15.7 × 7.2 µm), and grows on fruits of Euterpe (Arecaceae) (Dennis, 1956; Ju et al., 2018).
Xylaria meliicola is sister to the branch which X. terminaliicola and X. reevesiae formed with a 98% posterior probability in BI analyses, but weakly supported by ML analyses in the phylogenetic trees. Xylaria meliicola resembles X. reevesiae Y.M Ju, J.D Rogers & H.M Hsieh in stromatal morphology, but the latter species has cylindrical stromata with conspicuous perithecial mounds, slightly smaller ascospores (8.5–)9–10.5(–11) ×(4–) 4.5–5.5(–6) µm (M = 9.7 × 5.0 µm), and grows on fallen fruits of Reevesia formosana (Sterculiaceae) (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria terminaliicola differs from X. meliicola in having stronger stromata with a mucronate or blunt sterile apex, larger apical ring 2.2–3.8 µm high × 2.4–3.2 µm diam, larger ascospores (10.0–)11–13.0(–13.8) × (5.2–)6.0–7.0(–7.8) µm (M = 12.0 × 6.7 µm), and grows on endocarp of Terminalia catappa.
Xylaria microcarpa Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 7; Figure 15j)
MycoBank: MB840911
Holotype - China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Dadugang Town, Guanping Village, on legume pods, 21 January 2015, Haixia Ma, Col. 233 (FCATAS 883).
Etymology - Refers to its stromata which it is very small.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, often densely gregarious in large groups, unbranched, cylindrical to filiform, with acute sterile apices, on tomentose stipes, 3.5–9 mm total height; fertile parts 2–6 mm high × 0.6–1.5 mm broad, filiform to cylindrical, brown tomentose dense or sparse, nodulose with perithecial contours exposed; stipes 1.5–4 mm high × 0.3–0.5 mm broad, terete, with conspicuously dark brown tomentose, arising from slighly enlarged base; surface black, interior light yellow, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 300–500 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (96–)105–125(–140) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (56–)60–70(–75) µm long ×(6.0–)6.4–7.1(–7.6) µm broad, the stipes 30–56 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, tubular or urn-shaped, 1.5–2.5 (–2.9) µm high × 1.4–1.8 µm diam. Ascospores light brown, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral, with narrowly rounded ends, sometimes with pinched on one end, smooth, (9.5–)10–11(–11.5) ×(4.5–) 5–6(–6.2) µm (M = 10.5 × 5.5 µm, Q = 1.9, n = 60/2), with a inconspicuous straight germ slit almost spore-length, lacking a sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, on legume pods, 20 January 2015, Haixia Ma, Col. 239 (FCATAS 885).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, so far found in association with leguminous pods.
Notes - Xylaria microcarpa is charactrized by very small stromata growing in groups, overlain with a dark brown tomentum, ascospores light brown with a inconspicuous straight germ slit, lacking a sheath or appendages, and grows on leguminous pods. The new species resembles Xylaria fabacearum R.H. Perera, E.B.G. Jones & K.D. Hyde by sharing small stromata, ascospores length dimensions, but differs from the latter species in having stromata branched sometimes, stromatal surface without tomentose, brown to dark brown ascospores with conspicuous straight germ slit (Perera et al., 2020). Xylaria luzonensis on Bauhinia cumingiana (Fabaceae) differs from X. microcarpa by having branched and larger stromata, smaller perithecia, smaller ascospores (8–)8.5–9.5(–10) ×3–3.5(–4) µm (M = 8.9 × 3.4 µm) (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria microcarpa is somewhat similar to X. xanthinovelutina and X. culleniae in stromatal surface with tomentum and grow on leguminous pods, but differs in larger stromata, ascospores with a straight germ slit slightly less than spore-length, surrounded with a hyaline sheath and non-cellular appendages (Ju et al., 2018).
The phylogenetic tree shows that Xylaria microcarpa and X. aethiopica J. Fourn., Y.M. Ju, H.M. Hsieh & U. lindem are sister taxa with a strong supported branch in BI tree, but X. aethiopica is distinct morphologically with larger stromata 15–30 mm total height, brown to dark brown and slightly larger ascospores (9.7–)11–13(–13.5) ×(3.5–)3.8–4.5(–4.9) µm (M = 11.9 × 4.1 µm) with a conspicuous straight germ and appendages, and grows on fallen woody pods of Millettia ferruginea (Fabaceae) (Fournier et al., 2018).
Xylaria oxyacanthae Tul. & C. Tul., Selecta Carpologia Fungorum 2,p.15.1863. (Figure 8; Figure 15i)
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, unbranched or branched from the fertile parts, 3–13 cm total height, long-stipitate; fertile parts 6–40 mm high × 1.5–8.0 mm broad, fusiform to cylindrical or forked, sometimes falttened, with acute grey-white sterile apices up to 2 mm long, exterior smooth at young stromata, white to cream-coloured, mature stromata black, strongly nodulose, with gray-white peeling outer layer, interior yellow to light brown, solid, woody; stipes 27–90 mm high × 0.5–3.5 mm broad, smooth to downy, terete, sometimes flattened, usually contorted, with longitudinally wrinkles, arising from a pannose, slighly enlarged base. Surface roughened with wrinkles and perithecial contours. Perithecia subglobose, 300–400 µm. Ostioles papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, 110–185 µm total length, the spore-bearing part (60–)65–75(–80) µm long × 6–7 µm broad, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s iodine reagent, more or less rectangular or discoid, 1.8–2.5 µm high × 2–2.5 µm broad. Ascospores brown to dark brown, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral, with narrowly to broadly rounded ends, smooth, (10–)11–12(–12.5) × (4.5–)5.0–5.5(–6) µm (M = 11.0 × 5.1 µm, Q = 2.2, n = 60/2), with straight germ slit full-length or nearly so, lacking a sheath or appendages in india ink or 1% SDS.
Specimens examined - China, Jilin Province, Changchun City, Jingyuetan Forest Park, on seeds of Crataegus maximowiczii Schneid (Rosaceae), 1 September 2014, Ma Haixia Col. 130 (FCATAS 905), Col. 132 (FCATAS 906).
Notes - Xylaria oxyacanthae was originally described on seeds of Crataegus oxyacantha L. (Rosaceae) from France. The species is characterized by cylindrical to irregular stromata with short acute sterile apices on tomentose stipes, surface blackish with gray to brown peeling outer layer, brown to dark brown ascospores with straight germ slit (Stowell & Rogers, 1983; Martín & Rogers, 1989; Ju et al., 2018). We collected the two present materials which both were found on seeds of C. maximowiczii from Jilin province of northeastern China. The collections well fit the description of X. oxyacanthae from northern USA which grows on Crataegus seeds (Stowell & Rogers, 1983).
Xylaria rogersii Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 9; Figure 15f,g)
MycoBank: MB 841144
Type - China, Yunnan Province, Honghe Hani Autonomous Prefectures, pingbian County, Daweishan Nature Reserve, on fruits of Magnolia sp. (Magnoliaceae), 12 November 2019, Ma Haixia, Col. M31 (FCATAS 915).
Etymology - Refers to honour American mycologist Prof. Jack D. Rogers, the leading world authority on the Xylariaceae who sadly passed away on 14 June 2021.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, solitary or sometimes clustered, unbranched or occasionally branched, with sterile apices, on a long tomentose stipes, 5–12 cm total height; fertile parts 2–6 cm high × 1.5–3.0 mm broad, cylindrical, sometimes flattened, overlain with a dark-brown fine striped outermost layer; stipes 14–60 mm high × 1.0–3.0 mm broad, terete, sometimes contorted, tomentose, with longitudinally wrinkles, arising from swollen base; surface black, roughened with half-exposed perithecial contours and striped outermost layer; interior light yellow, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 400–600 µm. Ostioles papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate or partially biseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (100–)110–130(–140) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (63–)70–80(–85) µm long × 5.0–6.0 µm broad, the stipes 30–55 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, urn-shaped to tubular, 2.2–2.6 µm high × 1.5–1.9 µm diam. Ascospores light yellow to subhyaline, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral with narrowly to broadly rounded ends, sometimes slightly pinched, smooth, (13.0–)13.8–15.0(–15.6) × (3.3–) 3.6–4.0(–4.4) µm (M = 14.4 × 3.7 µm, Q = 3.9, n = 90/3), with a transverse germ slit in median on flattened side, lacking a sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Honghe Hani Autonomous Prefectures, Pingbian County, Daweishan Nature Reserve, on fruits of Magnolia sp. (Magnoliaceae), 12 November 2019, Ma Haixia, Col. M1 (FCATAS 913), Col. M5 (FCATAS 914), Col. Z190 (FCATAS 916).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, so far found in association with fruits of Magnolia sp. (Magnoliaceae).
Notes - Xylaria rogersii was found on the fruits of Magnolia from Yunnan province of China, which is characterized by long stromata with half-exposed perithecial contours and dark-brown fine striped outermost layer, subhyaline to yellowish ascospores with a transverse germ slit in median. The species did not fit the descriptions of any species known to the genus Xylaria because of the ascosores germination sites. Rogers (1979) described a Xylaria species, Xylaria magnoliae J. D. Rogers var. magnoliae, which has high specificity to fruits of Magnolia species (Magnoliaceae) from USA. However, the Chinese collections are distinctly different from X. magnoliae var. magnoliae from USA. Xylaria magnoliae var. magnoliae has subhyaline to yellowish ascospores lacking germ slit, long tomentose stromatal surface (Rogers, 1979b; Ju et al., 2018). Unfortunately, DNA sequences of the American material are not available for phylogenetic analysis in GenBank. But, the sequences comparison showed that there are 96.58%, 93.83%, and 95.35% maximal percent identities respectively in ITS, β-tubulin, and RPB2 between the Chinese materials (FCATAS915) and X. magnoliae from USA (J. D. Rogers RC8012) by Prof. Yu-Min Ju (Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, China). Therefore, we described the Chinese materials as a different taxon. The phylogenetic tree shows that X. rogersii and X. vivantii Y. M. Ju, J. D. Rogers, J. Fournier & H. M. Hsieh are sisters with a strong supported branch, but X. vivantii is distinct morphologically by dichotomously branched stromata with half-exposed perithecial mounds and dark brown tomentum, brown to dark brown ascospores with oblique germ slit and surrounded with a hyaline sheath and non-cellular appendages.
Xylaria schimicola Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 10; Figure 15e)
MycoBank: MB840912
Type - China, Yunnan Province, Jingdong County, Ailao Mountain Nature Reserve, on fruits of Schima noronhae Reinw. ex Bl. (Theaceae), 15 October 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 17 (FCATAS 896, holotype).
Etymology - Refers to the host which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, solitary or sometimes clustered, unbranched or occasionally branched from the stipes, (12–)20–50(–65) mm total height, short to long thin stipes tomentose when stromata immatured; fertile parts 4–26 mm high × 0.6–2.0 mm broad, narrowly fusiform to cylindrical with acute sterile apices up to 5 mm long, at times longitudinally furrowed, strongly nodulose with deep wrinkles isolating small groups of perithecia, more rarely furcate; stipes 7–50 mm high × 0.4–0.6 mm broad, smooth to downy, somewhat flattened, with longitudinally wrinkles, arising from a pannose, slighly enlarged base. Surface smooth at young stromata, white to cream-colorued, mature stromata black, with inconspicuous to slight perithecial mounds, wrinkled, continuous, glabrous; interior whitish to Buff (45) but dark brown at center, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 200–300 µm. Ostioles faintly to papillate. Asci eight-spored usually arranged in partially biseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (75–)85–95(–100) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (41–)45–50(–55) µm long × (5–)5.5–6.5(–7.5) µm broad, the stipes 30–50 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, inverted hap-shaped to more or less rectangular, 0.7–1.3 µm high × 0.7–1.1 µm diam. Ascospores nearly hyaline to slightly light yellow, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral with narrowly rounded ends, smooth, (9.5–)10.5–12.0(–13.0) × (1.6–)1.9–2.5(–3.0) µm (M = 11.2 × 2.2 µm, Q = 5.1, n = 60/1), lacking germ slit, no a sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Sichuan Province, Mianning County, Lingshan Temple, on fruits of Schima noronhae, 12 July 2013, Ma Haixia Col. 259 (FCATAS 898).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, Sichuan province, so far found in association with fruits of S. noronhae.
Notes - Xylaria schimicola was found on the fruits of Schima noronhae from the subtropics of southwestern of China, which did not fit the descriptions of any species known to the genus Xylaria (Rogers et al., 1987; Martín & Rogers, 1989; Van der Gucht, 1995; Ju & Rogers, 1999; Hsieh et al., 2010; Fournier et al., 2011; Ju et al., 2018). The species is characterized by nearly hyaline to slightly light yellow ascospores lacking a germ slit. The Chinese collections somewhat resembles X. oxyacanthae, X. psidii J.D.Rogers et Hemmes and X. palmicola Winter in stromatal morphology, but the ascospores are distinctly different (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria schimicola formed weakly supported sister lineage with X. theaceicola on pericarps of Schima villosa in the phylogenetic tree.
Xylaria terminaliicola Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 11; Figure 15h)
MycoBank: MB840913
Type - China, Hainan Province, Haikou City, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, on endocarps of Terminalia catappa L. (Combretaceae), 20 November. 2020, Ma Haixia, Col. 26 (FCATAS 921, holotype).
Etymology - Refers to the host which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright, solitary or sometimes clustered, straight to curved, unbranched or branched at apices or fertile parts, apically attenuated into a mucronate or blunt sterile apex, 2.5–7 cm total height; fertile parts 10–20 mm high × 1.5–3.5 mm broad, cylindrical, surface dark brown to blackish, with inconspicuous perithecial mounds, occasionally with dark brown tomentum in part, eventually black outer layer splitting longitudinally into stripes; the stipes 13–50 mm high × 1.0–6.0 mm broad, terete to rarely flattened, often contorted, ill-defined, glabrous, the pannose base swollen and slightly tomentose; surface roughened with perithecia and tomentose; interior white, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 350–600 µm. Ostioles papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (95–)105–155(–170) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (55–)65–75(–100) µm long × (6.4–)7.0–8.0(–9.0) µm broad, the stipes 35–70 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, tubular to short tubular, 2.2–3.8 µm high × 2.4–3.2 µm diam. Ascospores brown, unicellular, fusiform or navicular, inequilateral, with broadly rounded ends, one end slightly pinched sometimes, or beaked occasionnally, smooth, (10.0–)11–13.0(–13.8) × (5.2–)6.0–7.0(–7.8) µm (M = 12.0 × 6.7 µm, Q = 1.8, n = 60/2), with a conspicuous straight germ slit slightly less than spore-length, lacking a sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Hainan Province, Haikou City, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, on fruits of Terminalia catappa, 20 November 2020, Ma HaiXia, Col. 27 (FCATAS 922).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Hainan province, only found in association with fruits of Terminalia catappa buried in the ground.
Notes - Xylaria terminaliicola is distinguished by its strong stromata with inconspicuous perithecial mounds, large tubular apical ring, brown ascospores with a conspicuous straight germ slit and grows on endocarps of Terminalia catappa. Pande & Waingankar (2004) described two Xylaria species on fallen fruits of Terminalia from Western India. Xylaria terminaliae-bellericae Pande & Waingankar was found on fallen fruits of Terminalia bellerica, and X. terminaliae-crenulatae Pande & Waingankar on fallen fruits of Terminalia crenulata (Pande & Waingankar, 2004). However, X. terminaliicola is distinctly different from the two species. Xylaria terminaliae-bellericae has hairy stipe, more acute sterile apex, and slightly smaller ascospores 8–11 × 3–5.4 µm, whereas X. terminaliae-crenulatae has thiner, filiform, unbranched stromata, and larger ascospores 10.5–15.8 × 5.3–10.5 µm (Pande & Waingankar, 2004).
Xylaria terminaliicola somewhat resembles X. oxyacanthae by sharing stromatal morphology, but differs from the latter in having stromata with apices often shriveled or broken, salmon buff to dark brown, slightly smaller ascospores (9.5–)10–11.5(–12) × (4–)4.5–5.5(–6) µm (M = 10.8 × 5.0 µm), and grows on seeds of C. oxyacantha (Rosaceae) (Stowell & Rogers, 1983; Martín & Rogers, 1989; Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria rhizocola (Mont.) Fr. is also similar to X. terminaliicola in ascospores dimensions, but differs in having rounded stromatal tip, surface non- tomentum, inverted hat-shaped and slightly smaller apical ring 1.5–2 µm high × 2 µm broad, and grows on buried seed of unknown host (Ju et al., 2018). In the phylogenetic trees show that X. terminaliicola and Xylaria reevesiae Y.M. Ju, J.D. Rogers & H.M. Hsieh are closely related, but the latter differs in having conspicuous perithecial mounds, smaller and inverted hat-shaped apical ring 1.5–2 µm high × 2–2.5 µm broad, smaller ascospores (8.5–)9–10.5(–11) × (4–)4.5–5.5(–6) µm (M = 9.7 × 5.0 µm), and grows on fruits of Reevesia formosana (Sterculiaceae) (Ju et al., 2018).
Xylaria theaceicola Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 12; Figure 15l)
MycoBank: MB840914
Type - China, Yunnan Province, Wenshan Zhuang Autonomous Prefectures, Wenshan County, Xiaoqiaogou Nature Reserve, on fruits of Schima villosa Hu (Theaceae), 16 November 2019, Ma Haixia, Col.M22 (FCATAS903, holotype).
Etymology - Refers to the host family Theaceae which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, solitary or sometimes clustered, unbranched or occasionally branched, with acute sterile apices, on a long thin ill-defined stipe, 2–8 cm total height; fertile parts 0.8–25 mm long × 0.5–1.5 mm broad, thin cylindrical, usually crowded with continuous perithecia, and occasionally with scattered perithecia, sometimes longitudinally furrowed, slighly nodulose with wrinkles isolating small groups of perithecia, more rarely furcate; stipes 1.2–6.5 cm high × 0.4–2 mm broad, smooth, with longitudinally wrinkles, arising from a pannose, slighly enlarged base; surface smooth at young stromata, mature stromata black, with inconspicuous to slight perithecial mounds, overlain with a brown striped outermost layer; interior white, with a dark brown to black circle, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 300–450 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in partially biseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (85–)92–105(–110) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (52–)55–65(–70) µm long × (5.3–)5.5–6.5(–7.1) µm broad, the stipes 25–53 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, inverted hap-shaped to tubular, 1.0–1.5 µm high × 0.8–1.2 µm diam. Ascospores slighly light yellowish, nearly hyaline when immatured, unicellular, ellipsoid or navicular, arc-shaped or allantoid, inequilateral, with broadly rounded ends, slightly pinched on the end, smooth, (10.1–)10.7–11.6(–12) × (2.0–)2.3–2.7(–2.9) µm (M = 11.1 × 2.5 µm, Q = 4.4, n = 60/2), with a straight germ slit spore-length, lacking a slimy sheath visible in indian ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Wenshan Zhuang Autonomous Prefectures, Wenshan County, Xiaoqiaogou Nature Reserve, on fruits of Schima villosa (Theaceae), 16 November 2019, Ma Haixia, Col. Z193 (FCATAS 904).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, so far found in association with fruits of Schima villosa (Theaceae).
Notes - Xylaria theaceicola is characterized by long and usually unbranched stromata, conic-papillate perithecial ostioles, slightly light yellowish ascospores, nearly hyaline, with conspicuous straight germ slit, and grows on the fruits of S. villosa (Theaceae). Xylaria schimicola, growing on the fruits of S. schima, is similar to the species by sharing stromatal morphology, but differs in having nearly hyaline and ellipsoid ascospores lacking a germination site, while X. theaceicola has conspicuous straight germ slit ascospores, ellipsoid or navicular to arc-shaped or allantoid, stromata overlain with a brown striped outermost layer. The species somewhat also resembles X. oxyacanthae, X. psidii J.D.Rogers et Hemmes and X. palmicola Winter in stromatal morphology, but the ascospores are distinctly different (Ju et al. 2018). In the phylogenetic tree, Xylaria theaceicola is sister to X. schimicola, but the relationship of the two species on the fruits of Schima is not strongly supported.
Xylaria wallichii Hai X. Ma & Yu Li, sp. nov. (Figure 13; Figure 15m)
MycoBank: MB840915
Type - China, Yunnan Province, Jinghong City, Dadugang Town, on fruits of Schima wallichii (DC.) Choisy (Theaceae), 21 January 2015, Ma Haixia Col. 247 (FCATAS 911).
Etymology - Refers to the specific epithet of its host which the fungus inhabits.
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, solitary to sometimes densely clustered, often dichotomously branched several times, or unbranched infrequently, 1.5–10 cm total height, long-stipitate; fertile parts 2–20 mm high × 1.0–2.0 mm broad, narrowly fusiform to cylindrical, often flattened, with acute sterile apices up to 5 mm long, strongly nodulose, mostly tomentose; stipes 13–80 mm high × 0.5–2.0 mm broad, terete to rarely flattened, often ill-defined, black brown to black, with conspicuously tomentose, arising from a slightly enlarged pannose base; surface roughened with perithecial mounds and tomentose except for stromatal apices, black; interior light yellow to light brown, black-brown in a circle, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 300–400 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored, usually arranged in uniseriate manner, sometimes in partially biseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (75–)85–105(–115) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (50–)55–63(–68) µm long × (4.1–)4.6–5.8(–6.2) µm broad, the stipes 25–50 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, inverted hap-shaped to more or less rectangular, 1.3–2.1 µm high × 1.1–1.7 µm diam. Ascospores nearly hyaline to light yellow, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral, with narrowly rounded ends, sometimes with pinched on one end, smooth, (8.2–)8.8–10.2(–11.3) × (2.4–)2.6–3.0(–3.2) µm (M = 9.3 × 2.8 µm, Q = 3.3, n = 90/3), without a germ slit, lacking a sheath or appendages visible in india ink or 1% SDS.
Additional specimens examined - China, Yunnan Province, Jinghong City, Dadugang Town, on fruits of S. wallichii, 21 January 2015, Ma Haixia, Col. 229 (FCATAS 909), Col. 312 (FCATAS 912); Dadugang Town, Guanping Village, on fruits of S. wallichii, 21 January 2015, Ma Haixia, Col. 234 (FCATAS 910); Yunnan Province, Pu’er City, Taiyanghe National Forest Park, on fruits of S. wallichii, 18 October 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 18 (FCATAS 923), Col. 30 (FCATAS 924).
Geographic distribution/host preference of stromata - China, Yunnan province, so far found in association with fruits of S.wallichii.
Notes - So far, X. wallichii was only found on the fruits of S. wallichii (Theaceae) from the tropics and the transitional zone from the subtropics to tropics, and characterized by almost hyaline ascospores lacking a germ slit, no a sheath or appendages and stromata often dichotomously branched several times with conspicuously tomentose and perithecial mounds. The three species in present study, X. wallichii, X. schimacola, and X. theaceicola, were found on the fruits of the genus Schima, have similar hyaline or nearly hyaline ascospores. In the phylogenetic tree, X. wallichii is closely related to the branch that X. schimacola and X. theaceicola formed, however, the former can be distinguished from the two latter species by its dichotomously branched and tomentose stromata, and slightly smaller ascopores.
Xylaria magnoliae var. magnoliae also has pale-colored ascospores lacking a germination site and hyaline sheath, but differs in larger ascospores (12.5–)13.5–15(–16) × (2.5–)3–3.5(–4) µm (M=14.1 × 3.2 µm), unbranched or occasionally branched stromata, and growing on fruits of Magnolia species (Magnoliaceae) (Ju et al., 2018). Three taxa, X. apeibae Mont., X. xanthinovelutina and X. reevesiae are similar to X. wallichii in stromatal morphology but differ in the ascospores (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria apeibae has light brown and larger ascospores (9.5–)10–12(–13) × (3–)3.5–4(–4.5) µm (M=11.0 × 3.7 µm), with a staight germ slit and grows on fruits of Apeiba species (Tiliaceae) (Ju et al., 2018). Xylaria xanthinovelutina has brown and slightly larger ascospores (9–)9.5–11(–12) × (3.5–)4–4.5(–5) µm (M=10.3 × 4.0 µm), with a straight germ slit, surrounded with a hyaline sheath and non-vellular appendages, and grows on leguminous pods. Xylaria reevesiae has brown and slightly larger ascospores (8.5–)9–10.5(–11) × (4–)4.5–5.5(–6) µm (M=9.7 × 5.0 µm), with a straight germ slit, and grows on fruits of Reevesia formosana (Sterculiaceae) (Ju et al., 2018). Phylogenetically, X. wallichii is distinct from these Xylaria species as mentioned here.
Xylaria xanthinovelutina (Mont.) Fr. in Nov. Act. Reg. Soc. Sci. Upsal. Ser. 3, 1, 128. 1851. (Figure 14; Figure 15d)
Teleomorph - Stromata upright or prostrate, solitary, branched or unbranched, 3–13 cm total height, long-stipitate; fertile parts 8–30 mm high × 1.0–5.0 mm broad, cylindrical, sometimes flattened, with acute sterile apices, strongly nodulose, particularly tomentose; stipes 20–100 mm high × 1.0–3.0 mm broad, terete, sometimes contorted, often ill-defined, conspicuously tomentose; surface roughened with perithecia and tomentose, black brown to black; interior light yellow, solid, woody. Perithecia subglobose, 300–500 µm. Ostioles conic-papillate. Asci eight-spored arranged in uniseriate manner, cylindrical, long-stipitate, (100–)115–140(–150) µm total length, the spore-bearing parts (65–)70–85(–90) µm long × (6.0–)6.5–7.5(–7.8) µm broad, the stipes 30–60 µm long, with apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent, urn-shaped to tubular, 2.0–3.2 µm high × 1.7–2.4 µm diam. Ascospores brown, unicellular, ellipsoid-inequilateral with narrowly rounded ends, somtimes with slightly pinched on one end, smooth, (9.6–)10.5–13(–14) × (3.9–)4.3–5.0(–5.5) µm (M = 11.4 × 4.5 µm, Q = 2.5, n = 90/3), with a conspicuous straight germ slit spore-length, with a hyaline sheath at both ends.
Specimens examined
China, Yunnan Province, Baoshan County, Gaoligong Mountain, on legume pods, 22 September 1959, Wang Q.Z. (HKAS 27796); Pu’er City, Jiangcheng County, Hongjiang Town, on legume pods, 6 August 1991, Yang Z.L., Col. 1436 (HKAS 24021); Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, rainforests, on legume pods, 21 October 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 39 (FCATAS 890); Jinghong City, Forest Park, on legume pods, 22 October 2013, Ma Haixia, Col. 21 (FCATAS 889); Jinghong City, Forest Park, on legume pods, 22 January 2015, Ma Haixia, Col. 245 (FCATAS 893); Jinghong City, Dadugang Town, on legume pods, 21 January 2015, Ma Haixia, Col. 246 (FCATAS 894).
Notes - Xylaria xanthinovelutina was originally described from French Guiana on fallen fruits of Hymenaea courbaril (Fabaceae), and commonly found on leguminous pods. It is characterized by long tomentose stromata and brown ascospores with a straight germ slit, surrounded with a hyaline sheath at both ends (Dennis, 1956, 1957, 1961; Joly, 1968; Rogers et al., 1988; Hladki & Romero, 2010; Ju et al., 2018). We collected the materials which were all found on legume pods. The collections well fit the descriptions and illustrations of X. xanthinovelutina except for slightly larger ascospores (Ju et al., 2018).