taxonID	type	description	language	source
390887F9CA45FFA7FF5FFEAE57BE0931.taxon	etymology	Etymology: referring to the host genus, Phoenix.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA7FF5FFEAE57BE0931.taxon	description	Saprobic on dead petioles of Phoenix roebelenii. Sexual morph: Ascomata 580 – 625 μm diam., 600 – 650 μm high (x ̄ = 610 × 630 μm, n = 10), densely gregarious, superficial on subiculum, uniloculate, subglobose, black, coriaceous, setose, apapillate, ostiole wide, surrounding by a reddish orange disc, periphysate. Peridium 90 – 110 μm, 5 – 7 - layered, comprises outer layer of black, thick-walled cells of textura angularis and 3 – 4 - layered, hyaline, thick-walled cells of textura angularis. Setae 250 – 350 µm long, ends blunt, black, formed from the inner cell layer of peridium. Pseudoparaphyses 1 – 2 μm wide, hyaline, filamentous, trabeculate, aseptate, unbranched. Asci 100 – 160 × 10 – 15 (x ̄ = 145 × 12 μm, n = 20), 8 - spored, bitunicate, clavate, blunted at the apex without ocular chamber, long-stalked (50 – 70 μm long). Ascospores 25 – 30 × 5 – 7 µm (x ̄ = 26 × 6 μm, n = 20), overlapping triseriate to 4 - seriate, fusiform, slightly curved, smooth-walled, initially hyaline, pale brown to pale olivaceous at maturity, 1 – (3) - septate, slightly constricted at the middle septum, surrounded by a thin, gelatinous sheath which swells around the septum and protrudes at both ends. Asexual morph: Undetermined.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA7FF5FFEAE57BE0931.taxon	biology_ecology	Culture characters — Colonies on PDA reaching 2 cm diam., after one week at 20 ° C in dark, colonies medium dense, circular to irregular, umbonate, curled, wooly, colony from above and reverse white to yellowish, mycelium white to yellowish with tufting; not producing pigments in PDA. Cultures do not sporulate within 30 days.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA7FF5FFEAE57BE0931.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined — China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering (23 ° 06 ’ 28.4 ” N 113 ° 16 ’ 51.6 ” E), on dead petioles of Phoenix roebelenii (Arecaceae), 8 June 2021, N. D. Kularathnage, NDK 29 - 1 (ZHKU 21 - 0011, holotype), ex-type living culture ZHKUCC 21 - 0122; ibid. NDK 29 - 2 (ZHKU 21 - 0012, isotype), ex-type living culture ZHKUCC 21 - 0123.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA7FF5FFEAE57BE0931.taxon	discussion	Notes — The combined gene analysis of ITS, LSU, SSU and tef- 1 α (FIGURE 1) showed that our Byssosphaeria isolates formed a distinct subclade that is sister to B. taiwanense (MFLUCC 17 - 2643) with ML / BI = 100 / 1.00 support. Comparison of the DNA sequence of ITS, LSU, SSU and tef- 1 α locus of Byssosphaeria phoenicis, with B. taiwanense revealed the base pair differences of 14 / 505, 6 / 873, 10 / 1000 and 10 / 943 respectively. However, our species is different from Byssosphaeria taiwanense in having ascomata with thick peridium at the sides (90 – 110 μm) and overlapping triseriate to 4 - seriate ascospores in the ascus. The matured ascospores are 3 - septate and brick red to brown. The mucilaginous sheath swells widely (5 – 8 µm) around the central septum and narrowly protrudes towards the ends of the ascospores. Byssosphaeria taiwanense has ascomata with thin peridium at sides (35 – 50 μm), pale brown to olivaceous brown, 1 - septate ascospores when mature with an overlapping uniseriate to overlapping biseriate ascospore arrangement. The mucilaginous sheath swells uniformly around the ascospores (10 – 12 µm) (Tennakoon et al. 2018). Byssosphaeria alnea, B. diffusa, B. erumpens, B. hainanensis, B. jamaicana, B. musae, B. oviformis, B. rhodomphala, and B. schiedermayeriana have been collected from China (Barr 1984, 1990, Chen & Hsieh 2004, Li & Zhuang 2008, Liu et al. 2015, Tennakoon et al. 2018). Our species is morphologically distinct from all Byssosphaeria species and a morphological comparison of Byssosphaeria species is provided in TABLE 3.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA3FF5FF91651890717.taxon	etymology	Etymology: — referring to the host genus, Rhapis.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA3FF5FF91651890717.taxon	description	Pathogenic, associated with leaf spots of Rhapis excelsa (Thunb.) A. Henry, appearing as scattered, brown spots. Sexual morph: Undetermined. Asexual morph: coelomycetes. Conidiomata 150 – 225 × 225 – 300 µm (x ̅ = 200 × 280 µm, n = 10), pycnidial, solitary, scattered, immersed, covered with transparent epidermal tissues, uniloculate, subglobose, black, ostiolate. Ostiole apapillate. Pycnidial wall 20 – 25 µm wide, consisting of 4 – 7 layers of brown, thick-walled, compressed cells of textura angularis. Conidiophores reduce to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells 7 – 10 × 13 – 17 µm (x ̅ = 9 × 15 µm, n = 20), phialidic, hyaline, smooth-walled, doliiform. Conidia 20 – 25 × 10 – 15 µm (x ̅ = 22 × 13 µm, n = 20), oblong to obovoid, hyaline, aseptate, smooth, thin-walled.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA3FF5FF91651890717.taxon	biology_ecology	Colony characters — Colonies on PDA incubating at 25 ° C in dark, attenuated 2 cm after 2 weeks, circular, flat, smooth margin, slightly raised in the middle, white, without pigments in the media; reverse off-white. Cultures not sporulate within 30 days.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA3FF5FF91651890717.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined — China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou city, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering (23 ° 06 ’ 28.4 ” N 113 ° 16 ’ 51.6 ” E), as leaf spots of Rhapis excelsa (Arecaceae), 20 May 2021, N. D. Kularathnage, NDK 30 - 1 (ZHKU 21 - 0010, holotype), ex-type living culture ZHKUCC 21 - 0124; ibid. NDK 30 - 2, (ZHKU 22 - 0004, isotype), ex-type living culture ZHKUCC 22 - 0004.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
390887F9CA45FFA3FF5FF91651890717.taxon	discussion	Disease Symptoms — Leaf-spots were observed on most of the leaves and mainly seen at the leaf margin and along the veins. The border of the spots was sometimes surrounded by a black line. Conidiomata were scattered in leaf-spots. Notes — The combined ITS, LSU, SSU and tef- 1 α multilocus analysis showed that our Pseudocoleophoma strain, P. rhapidis is phylogenetically closely related to P. bauhiniae and P. flavescens. However, P. rhapidis forms a distinct subclade with moderate support, sister to P. bauhiniae. The comparison of the DNA sequence of ITS, LSU, SSU, and tef- 1 α loci of Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis with P. bauhiniae revealed base pair differences of 18 / 526, 5 / 859, 12 / 1026 and 72 / 928 respectively. Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis was collected from leaf spots on Rhapis excelsa while P. bauhiniae and P. flavescens were collected from decaying pods of Bauhinia sp. and soil of a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) field respectively (Jayasiri et al. 2019, Li et al. 2020). Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis differs from P. bauhinia in having oblong, aguttulate, large conidia while P. bauhinia has elongate, guttulate, small conidia. Pseudocoleophoma flavescens has small conidiomata and small conidia while P. bauhinia has large conidiomata and conidia (TABLE 4). Our species is the first report of a Pseudocoleophoma species collected from China. Based on morphology and phylogeny, we introduce this strain as a new species, Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis. Pathogenicity tests for Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis The inoculated leaf tissues began to show symptoms ten days after inoculation. Initial symptoms were small, circular, brown spots that expanded slowly (FIGURE 5). None of the control plants showed any disease symptoms. Disease symptoms on the host inoculated with mycelial plugs appeared later than on leaves inoculated with a conidial suspension. Leaf spots on inoculated plants were smaller than on naturally infected plants. The temperature was 15 – 25 ° C during the test with no rainfall. The pathogen was re-isolated from the leaf spots resulting from inoculation by both methods. The culture characteristics of the re-isolated strains were consistent with the inoculated strain and ITS sequences of those strains were identical to the inoculated strain, thus fulfilling Koch’s postulates. Conidiomata similar to the holotype were observed in microscope examination of leaf spots.	en	Kularathnage, Nuwan D., Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Senanayake, Indunil C., Yang, Yunhui, Manawasinghe, Ishara S., Phillips, Alan J. L., Hyde, Kevin D., Dong, Wei, Song, Jiage (2022): Microfungi associated with ornamental palms: Byssosphaeria phoenicis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae) and Pseudocoleophoma rhapidis sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae) from south China. Phytotaxa 568 (2): 149-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.568.2.2
