Crassiparies yunnanensis L. Lu, K.D. Hyde & Tibpromma, sp. nov. (Figure 2)

MycoBank number: MB 558827; Index Fungorum number: IF 558827; Facesoffungi number: FoF 10578;

Etymology: Refer to collected place.

Holotype: HKAS 121977

Saprobic on decaying branch of coffee arabica. Sexual morph Ascomata 90–360 µm high, 130–330 µm diam (x̅ = 198 × 242 µm, n = 10), scattered, solitary, semi-immersed to immersed, irregular shape, some globose to subglobose, uni-loculate, with short ostiole at central, ostiole with orange secretion on the substrate. Peridium 15–35 µm thick walled, of equal thickness, outer layers, hyaline, composed of textura angularis. Hamathecium 1–2.5 µm wide, numerous, septate, branched, long, hyaline, anastomosing at the apex, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 110–300 × 20–30 µm (x̅ = 182 × 23 µm, n = 20), 8-spored, fissitunicate, cylindrical to clavate, hyaline, sometimes have long stipes up to 110 μm. Ascospores 23–36 × 7.5–14 µm (x̅ = 28 × 11 µm, n = 30), l/w 2–3.3 (x̅ = 2.6, n = 30), 1–2 seriate, hyaline, broadly fusiform, smooth-walled, conical at both ends, 1-septate, upper cell bigger than lower cell, septa prominent when immature, each cell with a single large guttule when mature. Asexual morph Undetermined.

Culture characteristics: Ascospores germinated within 12 hours on PDA, colonies grow on PDA at room temperature (20–25°C), reached around 35 mm diam after one month. Colonies on circular to irregular, dull surface and wrinkles, yellow-green to brown, aerial hyphae at the edge. Dark green on the reverse. Produce a yellow-orange pigment on PDA.

Material examined: China, Pu’er Yunnan Province, on dead branch of coffee, 23 December 2020, li Lu, MJ-C7 (HKAS 121977, holotype); ex-type living culture KUMCC 21-0215.

Notes: Crassiparies yunnanensis is introduced here as a new species. Based on BLAST search results of ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2 and tef sequence data showed our collection is closely related to Cra. quadrisporus, with similarity rates NR_148185: 95.2%, LC271241: 97.7%, NG_061267: 99.57%, LC271251: 93.3%, LC271247: 93.5%, respectively. While, phylogenetic analysis shown Cra. yunnanensis well-separated from Cra. quadrisporus with 100% ML, 1.00 BYPP statistical supports (Fig. 1). The morphological features of our new species share similar morphology with Cra. quadrisporus but can be distinguished from Cra. quadrisporus by asci characteristic, Cra. quadrisporus has 2–4 ascospores in asci, while our new species having 8 ascospores in asci with long stipe (Li et al. 2016, Tanaka et al. 2017). Hence, based on both morphology and phylogeny, we introduce our collection as a new species of Crassiparies. In addition, Crassiparies species have been isolated from dead twigs of Acer sp. and Machilus japonica (Lauraceae) in Japan (Li et al. 2016, Tanaka et al. 2017). This is also a new geographical and habitat record of Cra. yunnanensis from coffee branch in China.

FIGURE. 2 (HKAS 121977, holotype). a, b Ascomata on coffee branch surface (arrows indicate orange secretion). c, d Vertical section of ascomata. e Peridium of ascoma. f Hamathecium. g-k Asci. l-q Ascospores. r Germinating ascospores. s Colonies on PDA media. Scale bars: c=100 µm, d=50 µm, e, r =20 µm, f =50 µm, g-k =30 µm, l-q =10 µm.