Muyocopron cinnamomi Marasinghe, C.H. Kuo & K.D Hyde, sp. nov.

Index Fungorum number: IF551617;

Etymology – The specific epithet ‘cinnamomi’ was referred the host, where the fungus was collected.

Holotype – MFLU 19-0725

Saprobic on dead leaves of Cinnamomum kotoense. Asexual morph: Undetermined. Sexual morph: Colonies on natural substrate dry, black, circular, dull, undulate, umbonate, rough. Ascomata 100–140 μm high × 350–500 μm diam. (x̅ = 120 × 454 μm, n = 10), superficial, solitary or scattered, appearing as circular, flattened, dark brown to black spots, carbonaceous, with irregular margin, central ostiole. Peridium 30–65 μm wide, outer layer comprising dark brown to black, pseudoparenchymatous cells, inner layer comprising yellow-brown cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium comprising numerous, 1.5–2.5 μm wide, cylindrical to filiform, aseptate, unbranched pseudoparaphyses. Asci 65–110 × 15–35 μm (x̅ = 85 × 28 μm, n = 20), 4–8spored, bitunicate, broadly cylindrical to ovoid, with short pedicle. Ascospores 20–25 × 10–14 μm (x̅ = 22 × 12 μm, n = 20), overlapping 1–3-seriate, hyaline to pale yellowish, 1-celled, ellipsoid to obovoid, granular, with 1–2 oil guttules when immature stage.

Material examined – Taiwan, Chiayi Province, Chiayi National University, on dead leaves of Cinnamomum kotoense, 19 September 2019, Diana Sandamali, DTUF01 (MFLU 190725, holotype).

GenBank submissions – LSU: MT909524, SSU: MT909524.

Known distribution (based on molecular data) – Taiwan (this study).

Known hosts (based on molecular data)Cinnamomum kotoense (this study).

NotesMuyocopron cinnamomi has a close phylogenetic affinity with M. garethjonesii, however, it differs in having a hamathecium with cylindrical to filiform, aseptate pseudoparaphyses. According to the phylogenetic analysis based on LSU and SSU sequence data, our strain clusters with M. garethjonesii (MFLU 162664) with relatively high bootstrap and Bayesian probabilities (97% ML, 1.00 BYPP respectively).

Muyocopron cinnamomi (MFLU 190725, holotype). a–c Superficial ascomata on substrate. d Section of ascoma. e Peridium. f Pseudoparaphyses. g–l Asci. m–n Ascospores. Scale bars: d= 100 μm, e = 10 μm, f = 5 μm, i–l = 10 μm, m–p = 5 μm.