Pestalotiopsis kenyana Maharachch., K.D. Hyde & Crous, in Maharachchikumbura, Hyde, Groenewald, Xu & Crous, Stud. Mycol. 79: 166 (2014)

Index Fungorum number: IF 809741; MycoBank number: MB 809741Facesoffungi number: FoF 06981;

Etymology – Named after the country where it was collected, Kenya.

Pathogenic to host leaves. Asexual state: Conidiomata pycnidial in culture on PDA, globose, scattered, semi-immersed, black, up to 400 μm diam; exuding globose, dark brown to black conidial masses. Conidiophores sparsely septate at base, branched or unbranched, subcylindrical, hyaline, smooth, up to 15 μm or reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells discrete, lageniform to subcylindrical, hyaline, smooth, proliferating 1–3 times percurrently, 10–25 × 2–5 μm, apex with minute periclinal thickening and collarette. Conidia fusoid, ellipsoid to subcylindrical, straight to slightly curved, 4-septate, (22–)23–28(–29) × 7–9 μm,  ± SD = 25.5 ± 1.2 × 8 ± 0.4 μm; basal cell conic to obconic with a truncate base, hyaline, minutely verruculose and thin-walled, 4–6 μm long; three median cells doliiform, (15–)15.5–18.5(–19) μm long,  ± SD = 17 ± 0.7 μm, wall verruculose concolourous, brown, septa darker than the rest of the cell (second cell from the base 4.5–6 μm long; third cell 5.5–7.5 μm long; fourth cell 3.5–4.5 μm long); apical cell 3.5–5.5 μm long, hyaline, subcylindrical, rugose and thin-walled; with 2–3 tubular apical appendages (mostly 3), arising from the apical crest, unbranched, filiform, (8–)9–18(–20) μm long,  ± SD = 14 ± 3 μm; two basal appendages; centric appendage tubular, flexuous, 3–20 μm long and eccentric appendage tubular, 1–4 μm long. Sexual morph unknown.

Culture characteristics – Colonies on PDA attaining 30–40 mm diam after 7 d at 25 °C, with undulate edge, whitish, with medium dense aerial mycelium on the surface with black, gregarious conidiomata; reverse similar in colour.

Material examined Kenya, from Coffea sp. branch, Oct. 1967, H. Vermeulen (CBS H-15657, holotype, ex-type culture CBS 442.67). Unknown country, from raw material from agar-agar, kobe 1 (stips), Sep. 1996, A.K. Johansen, culture CBS 911.96.

Habitat – On branches of Coffea sp., and raw material from agar-agar, kobe 1.

Distribution – China

Sequence data – ITS: OM746237 (ITS1/ITS4); tef1: OM840009 (EF1-728F/EF2); tub2: OM839910 (Bt2a/Bt2b)

Notes – Pestalotiopsis kenyana (clade 42; Fig. 5) formed a separate clade in the phylogenetic analyses as sister to P. trachicarpicola (clade 43; Fig. 5). Both P. kenyana and P. trachicarpicola often have two basal appendages. Pestalotiopsis kenyana differs from both P. trachicarpicola and P. biciliata (clade 38; Fig. 5) in having wider conidia (see comparison under P. biciliata).

Fig. 14. Pestalotiopsis kenyanaCBS 442.67T.A. Conidiomata sporulating on PNA. B. Conidiomata on PDA. C–E. Conidiogenous cells. F–K. Conidia. Scale bars = 10 μm.