Pseudopestalotiopsis theae (Sawada) Maharachch., K.D. Hyde & Crous, Studies in Mycology. 79: 183 (2014) Fig. 21

MycoBank number: MB 809756; Index Fungorum number: IF 809756; Facesoffungi number: FoF 07204;

Basionym – Pestalotia theae Sawada, Spec. Report Agric. Exp. Station Formosa 11: 113. 1915. as “Pestalozzia”
≡ Pestalotiopsis theae (Sawada) Steyaert, Bull. Jard. bot. Etat Brux. 19: 327. 1949

Associated with dead leaves of Ceriops tagal. Sexual morph: Not observed. Asexual morph: Conidiomata solitary, subglobose, unilocular or bilocular, brown, semi-immersed on leaves. Conidiophores indistinct, often reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells subcylindrical to cylindrical, hyaline, rugose walled. Conidia 22.0–31.0 × 5.0–7.0 μm, x̄ ± SD = 26.0 ±1.9 × 6 ± 0.5 μm (n = 40), L/W ratio = 4.3, fusiform, straight to slightly curved, 4-septate; basal cell obconic with a truncate base, hyaline or sometimes pale brown, rugose walled, 3.0–7.0 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 5.2 ± 0.7 μm); three median cells 14.0–20.0 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 15.8 ± 1.3 μm), doliiform to cylindrical, pale brown to brown, concolourous, wall rugose, septa darker than the rest of the cell; second cell from base pale brown to brown, 4.0–7.5 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 5.5 ± 0.7 μm); third cell pale brown to brown, 3.5–6.5 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 5.0 ± 0.7 μm); fourth cell pale brown to brown, 2.5–7.0 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 5.0 ± 0.9 μm); apical cell 2.5–5.5 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 4.0 ± 0.7 μm), hyaline, conic to acute; with 2–3 tubular appendages on apical cell, inserted at different loci in a crest at the apex of the apical cell, unbranched, 18.0–29.0 μm long (x̄ ± SD =24.5 ± 2.7 μm); single basal appendage, unbranched, tubular, centric, 3.0–6.0 μm long (x̄ ± SD = 4.5 ± 0.6 μm).

Culture characteristics – Colonies on PDA reaching 10 cm diam after two weeks at 25 °C, colonies filamentous to circular, medium dense, aerial mycelium on the surface flat or raised, fluffy, white from above and below.

Material examined – Thailand, Suphan Buri Province, dead leaf of Ceriops tagal (Rhizophoraceae), 5 September 2020, S Wang, TN07 (MFLU 22-0169); living culture, MFLUCC 22-0128.

GenBank Accession Numbers – MFLUCC 22-0128: TEF = OP753377, TUB = OP752136, ITS = OP497993

Notes – our isolate MFLUCC 22-0128 is phylogenetically grouped with the type species of Pseudopestalotiopsis, Ps. theae. Morphologically, our new collection MFLU 22-0169 resembles Ps. theae (MFLUCC 12-0055) in color and size of the conidiogenous cells, conidia, and appendages. Therefore, we report this isolate as a new host record of Ps. theae from the Ceriops tagal.

Figure 21 – Pseudopestalotiopsis theae (MFLUCC 22-0128). a Host. b, c Close up view of conidiomata. d, e Section through conidioma. e Section through pycnidial wall. f, h Conidia attached to conidiogenous cells. h–l Conidia. Scale bars: d, e = 100 µm, f–h = 10 µm, i–l = 20 µm