Xenovaginatispora Boonmee, Huanraluek & K.D. Hyde, gen. nov.

Index Fungorum number: IF558536; Facesoffungi number: FoF 09188.

Etymology: Named after its morphological similarity to

Vaginatispora, but phylogenetically distinct.

Saprobic on submerged decaying wood.

Sexual morph:  Ascomata immersed to semi-immersed, erumpent, solitary, scattered, globose to subglobose, dark brown, coriaceous to carbonaceous, ostiolate. Papilla slit-like, variable in shape, central, crest-like at the apex, with irregular pore-like open- ing. Peridium composed of several layers of dark brown cells of textura angularis, merged with the host tissues. Hamathe- cium comprising numerous, filamentous, rarely branched and anastomosed, hyaline, pseudoparaphyses, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 8-spored, bitunicate, elongate ovoid to clavate, short pedicellate, knob-like or obtuse, slightly narrow, rounded at the apex. Ascospores 1–2-seri- ate, overlapping, broadly fusoid to fusiform, septate, slightly constricted at the septum, both cells at central septum wider, with a single large guttule towards the centre of each cell, surrounded by a prominent and thick-walled mucilaginous sheath with wavy edge, drawn out towards each end to form- ing tapering appendages.

Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Type species: Xenovaginatispora phichaiensis Boonmee, Huanraluek & K.D. Hyde

Notes: – Xenovaginatispora shares similarities with Vagi- natispora taxa in having immersed to semi-immersed, erumpent, slit-like openings in the ascomata and broadly fusoid to fusiform, 1-septate, guttulate, surrounded by a prominent mucilaginous sheath, hyaline ascospores, which are variable in shape (Thambugala et al. 2015; Wanasinghe et al. 2016; Hashimoto et al. 2018; Hyde et al. 2019; Jayasiri et al. 2019). Phylogenetically, Xenovaginatispora belongs to Lindgomycetaceae, whereas Vaginatispora belongs to Lophiostomataceae (Thambugala et al. 2015). Xenovagi- natispora forms a basal lineage to Neolindgomyces with high statistical support (93% MLBS, 1.00 BYPP). Based on morphology and phylogenetic distinctions, we introduce our collection as a new genus with the monotypic species, Xenovaginatispora phichaiensis.

Species