Species diversity, distribution patterns, and substrate specificity of Strobilurus

ABSTRACT

The fungal genus Strobilurus belongs to Physalacriaceae and contains approximately 11 species worldwide. Species of this genus grow and reproduce on cones of various conifers, seed pods or fruits of Magnolia and Liquidambar, and branches and wood of conifers. Previous studies focused mainly on samples from Europe and North America. And no genus-specific phylogenetic analysis has been carried out to date. The monophyly, degree of species diversity and substrate specificity, and overall distribution patterns are addressed here using morphological and molecular evidence. The authors collected samples of Strobilurus from much of its known distribution ranges and carried out morphological observations and multilocus phylogenetic analyses using five molecular markers. The results show that Strobilurus is a monophyletic group but may exclude one species, S. ohshimae. A total of 13 species was identified, with two, S. orientalis and S. pachycystidiatus, described as new from China. Several species were shown to be specific to certain substrates, whereas a few less so. Biogeographic analyses indicated that historical exchanges of species between East Asia, Europe, and North America, later vicariance events, and substrate specificity have contributed jointly to diversification of Strobilurus.

KEYWORDS:

• China
• new species
• Physalacriaceae
• Pinus
• substrate specificity
• taxonomy
• 2 new taxa

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Paul Berry (MICH), David Giblin (WTU), Giovanni Robich (MCVE), Olivia Lee (UBC), Dennis E. Desjardin (SFSU), Tai-Hui Li (HMIGD), Tolgor Bau and Yu-Guang Fan (HMJAU), and Lin Guo (HMAS) for specimens on loan. Xiang-Hua Wang, Li-Hong Han, Xue-Tai Zhu, Bang Feng, Yan-Jia Hao, Gang Wu, Yan-Chun Li, Xiao-Bin Liu, and Qi Zhao (Kunming Institute of Botany, China), Bo Xiao (Chongqing, China), Xin Chen (Huazhong Agricultural University, China), and Jun-Bo Zhang (Jiangxi Agricultural University, China) are acknowledged for providing specimens and/or colored images. Yan-Jia Hao, Ting Guo, and Xiao-Bin Liu are thanked for providing sequences of Oudemansiella, Armillaria, and Flammulina. Xiang-Hua Wang is specially thanked for her assistance in BPP analyses.

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Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (no. XDPB020101), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 31170024 and 31700026), the CAS/SAFEA International Partnership Program for Creative Research Teams, and the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (no. KSCX2-EW-Z-9). We appreciate the comments and suggestions from two anonymous reviewers and the executive editor for improvements to earlier versions of the manuscript.