Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales), a new family including Cryphonectria, Chrysoporthe, Endothia and allied genera

Abstract

Recent phylogenetic studies on the members of the Diaporthales have shown that the order includes a number of distinct phylogenetic groups. These groups represent the Gnomoniaceae, Melanconidaceae, Valsaceae, Diaporthaceae and Togniniaceae. New groups representing undescribed families also have emerged and they have been referred to as the Schizoparme, Cryphonectria-Endothia and Harknessia complexes. In this study we define the new family Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales) to accommodate genera in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex. These genera can be distinguished from those in other families or undescribed groups of the Diaporthales by the formation of orange stromatic tissue at some stage of their life cycle and a purple reaction in KOH and a yellow reaction in lactic acid associated with pigments in the stromatic tissue or in culture.

• Amphilogia
• Cryptodiaporthe corni
• LSU sequences
• Rostraureum

This study would not have been possible without the significant support, suggestions and encouragement of Drs Amy R. Rossman and Lisa A. Castlebury. They not only provided us with many important cultures used in their related studies but advised us regarding their LSU datasets, encouraged us to proceed with the description of a family that encompasses a group of fungi important to our research endeavors and reviewed this manuscript before submission. We also are grateful to Drs P.W. Crous and J.Z. Groenewald and to L. Mostert who supplied LSU sequences of the Schizoparme complex, Harknessia/Wuestneia group and Togniniaceae. We thank Dr Hugh F. Glen of the National Botanical Institute, KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium, Durban, South Africa, for providing the Latin description and for his enthusiastic support of our work. This study was made possible with financing from the National Research Foundation (NRF), members of the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP), and the THRIP support programme of the Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.