Hirsutella uncinata, a new hyphomycete from Australia

Abstract

Hirsutella uncinata, collected on follicles of Hakea sp. in New South Wales, Australia, is described as a new anamorph species. The fungus produces stiff, erect, verticillate conidiophores with up to 10 whorls of hooked, phialidic conidiogenous cells that have rough-walled necks. The conidia are subfusiform, flattened on one side and produced in groups of 2–3 in a dense slimy ball at the end of each phialide. Parsimony analysis of aligned internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequences suggests that H. uncinata is closely related to the Cordyceps sinensis complex (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales), which includes species with morphologically similar anamorphs.

• Clavicipitaceae
• Cordyceps sinensis
• internal transcribed spacers
• phylogenetics
• taxonomy

We are grateful to Dr Brett Summerell, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, Australia, for arranging the field trip during which this fungus was collected. Dr Sarah Hambleton kindly advised us on details of DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. We appreciate helpful presubmission reviews by Sarah Hambleton and John Bissett.