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Abstract
Epichloë species are fungal symbionts (endophytes) of grasses, six European and four North American biological species in genus Epichloë have been described in previous researches. In this study we describe a new Epichloë species, Epichloë yangzii Li et Wang, found in natural symbioses with Roegneria kamoji native to China. We investigated the host specificity, morphology, interfertility tests and molecular phylogenetic evidences of this new species. The results indicated that E. yangzii is host specific and seedborne. Most morphological characteristics of this new species are typical in the genus. However differences are evident in several features including size of perithecia, asci and ascospores. In mating tests E. yangzii was not interfertile with E. elymi isolates from related hosts in genera Elymus. Phylogenetic relationships based on sequences of β-tubulin gene (tub2) introns and translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1) introns showed that members of the new species grouped into exclusive clades with high bootstrap value.
We thank Prof. C.L. Schardl for contributions of biological materials and for critical reviewing of the manuscript, Prof. X.K. Qin for advice on species determinant of plant samples, and Prof. James F. White, Jr. and an anonymous reviewer for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported partially by National Science Foundation of China (Grant 30070019).