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Pseudovirgaria, a fungicolous hyphomycete genus

Uwe Braun1, Pedro W Crous, Johannes Z Groenewald

  • 1Martin-Luther-Universität, Institut für Biologie, Bereich Geobotanik und Botanischer Garten, Herbarium, Neuwerk 21, D-06099 Halle (Saale), Germany.

IMA Fungus
|June 9, 2012
PubMed

Insights

A European fungus, Rhinotrichum griseum, previously thought to be Pseudovirgaria hyperparasitica, is now identified as Pseudovirgaria grisea comb. nov. This mycoparasite affects rust fungi, with its distinct identity confirmed through morphological and genetic analysis.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Plant Pathology
  • Fungal Taxonomy

Background:

  • The genus Pseudovirgaria was recently established for a mycoparasitic fungus found on rust sori in Korea.
  • Rhinotrichum griseum, an older name for a European fungus, shares morphological similarities with Pseudovirgaria hyperparasitica.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the taxonomic status of Rhinotrichum griseum.
  • To determine if R. griseum is conspecific with P. hyperparasitica.
  • To propose a new combination for the European mycoparasite.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological examination of fresh collections of R. griseum from Austria.
  • DNA sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region as a genetic barcode.
  • Comparison with P. hyperparasitica.

Main Results:

  • Morphological and ITS sequence data demonstrate that R. griseum is distinct from P. hyperparasitica.
  • The European mycoparasite, previously identified as R. griseum, is not conspecific with the Korean P. hyperparasitica.

Conclusions:

  • The European fungus previously known as Rhinotrichum griseum is reclassified as Pseudovirgaria grisea comb. nov.
  • The taxonomic status of the genus Rhinotrichum remains uncertain.
  • An epitype is designated for Pseudovirgaria grisea to stabilize its classification.
Keywords:
DothideomycetesITSLSUPhragmidium bulbosumRubus caesiusRubus fruticosus aggr.

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