An integrative re-evaluation of the Fusarium sambucinum species complex

The species-rich Fusarium sambucinum species complex (FSAMSC; Fusarium, Nectriaceae, Hypocreales) is well-known for including devastating plant pathogens and toxigenic species. However, this group of grass-loving fungi also accommodates soil saprobes, endophytes, mycoparasites and rare opportunistic pathogens of humans and other animals. Recent publications have highlighted the vast phylogenetic and biochemical diversity of the FSAMSC, although a large number of taxa in FSAMSC have not been systematically described and still lack Latin binomials. In this study we established the phylogenetic breadth of the FSAMSC using an integrative approach including morphological, multilocus phylogenetic, and coalescence analyses based on five gene regions (calmodulin, RNA polymerase II largest and second largest subunits, translation elongation factor 1-α, and β-tubulin). Results obtained support the recognition of 75 taxa in FSAMSC, including all the currently known species segregates of the Fusarium head-blight pathogen F. graminearum s. lat. Thirty novel species are formally described and illustrated, while four phylogenetic species remain undescribed. An epitype is proposed for the generic type of Fusarium, F. sambucinum, from recently collected material identified by means of morphology, phylogenetics and mating experiments, fixing the phylogenetic application of the name. Additional notes are included on the typification of Fusisporium cerealis (syn. Fusarium cerealis). Taxonomic novelties: New species: Fusarium agreste Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium amblysporum Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, Fusarium bananae Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, Fusarium bellum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium brachypes Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium carinatum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium cultriforme Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, Fusarium cuspidatum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium cygneum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium dimorphosporum Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium dolichosporum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium gladiolum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium hamatum Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium leptum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium longicolle Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium magnum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium mastigosporum Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium minutum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium mucronatum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium parabolicum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium platysporum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium pratense Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium procumbens Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium pseudolongipes Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium sagittatum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium seculiforme Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium subcylindroides Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium symmetricum Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium tropicale Sand.-Den., M.M. Costa, J.Z. Groenew. & Crous, Fusarium vermicularioides Sand.-Den., J.Z. Groenew. & Crous. Epitype: Fusarium sambucinum Fuckel. Citation: Sandoval-Denis M, Costa MM, Broders K, Becker Y, Maier W, Yurkov A, Kermode A, Buddie AG, Ryan MJ, Schumacher RK, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW (2024). An integrative re-evaluation of the Fusarium sambucinum species complex. Studies in Mycology 110: 1-110 doi: 10.3114/sim.2025.110.01.