Two new species of Meliola from Yunnan Province China

Meliola is an epifoliar fungal genus commonly known as black mildews, predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions and considered host specific. This study describes two novel species, Meliola fuscobrunnea and M. fusconigra, collected from Yunnan Province, China. Meliola fuscobrunnea was collected from the leaves of Annona squamosa, while M. fusconigra was collected from Xylopia aethiopica. Comprehensive morpho-molecular analyses were conducted to distinguish these taxa from other Meliola species. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences confirmed their placements within Meliola and supported their status as distinct lineages. The morpho-molecular data provide robust evidence to establish these species as novel taxa, enriching the current understanding of fungal diversity in Yunnan Province.