The seasonal occurrence and distribution of myxomycetes on different types of newly defoliated leaf litter were examined in a secondary forest in a warm temperate region of western Japan. The two types of leaf litter (deciduous trees, Prunus verecunda and Quercus variabilis, and evergreen trees, Q. glauca and Cinnamomum camphora) were incubated in trays on the forest floor. A total of 45 myxomycete species were recorded from 3021 collected samples that occurred at the July peak during the warmest and humidest season from April to November. The occurrence of species was significantly related to the changes in mean temperature and minimum temperature on both leaf types under humid conditions. Myxomycete assemblages were divided into three seasonal phases. Most of the species occurred in June–September, while a few species demonstrated characteristic distributions; i.e., Didymium melanospermum appeared in April– May and Diderma umbilicatum appeared in October– November. The respective leaf types supported the reproduction of myxomycetes with high species richness and diversity, with 34 species and H’ = 2.59 on deciduous trees and similarly 30 species and H’ = 2.49 on evergreen trees. Several species, however, exhibited a preference for either the deciduous tree or evergreen tree leaves. Thus, a mixed forest that defoliates during different two seasons yields a greater species diversity of myxomycete assemblage.

The phylogenetic position of the anamorphic genus Calcarisporiella was investigated. Three isolates of Calcarisporiella, including an authentic strain and a newly obtained isolate, were analyzed phylogenetically using rDNA sequences. The result indicated that Calcarisporiella, which was classified as an ascomycetous anamorph, is a member of Mucoromycotina. It formed an independent clade separated from the other known orders of this subphylum.

Three basidiomycetous yeast strains, No. 3 (=MAFF 654001), No. 4 (=MAFF 654002), and No. 6 (=MAFF 654003), isolated from diseased leaves of Citrus unshiu and formerly identified as Sporobolomyces roseus, were reported to cause citrus pseudo greasy spot (PGS). In the course of investigating the causal agent of citrus PGS, we confirmed, using conventional and molecular phylogenetic methods, that these yeasts caused citrus PGS but did not belong to S. roseus. No. 3 (=MAFF 654001) and No. 4 (=MAFF 654002) were closely related to S. subbrunneus, and No. 6 (=MAFF 654003) to S. dimmenae, but each of them was distinctive from these species. We have proposed two new species, S. productus and S. corallinus, as the causal pathogens of citrus PGS.

Teratosphaeria suttonii (=Kirramyces epicoccoides) is a leaf pathogen that can cause premature defoliation, reduced growth and vigor, and subsequent tree death of many Eucalyptus species. Although the fungus primarily infects mature leaves in the lower canopy, infections can spread to younger leaves during continued epidemics or when trees are stressed. Teratosphaeria suttonii has a wide distribution in Australia and has been introduced to many other parts of the world, most probably with germplasm used to establish plantations. The aim of this study was to establish the phylogenetic relationships between T. suttonii isolates from different countries and to consider whether cryptic species exist in a species complex. DNA from parts of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, and elongation factor-1α genes was sequenced and analyzed for isolates from throughout the range of T. suttonii in Australia, and from six countries (China, Indonesia, South Africa, Uruguay, United States, and Vietnam) where the pathogen is introduced. Morphometrics of conidia produced both in vivo and in vitro were also considered. Analysis of the sequence data resulted in incongruent genealogies. Furthermore, groups of isolates in the genealogies could not be linked to area of origin. Similarly, differences in conidial morphology could not be linked to any of the phylogenetic groups. There was no evidence of distinct species boundaries, and isolates from Australia were closely related to those from other parts of the world. The results of this study support the treatment of T. suttonii as a morphologically and genetically diverse species in its natural range in Australia. The diversity is reflected in introduced populations.

Macrolepiota subcitrophylla sp. nov. is described from Yunnan and Hunan Provinces, China. Morphologically, it is characterized by its yellowish lamellae, relatively small, ovoid to subamygdaliform-ellipsoid, dextrinoid basidiospores with distinct germ pore, narrowly clavate, clavate to subfusiform cheilocystidia, and a pileus covering composed of a trichoderm of subcylindrical hyphae. Sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region show that M. subcitrophylla is distinct from all other Macrolepiota species tested, suggesting it is a taxon close to M. clelandii, a species originally described from Australia.

Vuilleminia is a basidiomycete genus the species of which have resupinate, corticioid fruiting bodies. It is apparently a North Hemisphere genus, and the majority of its species are distributed in Europe and western Asia. In North America, there are two reports of Vuilleminia comedens. Detailed study of North American specimens and comparisons with additional collections led to the conclusion that they belong to a new lineage named Vuilleminia erastii sp. nov., whose distribution extends from western North America to East Asia, Siberia, and Finland. The species is recognized by the decorticating fruiting bodies with preference for species of Betulaceae in the boreal zone, relatively small allantoid basidiospores, and little-developed cystidia with apical appendix.

Agaricus flocculosipes is described as new from northern Thailand and Mayotte based on morphology and ITS sequence analysis. The new species is compared with similar taxa, and a comprehensive description, line drawings, and colored photographs are provided. Agaricus flocculosipes is distinguished among the species in section Arvenses by its relatively large sporocarps (110-80 mm in diameter), erect floccose squamules on the surface of the stipe, and relatively small basidiospores (less than 6.5 lm long). Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS sequence data using maximum likelihood, parsimony, and Bayesian analyses all support A. flocculosipes as being a distinct species within section Arvenses. The new taxon is potentially cultivatable as it is presumably heterothallic, exhibits extensive genetic diversity, and occurs in section Arvenses, a lineage that contains other edible cultivatable taxa such as Agaricus arvensis and Agaricus subrufescens.

Staphylotrichum boninense, anewhyphomycete classified in the Chaetomiaceae (Ascomycota), was isolated from soils in the Bonin Islands, Japan. It is characterized morphologically by the production of yellow-orange colonies and subglobose holoblastic conidia. Morphologically the species is similar to S. coccosporum, but it is significantly different from S. coccosporum in phylogeny and also differs with respect to its secondary metabolite profile.

Muscodor sutura is described as a novel species that is also an endophyte of Prestonia trifidi. Uniquely, this fungus produces a reddish pigment, on potato dextrose agar (PDA), when grown in the dark. In addition, the organism makes some volatile organic compounds that have not been previously reported from this genus, namely, thujopsene, chamigrene, isocaryophyllene, and butanoic acid, 2-methyl. These and other volatile compounds in the mixture possess wide-spectrum antifungal activity and no observable antibacterial activity. Most unusually, on PDA, the newly developing hyphae of this fungus grow in a perfect stitching pattern, in and out of the agar surface. The partial ITS–DNA sequence of this organism is identical to that of Muscodor vitigenus but it differs from all other Muscodor spp. Justification for a new species, as Muscodor sutura, is collectively based on morphological, cultural, chemical, and bioactivity properties.

A new Ingoldian hyphomycete was isolated from fallen leaves in Bach Ma National Park, Vietnam, and is described here as Condylospora vietnamensis. This fungus is different from four known Condylospora species in morphological characteristics, having U- or N-shaped conidia.

A melanin biosynthetic gene, Sal1, in the southern corn leaf blight fungus Cochliobolus heterostrophus, was identified by degenerate and inverse PCR. Structural analysis revealed that the open reading frame is 555 bp in length, interrupted by one intron. Melanin deficiency of the sal1 mutant strain, which accumulates the intermediate scytalone, was successfully complemented by introducing the gene fragment. These results suggest that Sal1 is a scytalone dehydratase gene of C. heterostrophus.