Inonotus taiwanensis (Hymenochaetales) is described as a new species collected from southern Taiwan, and all specimens grew on the trunk of Trema tomentosa. This new species is characterized by having resupinate, effuse-reflexed to pileate basidiocarps, bright yellow context, long setal hyphae in context and trama, setae in hymenium and trama, and fairly small basidiospores. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference phylogenies inferred from both sequences of 28S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA indicated that I. taiwanensis forms a distinct clade within Inonotus, and the species is sister to I. tricolor. The comparison of morphological differences among I. taiwanensis and some closely related Inonotus spp. is presented.

The genus Cyathus is historically subsampled in the Amazon Forest, which is a potential source of striking taxonomic richness. In this paper, a checklist of Amazonian Cyathus species with detailed descriptions, illustrations and comments of five uncommon species are given. A new species named C. albinus is proposed with morphological and molecular data, being mainly characterized by a light color hirsute exoperidium contrasting with a dark brown emplacement and basidiospores ovoid to elliptical. Three other species, C. amazonicus, C. earlei and C. triplex, are recorded for the first time from their localities. Also, polyphyly is detected into striatum infra-generic group after the addiction of tropical species, but a subclade containing Amazonian species was highly supported.

Xylodon subflaviporus (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) is described as a new species collected from tropical and subtropical regions of East Asia. This new species is characterized by resupinate basidiocarps, a poroid hymenophore, pseudodimitic hyphal system, nodose-septate hyphae, four types of cystidia (capitate, acicular to cylindrical, subulate to ventricose, and apically-encrusted), and thin-walled, colorless, smooth and ellipsoid basidiospores. Bayesian, Maximum Likelihood and Maximum Parsimony algorithms were used to construct phylogenies inferred from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA. Morphological and molecular studies, along with intercompatibility tests, confirmed the independent status of this species. Also, based on morphological and molecular evidence, six new combinations of Xylodon are proposed to accommodate species originally classified under Hyphodontia s.l., i.e. X. bubalinus, X. chinensis, X. mollissimus, X. nongravis, X. reticulatus and X. subtropicus. A key to known species of Hyphodontia s.l. with poroid, irpicoid or raduloid hymenophores is provided for the convenience in identification.

The plant pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare, which is the causal agent of cucumber anthrac nose disease, forms dome-shaped, melanized appressoria as a host invasion structure. We found 10 conserved homeobox transcription factors based on genome analysis. In this study, we functionally analyzed one of the C. orbiculare homeobox gene named CoHox3 (Colletotrichum orbiculare Homeobox transcription factor 3) during the infection process. CoHox3 knockout mutants were non-pathogenic on host leaves (inoculated with 1.0 × 10⁴ conidia/mL). Conidia of CoHox3 mutants germinated and/or formed lightly pigmented structures, but did not form mature appressoria on glass slides, artificial membranes, or host leaves. Only 0.3−0.6% of germinated conidia of CoHox3 mutants formed infection hyphae on host leaves. Green fluorescent protein-based expression experiments showed that germinated conidia of the CoHox3 mutant did not express CoGAS1 gene, an appressorium-specific gene, although wild-type strain 104-T expressed the CoGAS1 gene during appressorium formation. When conidia of the CoHox3 mutant was incubated on glass slides, nuclear division was significantly later than that of wildtype, which formed appressorium. Thus, homeobox transcription factor CoHox3 is required to form normal appressoria.

Recent classification and phylogenetic analyses of dictyostelids are based on molecular sequences, but not all strains have been examined using this approach. Since the original identification in 1869, several strains called Dictyostelium mucoroides have been isolated; however, molecular taxonomic analyses of these strains remain insufficient. We therefore attempted to verify classification of one of these strains (Dm7) using rRNA sequences. As a result, strain Dm7 was found to be phylogenetically closer to D. clavatum and D. longosporum than to D. mucoroides. Comparisons of the morphological features of these strains further supported the classification based on sequence data, suggesting that Dm7 should be classified as a strain of D. clavatum.

A look-alike of Lactifluus kigomaensis, described in 2012 from primary miombo woodlands in the Kigoma Province of northwestern Tanzania, is proposed here as L. subkigomaensis. The phylogeny based on the molecular markers ITS, LSU, RPB1 and RPB2 shows that L. subkigomaensis is a sister species to L. kigomaensis. Detailed descriptions of both species are given here, aiming at finding good characters to unravel these look-alikes. Both species are consumed and offered for sale on local markets.

There is little available data on the biogeography of myxomycetes at the regional scale within any given climate zone. To investigate the geographical distribution of these protozoans, we focused on corticolous myxomycetes associated with the bark of Cryptomeria japonica trees, which we sampled extensively throughout Japan. Myxomycete sporophores developed in 73% of 2244 moist-chamber cultures of 188 bark samples from 24 regions, including 31 species. The most abundant species were Paradiacheopsis rigida and Cribraria confusa, which accounted for over 20% of all myxomycetes sampled. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to analyze the distribution of myxomycetes in relation to geographical variables and bark pH. The distribution of myxomycetes was influenced by altitude, temperature and bark pH. Temperature gradients and relative abundance of species were negatively correlated in P. rigida and Comatricha laxa and positively correlated in C. confusa, Macbrideora cornea, and Diderma chondrioderma. Bark pH was also positively correlated with the relative abundance of C. confusa, D. chondrioderma, and Physarum nutans and negatively correlated with that of P. rigida, P. cribrata, Enerthnema papillatum, and E. melanospermum. Geographical distribution of corticolous myxomycete communities was determined based on temperature and bark pH, which acted as local barriers in our study area.

A new species of myxomycete, Lepidoderma cristatosporum, is described from Australia. This species is represented by material collected on subantarctic Macquarie Island. Photographs of fruiting bodies and morphological features as observed under light microscopy are provided, along with micrographs of spore ornamentation as observed by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, the new species is compared with other taxa belonging to the genera Lepidoderma and Diderma, especially with the type material of Lepidoderma crustaceum, a very similar species, and Diderma ochraceum and D. sauteri, two species also muscicolous, for which microphotographs are provided.

Sydowia japonica, a dothidealean fungus, is a parasite that is specific to the male strobili of Japanese cedar. The fungus is a candidate for the control of Japanese cedar pollen dispersal, which is a cause of pollinosis. To evaluate S. japonica for bioherbicidal applications, it is necessary to characterise its potential distribution and environmental niche. Here, we predicted the distribution of S. japonica in Japan using field surveys and a maximum entropy model, and identified the environmental variables that influence its distribution. We identified S. japonica from a total of 87 localities in Japan through field surveys. Based on presence data and associated environmental variables, our model predicted that S. japonica is widely distributed in Japan, but concentrated in the Hokuriku and Kinki areas along the Sea of Japan. The model also predicted that the most important environmental variables influencing fungal distribution were sunshine duration in the winter and precipitation in the summer. This new information will contribute to the development of bioherbicidal applications for S. japonica.

We used a culture-dependent approach to investigate root-associated fungal communities in Fagaceae roots at four fagaceous species-dominant forests in Japan. In total 1029 isolates were collected and classified, based on colony morphological features and molecular information. Species of order Helotiales (Ascomycota) were dominantly isolated at all four sites, in which a globally-distributed putative endophytic group in Hyaloscyphaceae predominated. This group of fungi was morphologically and phylogenetically investigated using these isolates as well as additional isolates collected from 8 different sites in Japan. Among the Hyaloscyphaceae, Glutinomyces species were frequently detected, and three novel species, G. inflatus, G. vulgaris, and G. takaragaikensis spp. nov. were identified and described according to their morphology and genealogical concordance.

To discover the differences and modes of saccharifying ability among Rhizopus arrhizus strains isolated from various habitats, we grew strains in glutinous rice media to monitor the production of glucose from starch using spectrophotometry at regular time intervals. The saccharifying capacity of R. arrhizus var. delemar was found to be weaker than that of var. arrhizus and var. tonkinensis. These data provide additional phenotypic support for recognization of this genetically distinct lineage (var. delemar) as a separate species. Clinical isolates were generally low in saccharifying abilities, while all strains from southwest China had an excellent diastatic power.

This study aimed to isolate fungi from leaves, petals, stalks and stamens of Nymphaea lotus and Nymphaea stellata and explore their bioactive potential with respect to antimicrobial activity and their cytotoxicity on human cell lines. The totals of 210 fungal isolates were obtained from 640 segments. The highest isolation rate was found in petal segments (0.44), while stamens yielded the lowest isolation rate (0.13). One hundred and ninety–five fungal extracts were evaluated for their efficiency against ten pathogenic microorganisms by colorimetric broth microdilution tests. Cell hexane extract from Eupenicillium levitum FNL036 (FNL036CH) gave the strongest antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans and Talaromyces marneffei with minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.5 μg/mL and affected cell morphology of the test microorganisms. Moreover, this extract was non–cytotoxic to human embryonic kidney 293 (293T) and human keratinocytes (HaCAT) cell lines with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values above 100 μg/mL. This finding confirmed that fungi derived from these two Nymphaea species were a novel source of bioactive metabolites.

Coleosporium species cause pine needle rust. Most species have heteromacrocyclic life cycles, and 12 species use Pinus densiflora as aecial hosts. To understand the biology of rust fungi and develop better methods for controlling rust diseases, it is necessary to clarify that which Coleosporium species affect pine trees. However, Coleosporium on pine trees have rarely been identified at the species level because of their morphological similarities. We used polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to clarify the species composition, abundance, and distribution of Coleosporium in a P. densiflora forest. We surveyed a site where several Coleosporium species might complete their life cycles. PCR-RFLP revealed four species on the pines: C. asterum, C. clematidis-apiifoliae, C. lycopodis, and C. phellodendri. Coleosporium phellodendri was distributed throughout the forest and was the most abundant. Aecia of C. phellodendri formed mainly on 2-y-old needles. The abundance and distribution of C. phellodendri appeared to be affected by the longer effective dispersal range of basidiospores and the existence of abundant inoculum sources. The age of leaves where C. phellodendri form aecia mainly was thought to be influenced by the characteristic life cycle, with aecial formation requiring 2 y after basidiospore infection.

Helicomyces geniculatus sp. nov. from decaying wood submerged in a freshwater stream at Juchi Town of Alishan area, Chiayi County, Taiwan, is described and illustrated. It differs from other Helicomyces species in having geniculate conidiophores arising from repent hyphae and also borne on erect setae. Abundant stalked sclerotia were also found in this species. Helicomyces torquatus is described in this paper as a new record for Taiwan, with new observation. The phylogenetic relationship of H. geniculatus, H. torquatus, and related taxa were sought by comparing the sequences of their ITS barcode of the nuc rDNA. A synopsis of the 13 accepted Helicomyces species is given.