Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal eight novel species of Pestalotiopsis (Sporocadaceae, Amphisphaeriales) from southern China

Plants play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the biosphere, but often suffer from pathogenic fungi during growth. During our continuing mycological surveys of plant pathogens from terrestrial plants in Jiangxi and Yunnan provinces, China, 24 strains of Pestalotiopsis isolated from diseased and healthy tissues of plant leaves represented eight new species, viz. P. alpinicola, P. camelliicola, P. cyclosora, P. eriobotryae, P. gardeniae, P. hederae, P. machiliana and P. mangifericola. Multi-locus (ITS, tef1-alpha and tub2) phylogenetic analyses were performed using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference to reveal their taxonomic placement within Pestalotiopsis. Both molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons supported them as eight independent taxa within Pestalotiopsis. Illustrations and descriptions of these eight taxa were provided, in conjunction with comparisons with closely related taxa in the genus. This work highlights the large potential for new fungal species associated with diseased plant leaves.