Ascospore diversity of bryophilous Hypocreales and two new hepaticolous Nectria species

Hypocreales represents one of the most successful orders of ascomycetes on mosses and hepatics, and more than 30 obligately bryophilous species belonging to seven genera of Bionectriaceae and Nectriaceae are known. These fungi have a remarkably wide range of ascospore types that differ in form, size and septation. Especially heterogeneous are the ascospores of the six hypocrealean parasites recorded on European populations of Frullania dilatala. Patterns of distribution of bryophilous Hypocreales on this host appear to follow the principles of island biogeography. Two new leaf-perforating species of Nectria with unusual ascospores are described. Nectyia foertheri Dobbeler sp. nov. grows biotrophically on Porella sp. in Guatemala, and N. lagodes Dobbeler sp. nov. is a necrotroph on Frullania dilatala in Italy and Greece.