Five new species of Neopestalotiopsis associated with diseased Eucalyptus spp. in Portugal

Eucalyptus globulus, an exotic species in Portugal, is one of the dominant and intensively managed forest species in the country. A disease syndrome characterised by leaf necrosis, stem girdling and cutting dieback in eucalyptus and associated with pestalotioid fungi has been detected in nurseries and young plantations in the last years. Twenty-seven isolates were recovered from diseased plants. Phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacers, partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene and partial beta-tubulin gene sequence data grouped the isolates in five separate clades. Combining morphological, cultural and molecular data, five new species of Neopestalotiopsis are described, namely, Neopestalotiopsis eucalyptorum, Neopestalotiopsis hispanica, Neopestalotiopsis iberica, Neopestalotiopsis longiappendiculata and Neopestalotiopsis lusitanica.