Host and geographic range extensions of Melanconiella, with a new species M-cornuta in China

Members of Melanconiella are opportunistic pathogens and endophytic fungi, and have been found to confined so far, on the collection of host family Betulaceae. Moreover, two fresh specimens associated with canker and dieback of Cornus controversa and Juglans regia collected in Shaanxi, China were found as distinct and new species of Melanconiella, based on morphological and multi-gene, combined, phylogenetic analyses (ITS, LSU, rpb2 and tef1-alpha). Results also revealed the host and geographic range extensions of this genus. Melanconiella cornuta sp. nov. is introduced with an illustrated account and differs from similar species in its host association and multigene phylogeny.