title: Finding the missing link: Resolving theCoryneliomycetidaewithinEurotiomycetes.
abstract: Species belonging to theCoryneliaceaeand parasitizingPodocarpaceaehosts were collected from different locations in South Africa and studied morphologically by light microscopy and molecularly by obtaining partial nrDNA (ITS-1/5.8S/ITS-2, 18S and 28S) gene sequences. The position of theCoryneliaceaewithin theEurotiomycetidaewas not confirmed and a new subclass,Coryneliomycetidae, was introduced. WhileEurotiomycetidaeusually form cleistothecia/gymnothecia with evanescent, unitunicate asci, andChaetothyriomycetidaemostly perithecia with bitunicate/fissitunicate to evanescent asci,Coryneliomycetidaeform pseudothecial mazaedial ascomata, initially with double-walled asci with the outer layer deliquescing, resulting in passive ascospore release. TheCoryneliomycetidaethus occupies a unique position in theEurotiomycetes. Furthermore, epitypes were designated forCorynelia uberata, the type species ofCorynelia(type genus of the family, order and subclass),Lagenulopsis bispora, the type species ofLagenulopsis, andTripospora triposthe type species ofTripospora, withLagenulopsisandTriposporaconfirmed as belonging to theCoryneliaceae. Corynelia uberataresolved into three clades, one onAfrocarpus(=Podocarpus)falcatusandA. gracilior, and two clades occurring onP. latifolius, herein described asC. africanaandC.fructigena. Morphologically these three species are not readily distinguishable, although they differ in spore dimensions, ascomata shape, ornamentation and DNA phylogeny. It is likely that several more species from other parts of the world are currently erroneously placed inC. uberata.
authors.affiliation: Weed Division, ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, P. Bag X5017, Stellenbosch 7599, South Africa.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, PF 300 154, 02806 Görlitz, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Damm
authors.affiliation: Biosystematics Division, ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, P. Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: van der Linde
authors.affiliation: CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Groenewald
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cheewangkoon
authors.affiliation: CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.; Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.; Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Crous
keywords: Corynelia; DNA phylogeny; Lagenulopsis; Sordariomycetes; Tripospora; phytopathogenic fungi; systematics