Studies on Amphisphaeriales: The genera excluded from the Amphisphaeriaceae, Cainiaceae and Clypeosphaeriaceae

Abstract

The Amphisphaeriaceae and the Cainiaceae have been narrowly defined, while the Clypeosphaeriaceae was broadly defined and considered a relatively large assemblage of ascomycetes whose affinities are uncertain. In this paper, the remaining genera previously included in the Amphisphaeriaceae (sensu lato) are dealt with. Fasciatispora having unicellular brown ascospores, and Seynesia and Collodiscula having brown ascospores and an Acanthodochium anamorph are similar to xylariaceous taxa and therefore considered best placed in the Xylariaceae. Muelleromyces has a parasitic habit on leaves, clypeate ascomata and asci with a J- apical ring and resembles Phyllachora, and is placed in the Phyllachoraceae. Melomastia is redescribed and illustrated and placed in the Pleurotremataceae. Chitonospora, Dyrithium and Iodosphaeria are redescribed and illustrated, while Amphisphaerella, Ascotaiwania, Flagellosphaeria, Lindquistomyces, Manokwaria, Mukhakesa, Neohypodiscus, Urosporellopsis and Xylochora are discussed. These genera are placed in Ascomycetes incertae sedis as the available morphological data are inadequate to confidently conclude their taxonomic positions.