As a result of long-term field work in subtropical Texas, USA, three novel genera and three new species are introduced in Pezizomycotina to accommodate new or previously described taxa lacking DNA sequence data. In the Dothideomycetes, Piepenbringia, gen. nov. is established for Taeniolella multiplex (Pleosporales incertae sedis) distant from the type species T. exilis in Kirschsteiniotheliales. Ernakulamia americana, sp. nov. (Tetraplosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales), collected on dead leaves of Sabal minor (Arecaceae), forms a distinct monophyletic lineage distant from representative strains of E. cochinensis, the type species. In the Sordariomycetes, Pseudotaeniolella, gen. nov. is introduced for Taeniolella sabalicola in Distoseptisporaceae (Distoseptisporales), also distant from T. exilis in the Dothideomycetes. Parapenzigomyces ampelinus, gen. et sp. nov. collected on dead stems of hanging vines, forms a strongly supported lineage in Xylariales distant from the type species of Penzigomyces, P. nodipes, in Chaetosphaeriales. A new combination in Parapenzigomyces is proposed for P. flagellatus after examination of ex-type material. Sporidesmina is expanded to accommodate Stanjehughesia floridensis and a few other stanjehughesia-like fungi that cluster together in a distinct lineage incertae sedis in Xylariales. They are distant from St. hormiscioides, the type species in Chaetosphaeriales; therefore, five new combinations in Sporidesmina are proposed. Acrodictys holubovae, sp. nov. (Acrodictyaceae, Sordariomycetes incertae sedis), collected on dead culms of Arundinaria sp. (Poaceae), is phylogenetically distant from other Acrodictys species having clavate or pyriform conidia with 3–4 transverse septa and distinct pores. The identity of Solicorynespora foveolata is revised due to its similarity to several Distoseptispora species. The new combination D. foveolata is proposed, and the name D. bambusae is reduced to its synonym. The genus is also expanded to include previously overlooked tretic conidiogenesis. Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, D. euseptata, and D. meilingensis are newly recorded from North America. Novel phylogenetic placements are provided for Sporidesmium fragilissimum and Tubeufia berkeleyi.

As a result of long-term field work in subtropical Texas, USA, three novel genera and three new species are introduced in Pezizomycotina to accommodate new or previously described taxa lacking DNA sequence data. In the Dothideomycetes, Piepenbringia, gen. nov. is established for Taeniolella multiplex (Pleosporales incertae sedis) distant from the type species T. exilis in Kirschsteiniotheliales. Ernakulamia americana, sp. nov. (Tetraplosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales), collected on dead leaves of Sabal minor (Arecaceae), forms a distinct monophyletic lineage distant from representative strains of E. cochinensis, the type species. In the Sordariomycetes, Pseudotaeniolella, gen. nov. is introduced for Taeniolella sabalicola in Distoseptisporaceae (Distoseptisporales), also distant from T. exilis in the Dothideomycetes. Parapenzigomyces ampelinus, gen. et sp. nov. collected on dead stems of hanging vines, forms a strongly supported lineage in Xylariales distant from the type species of Penzigomyces, P. nodipes, in Chaetosphaeriales. A new combination in Parapenzigomyces is proposed for P. flagellatus after examination of ex-type material. Sporidesmina is expanded to accommodate Stanjehughesia floridensis and a few other stanjehughesia-like fungi that cluster together in a distinct lineage incertae sedis in Xylariales. They are distant from St. hormiscioides, the type species in Chaetosphaeriales; therefore, five new combinations in Sporidesmina are proposed. Acrodictys holubovae, sp. nov. (Acrodictyaceae, Sordariomycetes incertae sedis), collected on dead culms of Arundinaria sp. (Poaceae), is phylogenetically distant from other Acrodictys species having clavate or pyriform conidia with 3–4 transverse septa and distinct pores. The identity of Solicorynespora foveolata is revised due to its similarity to several Distoseptispora species. The new combination D. foveolata is proposed, and the name D. bambusae is reduced to its synonym. The genus is also expanded to include previously overlooked tretic conidiogenesis. Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, D. euseptata, and D. meilingensis are newly recorded from North America. Novel phylogenetic placements are provided for Sporidesmium fragilissimum and Tubeufia berkeleyi.

Marthamycetales species are widely distributed, non-lichenized, apothecial ascomycetes that are associated with various woody plants and grasses. Most species are presumed to be saprobes, although a few are pathogens. Apothecia are small and erumpent, with farinose discs that are encircled by ragged, projecting flaps of degraded plant tissue. Marthamycetales is placed in Leotiomycetes and currently circumscribes nine genera: Cyclaneusma, Marthamyces, Mellitiosporiella, Mellitiosporium, Naemacyclus, Phragmiticola, Propolina, Propolis, and Ramomarthamyces. However, because representative species of four genera have not been sampled in previous phylogenetic studies, the circumscription of the order and evolutionary relationships of taxa within it have remained unclear. In this contribution, we obtained a complete sampling of the types of all nine genera. We assembled a four-locus data set and performed maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. Our results are congruent with previous analyses: Marthamycetales is phylogenetically isolated within Leotiomycetes and is composed of two distinct, well-supported clades. One clade includes primarily filiform-spored, leaf-inhabiting species in Marthamycetaceae sensu stricto, whereas the second clade includes primarily cylindrical/elliptical-spored, woody tissue–inhabiting species. We name this latter clade Propoliaceae, fam. nov. Sequences of Everhartia hymenuloides, type of the genus, group within this Propoliaceae clade. Phragmiticola is excluded from Marthamycetales and placed in Arachnopezizaceae, Helotiales. Propolina is synonymized under Propolis, and the new combination Propolis cervina is proposed. Lectotypes are designated for Propolina cervina and Pseudographis phragmitis. A revised and expanded description of Marthamycetales is provided, along with diagnoses for Marthamycetaceae and Propoliaceae. Cryptomycina pteridis is placed in Leotiomycetes based on the first published sequences of this species. However, its ordinal-level phylogenetic relationships remain unknown. Our results provide a taxonomic framework for future studies in the diversity and ecology of Marthamycetales and a starting point for future work on the phylogenetic classification and global diversity of the genus Cryptomycina.

Marthamycetales species are widely distributed, non-lichenized, apothecial ascomycetes that are associated with various woody plants and grasses. Most species are presumed to be saprobes, although a few are pathogens. Apothecia are small and erumpent, with farinose discs that are encircled by ragged, projecting flaps of degraded plant tissue. Marthamycetales is placed in Leotiomycetes and currently circumscribes nine genera: Cyclaneusma, Marthamyces, Mellitiosporiella, Mellitiosporium, Naemacyclus, Phragmiticola, Propolina, Propolis, and Ramomarthamyces. However, because representative species of four genera have not been sampled in previous phylogenetic studies, the circumscription of the order and evolutionary relationships of taxa within it have remained unclear. In this contribution, we obtained a complete sampling of the types of all nine genera. We assembled a four-locus data set and performed maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. Our results are congruent with previous analyses: Marthamycetales is phylogenetically isolated within Leotiomycetes and is composed of two distinct, well-supported clades. One clade includes primarily filiform-spored, leaf-inhabiting species in Marthamycetaceae sensu stricto, whereas the second clade includes primarily cylindrical/elliptical-spored, woody tissue–inhabiting species. We name this latter clade Propoliaceae, fam. nov. Sequences of Everhartia hymenuloides, type of the genus, group within this Propoliaceae clade. Phragmiticola is excluded from Marthamycetales and placed in Arachnopezizaceae, Helotiales. Propolina is synonymized under Propolis, and the new combination Propolis cervina is proposed. Lectotypes are designated for Propolina cervina and Pseudographis phragmitis. A revised and expanded description of Marthamycetales is provided, along with diagnoses for Marthamycetaceae and Propoliaceae. Cryptomycina pteridis is placed in Leotiomycetes based on the first published sequences of this species. However, its ordinal-level phylogenetic relationships remain unknown. Our results provide a taxonomic framework for future studies in the diversity and ecology of Marthamycetales and a starting point for future work on the phylogenetic classification and global diversity of the genus Cryptomycina.

Despite their global presence and ubiquity, members of the class Geoglossomycetes (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) are understudied systematically and ecologically. These fungi have long been presumed saprobic due to their occurrence in or near leaf litter and soils. Additionally, they lack an apparent association with other organisms, reinforcing this perception. However, observations of sporocarps near ericaceous shrubs have given rise to an alternative hypothesis that members of Geoglossomycetes may form ericoid mycorrhizae or ectomycorrhizae. This claim, however, has yet to be confirmed via microscopy or amplicon-based studies examining root communities. As a result, our current understanding of their ecology is based on cursory observations. This study presents a comparative analysis of genomic signatures related to ecological niche to investigate the hypothesis of an ericoid mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal ecology in the class. We compared the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) and secondary metabolite contents of six newly sequenced Geoglossomycetes genomes with those of fungi representing specific ecologies across Pezizomycotina. Our analysis reveals CAZyme and secondary metabolite content patterns consistent with ectomycorrhizal (EcM) members of Pezizomycotina. Specifically, we found a reduction in CAZyme-encoding genes and secondary metabolite clusters that suggests a mutualistic ecology. Our work includes the broadest taxon sampling for a phylogenomic study of Pezizomycotina to date. It represents the first functional genomic and genome-scale phylogenetic study of the class Geoglossomycetes and improves the foundational knowledge of the ecology and evolution of these understudied fungi.

Despite their global presence and ubiquity, members of the class Geoglossomycetes (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) are understudied systematically and ecologically. These fungi have long been presumed saprobic due to their occurrence in or near leaf litter and soils. Additionally, they lack an apparent association with other organisms, reinforcing this perception. However, observations of sporocarps near ericaceous shrubs have given rise to an alternative hypothesis that members of Geoglossomycetes may form ericoid mycorrhizae or ectomycorrhizae. This claim, however, has yet to be confirmed via microscopy or amplicon-based studies examining root communities. As a result, our current understanding of their ecology is based on cursory observations. This study presents a comparative analysis of genomic signatures related to ecological niche to investigate the hypothesis of an ericoid mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal ecology in the class. We compared the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) and secondary metabolite contents of six newly sequenced Geoglossomycetes genomes with those of fungi representing specific ecologies across Pezizomycotina. Our analysis reveals CAZyme and secondary metabolite content patterns consistent with ectomycorrhizal (EcM) members of Pezizomycotina. Specifically, we found a reduction in CAZyme-encoding genes and secondary metabolite clusters that suggests a mutualistic ecology. Our work includes the broadest taxon sampling for a phylogenomic study of Pezizomycotina to date. It represents the first functional genomic and genome-scale phylogenetic study of the class Geoglossomycetes and improves the foundational knowledge of the ecology and evolution of these understudied fungi.

An entry from the Cambridge Structural Database, the world’s repository for small molecule crystal structures. The entry contains experimental data from a crystal diffraction study. The deposited dataset for this entry is freely available from the CCDC and typically includes 3D coordinates, cell parameters, space group, experimental conditions and quality measures.