Taxonomic novelties and host associations of Sordariomycetes from wetland-dwelling Poales in Thailand

Poales is one of the largest orders of monocotyledonous plants, comprising families such as Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and Typhaceae. These plant families dominate the macrophytes found in tropical lentic and lotic wetlands habitat in Prachuap Khiri Khan Thailand. This study investigated microfungi associated with wetland-dwelling Poales and revealed taxa belonging to Chaetomiaceae, Naviculisporaceae, Pleurotheciaceae, and Schizotheciaceae in Sordariomycetes were prominent.

Submerged and decaying plant material from Cyperaceae and Typhaceae were gathered from the Pran Buri marshlands and the Pran Buri River, Thailand. The spatial distribution of the locations was significantly influenced by fluctuations in ocean water levels. Fungal characterization was performed using morphological analysis and multigene phylogeny, incorporating nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS, LSU, SSU) and protein-coding loci (rpb 2, tub 2, tef 1 - α).

This study introduces two novel species, Corynascus fluvialis and Pseudorhypophila hyalibasiconica from Carex sp. along with two new host records: Dematipyriforma aquilariae from Typha sp. and Triangularia allahabadensis from Carex sp. Pseudorhypophila hyalibasiconica is characterized by ovoid to limoniform upper cells and a hyaline conical lower cell. Corynascus fluvialis differs from other members of Corynascus by possessing angular pedicellate asci, and ascospores with a single apical germ pore.

The comparisons using morphology and phylogeny of newly described taxa are provided. This study investigates the role of sustainably managed forests in the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems.