Morpho-molecular systematics of Striaticonidium kfriense (Stachybotryaceae), a new synnematous species from the Western Ghats, India

This study introduces a new species of Striaticonidium from the evergreen forests of Karadichola, Vazhachal in the southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India. This new species is distinct from the other members of the Striaticonidium genus due to its significantly longer determinate synnemata with twisted stalk and marginal, flexuous, coarsely ornamented setae. Striaticonidium kfriense is also unique for its larger conidia and conidiogenous cells from the morphologically comparable, S. synnematum. Phylogenetic analyses of combined cmdA-ITS-LSU-rpb2-tub2 sequence data delineated S. kfriense as a new lineage sister to S. synnematum under the family Stachybotryaceae. Furthermore, the pairwise homoplasy index between S. kfriense and other species within Striaticonidium indicated no evidence of significant genetic recombination between our species and its closest relatives. This is the first record of genus Striaticonidium from India especially from the pristine warm tropical natural forests of the Indian Gondwanan region, such as the Western Ghats.