Morpho-Phylogenetic Evidence Reveals Neokeissleriella gen. nov. and Three Novel Species of Lentitheciaceae from Grasses (Poaceae)

The Poaceae family, commonly known as grasses, is one of the most strategically important plant groups on earth. They are globally distributed, found in virtually every terrestrial habitat on earth, from deserts and grasslands to forests and wetlands. An investigation was conducted on the fungi associated with grasses in Sichuan and Guizhou Provinces, China. Based on morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (from Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI)) of combined LSU, SSU, ITS, and <i>tef1-α</i> sequence data, a new genus, <i>Neokeissleriella,</i> and three novel species-<i>Keissleriella guttata</i>, <i>K. sichuanensis</i>, and <i>Neokeissleriella fusispora</i>-were introduced. Two new host records of <i>Keissleriella caraganae</i>, <i>K. yunnanensis</i> and a new geographical record of <i>K. gloeospora</i> in Sichuan Province, China, are reported. To substantiate the newly established taxa, detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided and supported with molecular phylogenetic analysis. This study broadens the understanding of fungal diversity on Poaceae hosts in Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, China, revealing the high potential for identifying novel taxa.