Pleoscrubiaceae, a new family in Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) from the Florida scrub ecosystem

<i>Pleoscrubia floridana</i>, sp. nov. included in <i>Pleoscrubia</i>, gen. nov. isolated from roots of the Florida endemic <i>Paronychia chartacea</i> (paper nailwort; Caryophyllaceae), is described. Multigene phylogenetic analyses suggest that the fungus represents a novel lineage and along with morphological and ecological characteristics support the description of Pleoscrubiaceae, fam. nov. within Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) to accommodate this distinct genus and species. <i>Pleoscrubia floridana</i> is likely unique to the Florida scrub ecosystem and associated with <i>Paronychia chartacea</i> host. The plant-fungal interaction experiment yielded neutral results on <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>. This newly discovered fungal lineage will help researchers understand the diversity and systematics of Pleosporales.