Neoparabambusicola bambusae L. S. Han & D. Q. Dai 2026, sp. nov.

Neoparabambusicola bambusae L. S. Han & D. Q. Dai sp. nov. Fig. 5 Etymology. Named with reference to its occurrence on bamboo. Holotype. GMB-W 1158. Description. Saprobic on dead culms of bamboo. Sexual morph: Ascomata 550–650 μm diam., 300–360 μm high, raised, immersed, black-brown, solitary or clustered together, uni-loculate, coriaceous, subconical, with wedge-shaped at sides. Peridium poorly developed at the base and intermixed with host tissue, composed of hyaline to brown cells of textura angularis. Asci 135–175 × 17–22.5 µm (x ̄ = 155 × 19.5 µm, n = 20), 8 - spored, bitunicate, cylindrical, straight or curved, shortly pedicellate, truncate to furcate pedicel, apically rounded, with an ocular chamber. Ascospores 39–58 × 6–9.5 µm (x ̄ = 49.5 × 8 µm, n = 20), overlapping 2–3 - seriate, hyaline, straight or slightly curved, fusiform, with acute ends, 1–3 - septate, constricted at the septum, multi-guttulate, sheath drawn out to form polar appendages at both poles (21–30 µm long, 5–6.5 µm wide), and gradually tapering towards the apex. Asexual morph: Undetermined. Culture characteristics. Ascospores germinate on PDA, with colonies reaching 30 mm diam. after 20 days in the dark at 28 ° C. Colonies are dense, hairy, circular, with regular margins; the color ranges from dark brown to brown to cream from the center to the margin and is dark brown on the reverse, without producing pigment on PDA medium. Material examined. China • Yunnan Province, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Ruili City, Jiexiang Town, (23°37'17"N, 97°13'03"E, 926 m), on dead culms of unidentified Bambusoideae (Poaceae), 23 July 2023, L. S. Han & D. Q. Dai, HLS 092 (GMB-W 1158, holotype), GMBCC 1158, ex-type; • ibid. (MHZU 24-0631, isotype), ZHKUCC 24-1167, ex-isotype; • ibid. HLS 092-1 (GMB-W 1159), living culture GMBCC 1159. Notes. Phylogenetically, the new collections formed a distinct clade, basal to Parabambusicola s. str., with 100 % ML and 1.00 BYPP statistical support (Fig. 1). The new taxon is similar to Parabambusicola in having immersed, raised, uniloculate ascomata, bitunicate, cylindrical asci, and hyaline, fusiform, septate, smooth-walled ascospores. However, the new collections can be distinguished from the species of Parabambusicola by having an ascospore sheath drawn out to form polar appendages and by the number of septa (see Table 2). Thus, Neoparabambusicola bambusae is introduced as a new species based on morphology and phylogeny herein.