ABSTRACT

Three species of Xenosporium producing ellipsoidal or ovoid conidia were collected from decaying culms of Miscanthus floridulus submerged in freshwater streams of Alishan area, Chiayi County, Taiwan. Xenosporium formosiforme and X. parvulum are described and illustrated as new species. Xenosporium africanum is described in this paper as a new record for Taiwan. The phylogenetic relationships of Xenosporium species and related taxa were sought by comparing the sequences of their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) barcode, 28S rDNA, and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene segments. Phylogenetic analysis of these Xenosporium species supports their placement in the Tubeufiaceae. A synopsis of Xenosporium species producing ellipsoidal or ovoid conidia is given. The criteria used to differentiate species are discussed.