Pseudopestalotiopsis hydeae Ariyawansa & I. Tsai., sp. nov. Index Fungorum number: IF= IF554119, FIGURE 2. (a–j) Holotype: NTUH 17 - 003.1. Etymology: Named after the British mycologist, Kevin D. Hyde, in recognition of his significant contributions towards the taxonomy of Pestalotiopsis. Description: Endophytic or saprobic on leaves of Diospyros sp. (FIGURE 2. a–j). Sexual morph: undetermined. Asexual morph: Conidiomata semi-immersed on host substrate; globose to oblate on PDA, black, 380–500 μm diam on PNA, globose, black and superficial on pine needle-substrate. Conidiophores indistinct, reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells discrete, clavate, lageniform, ampulliform, cylindrical to subcylindrical, hyaline, rugose, straight to slightly curved, proliferating 2–5 times percurrently, 10–14 × 3–6 μm, x = 11 × 4 μm. Conidia ellipsoid, fusoid to subcylindrical, straight, sparsely curved, 4-septate, slightly constricted at septa, 23–29 × 5–7 μm, x = 27 × 6 μm; basal cell obconic with a truncate base, or acute, cylindrical to subcylindrical, hyaline and thin-walled, 4–6 μm long, x = 5 μm; three median cells 14–19 μm long, x = 17 μm (second cell from the base 5–7 μm long, x = 6 μm; third cell 4–6 μm long, x = 5 μm; fourth cell 5–6 μm long, x = 6 μm), doliiform, concolourous, brown to pale brown, septa darker than the cells; apical cell 3–6 μm long, x = 5 μm, hyaline, conic, cylindrical to subcylindrical, with 2–3 tubular apical appendages (mostly 3) arising from the apical crest, filiform, knobbed, 9–25 μm long, x = 18 μm; basal appendage single, tubular, unbranched, centric or excentric, knobbed, 5–8 μm long, x = 7 μm. Culture characteristics: Colonies whitish, with concentric ring-pattern and black conidiomata; reverse similar colour. Material examined: Taiwan, Nantou County, Huisun forest recreation area, on leaf of Diospyros sp. (Ebenaceae) 7 September 2017, Ichen Tsai, HS12.1 (holotype NTUH 17-003.1!)—extype living culture (NTUCC 17-003.1); Taiwan, Nantou County, Huisun forest recreation area, on leaf of Diospyros sp. (Ebenaceae) 7 September 2017, Ichen Tsai, HS12.2 (paratype NTUH 17-003.2!)—extype living culture (NTUCC 17-003.2). Taiwan, Nantou County, Huisun forest recreation area, on leaf of Diospyros sp. (Ebenaceae) 30 November 2017, H. A. Ariyawansa, HS12.3 (paratype NTUH 17-003.3!)—extype living culture (NTUCC 17-001.3). Notes: Pseudopestalotiopsis hydeae is established here considering both morphology and phylogeny. Pseudopestalotiopsis hydeae is typical of Pseudopestalotiopsis in having dark concolourous median cells with knobbed apical appendages (Maharachchikumbura et al. 2016, Chen et al. 2018). Morphologically Ps. hydeae is similar to Ps. camelliae-sinensis, but differs in its comparatively smaller conidia (27 × 6 μm versus 29 × 8 μm), shorter apical appendages (9–25 μm versus 24–50 μm), smaller basal appendages (5–8 μm versus 5–10 μm) and the host (Diospyros versus Camellia) (Chen et al. 2018).

Published as part of Ariyawansa, Hiran A., Tsai, Ichen & Gareth Jones, E. B., 2018, A new cryptic species of Pseudopestalotiopsis from Taiwan, pp. 133-140 in Phytotaxa 357 (2) on pages 137-138, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.357.2.6, http://zenodo.org/record/13705959