Coniochaeta coluteae M.C. Samarakoon, Gafforov & K.D. Hyde, sp. nov. (Fig. 6,7) Index Fungorum number: IF553913, Facesoffungi number: FoF 03783 Type: — UZBEKISTAN, Surxondaryo Prov., Boysun District, Machay river, Qizilnaur village, Boysun range, South-Western Hissar Mountains, on dead branch of Colutea paulsenii (Fabaceae), 18 May 2016, Y. Gafforov, YG-S121-3 (TASM 6104, holotype), isotype MFLU 17-0114, ex-type culture MFLUCC 17-2299, ex-holotype sequences: ITS: MG 137251, LSU: MG 137252 rpb2: MG 194424, tef1: MG 194425. Saprobic on dead branch of Colutea paulsenii. Sexual morph Ascomata scattered, forming inconspicuous groups, superficial, often with visible ostiole on short neck, on cracks of bark or stem, perithecial, (163.8)209.9±27.5(250.9) μm high and (141.9)192.5±25.7(237.8) μm wide, (68.3)101.2±16.6(130.7) μm wide at the base (n =15), globose, subglobose to ovoid, black, with smooth to somewhat rough surface, often with thin surface layer of amorphous substance. Peridium brittle when dry, softer when rehydrated, (36.7)42.7±4.1(49.5) μm width near the ostiole (n =15), (24.9)29.1±2.7(35.2) μm width at base (n =15), thick, two-layered. Inner layer consisting cells of textura prismatica, hyaline to subhyaline, strongly compressed, (7.9)10.5±1.8(13.8) × (1.1)2.2±0.5(3) μm (n =25) diam., turning green in 5% KOH; outer layer consisting of densely packed, moderately thick-walled, brown cells of textura angularis, measuring (4.8)8.4±2.2(13.4) × (1.2)2.2±0.5(3.4) μm (n =25), loosely packed carbonaceous globes, tending to be darker and more isodiametric towards the outside; near the ostiole some cells protruding, thick-walled, elongated. Ostiolar necks papillate to cylindrical, with circular outline, densely filled with (1)1.5±0.2(1.9) μm wide periphyses (n =25). Paraphyses filiform, septate, hyaline, (1.6)2.6±0.4(3.3) μm wide (n =25). Asci (83.8)109.8±11.2(133.6) × (5.8)7.8±1.1(9.9) μm (n =25), cylindrical, (4–)8-spored, with slender stipe, clear apical apparatus, more clearly visible in Congo Red, inamyloid (Melzer negative). Ascospores (9.7)12.5±1.1(15.5) × (5.2)6±0.4(7.2) μm, l/w (1.5)2.1±0.2(2.6) (n =75), uniseriate, oval to ellipsoid, dark brown, darker in 5% KOH, with straight germ slit across entire length, smooth, multiguttulate, without sheath or appendages. Asexual morph Hyphomycetous (Lecythophora sp.). Vegetative hyphae 1.4–2.2 μm wide, hyaline, multiguttulate, septate, smooth-walled, often with hyphal strands forming bundles. Conidiophores hyphoide. Conidiogenous cells phialidic, single or in clusters on short lateral branches, hyaline, (3.3)4.3±0.5(5.2) × (2.1)3.1±0.4(3.8) μm (n =15), with distinct collarette, (0.6)0.9±0.1(1.2) μm (n =15). Conidia hyaline, one celled, often oblong to ellipsoidal or allantoidal (3.6)4.5±0.5(6.3) × (0.7)1.6±0.3(2.4) μm (n =50), mostly guttulate, often with swollen cells. Culture characteristics: colonies on MEA, reaching 25–35 mm diam. after 4 weeks at 25° C, pinkish to brownish red, dense, immersed mycelia, effuse, with white hyphal stands towards the centre, rough surface towards centre, diffuse margin with reddish mycelium; reverse reddish edges, grayish orange at the center, radiating, effuse and zonate. Odour not pronounced. Etymology:— Refers to the host genus where the fungus was isolated Distribution:— Uzbekistan Note:— Based on phylogenetic analyses, Coniochaeta coluteae is closely related with C. africana Damm & Crous (Damm et al. 2010), C. nepalica Minoura et al. (Asgari et al. 2007) and C. prunicola Damm & Crous (Damm et al. 2010). Coniochaeta prunicola possesses straight, cylindrical, tapering to a round tip setae on the outer layer of ascomata and long ostiolar neck (50–60 μm long) and C. africana characterizes with brown, cylindrical, straight and aseptate setae (Damm et al. 2010). Whereas, C. nepalica differs from other Coniochaeta species with narrowly ellipsoidal ascospores with longitudinal germ slit extending to the tips and asci with biseriately arranged ascospores (Asgari et al. 2007). However, C. coluteae differs from these closely related species by presence of carbonaceous globes on ascomata and asci with uniseriate ascospores, absence of setae and long ostiolar neck. The asexual morph of the C. africana with long conidiogenous cells (10–13 × 2 μm) compare to the asexual morph of C. coluteae (4–5 × 1.3–1.9 μm) (Damm et al. 2010).

Published as part of Samarakoon, Milan C., Gafforov, Yusufjon, Liu, Ningguo, Maharachchikumbura, Sajeewa S. N., Bhat, Jayarama D., Liu, Jian-Kui, Promputtha, Itthayakorn & Hyde, Kevin D., 2018, Combined multi-gene backbone tree for the genus Coniochaeta with two new species from Uzbekistan, pp. 43-58 in Phytotaxa 336 (1) on pages 51-54, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.336.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/13720984