Botryosphaeria eucalyptorum sp nov., a new species in the B.dothidea-complex on Eucalyptus in South Africa

摘要

Two morphologically similar fungi are associated with canker and die-back of eucalypts in South Africa, one of which was identified as part of the Botryosphaeria dothidea-complex, In this study, the identity of the other fungus was determined by comparing morphology, pathogenicity and DNA sequence analysis of isolates of both taxa. Based on these results, a new species, Botryospshaeria eucalyptorum, and its anamorph Fusicoccum eucalyptorum, are described. Although the teleomorph is morphologically similar to other taxa in the B. dothidea-complex, conidial characteristics of the anamorph are distinct, as well as the sequences of the nrDNA internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2. Like B. dothidea, the fungus is pathogenic to Eucalyptus, although there do not appear to be clear differences in pathogenicity between these two species.