An outline of the family Cucurbitariaceae

Doilom M., Liu J. K., Jaklitsch W. M., Ariyawansa H., Wijayawardene N. N., Chukeatirote E., Zhang M., Roux J., McKenzie E. H. C., Geml J., Voglmayr H., Hyde K. D. (2013) An outline of the family Cucurbitariaceae.

Sydowia 65 (1): 167–192

The Cucurbitariaceae is a relatively poorly known family of Dothideomycetes. Cucurbitaria berberidis, the type species of Cucurbitaria, was collected on dead twigs of Berberis vulgaris in Austria and this new collection is used to epitypify the taxon and described and illustrated in detail with regard to its sexual and asexual state. Sequence data from 18S nrDNA (SSU) and 28S nrDNA (LSU) gene regions of several isolates of the epitype or iso-epitype specimens were compared with representative isolates of C. berberidis and closely related sequences in GenBank. The phylogenetic results show that Cucurbitariaceae is a well-resolved family within Pleosporineae. A Pyrenochaeta-like coelomycetous asexual state formed in the Cucurbitaria culture, and is illustrated here. The types of Curreya, Rhytidiella and Syncarpella are also studied and illustrated. Taxonomic placements of each genus with their asexual states are discussed. We provisionally accept six genera in Cucurbitariaceae i.e. Cucurbitaria with Pyrenochaeta-like asexual states, Curreya (including Cucurbidothis) with Coniothyrium-like asexual states, Rhytidiella with Phaeoseptoria-like asexual states, Syncarpella and the asexual genera Pyrenochaeta and Pyrenochaetopsis. Placement of Syntholus in Cucurbitariaceae is uncertain as the generic type has not been linked and further studies are needed.

Keywords: asexual morphs, Cucurbidothis, Cucurbitaria berberidis, Curreya, Pyrenochaeta berberidis, phylogeny, Rhytidiella, Syncarpella, taxonomy, types.

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