Cryptic species of Curvularia in the culture collection of the Queensland Plant Pathology Herbarium

Abstract

Several unidentified specimens of Curvularia deposited in the Queensland Plant Pathology Herbarium were re-examined. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer region, partial fragments of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and the translation elongation factor 1-α genes, supported the introduction of 13 novel Curvularia species. Eight of the species described, namely, C. beasleyi sp. nov., C. beerburrumensis sp. nov., C. eragrosticola sp. nov., C. kenpeggii sp. nov., C. mebaldsii sp. nov., C. petersonii sp. nov., C. platzii sp. nov. and C. warraberensis sp. nov., were isolated from grasses (Poaceae) exotic to Australia. Only two species, C. lamingtonensis sp. nov. and C. sporobolicola sp. nov., were described from native Australian grasses. Two species were described from hosts in other families, namely, C. coatesiae sp. nov. from Litchi chinensis (Sapindaceae) and C. colbranii sp. nov. from Crinum zeylanicum (Amaryllidaceae). Curvularia reesii sp. nov. was described from an isolate obtained from an air sample. Furthermore, DNA sequences from ex-type cultures supported the generic placement of C. neoindica and the transfer of Drechslera boeremae to Curvularia.