NUCLEAR RDNA PHYLOGENY OF THE SCLEROTINIACEAE

Recent comparative studies of morphology and developmental proteins of stromatal anamorphs suggest that the sclerotial and the substratal st romatal taxa represent two distinct lineages within the Sclerotiniacea e, a family of plant-infecting discomycetes (Leotiales). We have studi ed thirty-one taxa, representing 20 genera and one form genus currentl y placed in the Sclerotiniaceae along with three outgroup taxa. Analys es of nuclear rRNA gene sequences, including ca. 575 basepairs from th e small subunit rDNA, ca. 500 basepairs from the ITS and 5.8S rDNA, an d ca. 370 basepairs from the large subunit rDNA were used to infer evo lutionary relationships within the family. The inferred rDNA phylogeny ny supports and refines the two lineage hypothesis. The sclerotial st romatal lineage representing genera of the revised, restricted concept of Sclerotiniaceae includes Botryotinia, Ciboria, Ciborinia, Coprotin ia, Dumontinia, Encoelia, Grovesinia, Monilinia, Myriosclerotinia, Ovu linia, Pycnopeziza, Sclerotinia, Stromatinia, and Valdensinia. The sub stratal stromatal lineage includes Lambertella, Lanzia, Poculum, Rutst roemia, and Verpatbnia, and are accommodated in the new family Rutstro emiaceae. The taxa Gloeotinia, Lambertella langei, Piceomphale, and Ch lorociboria are excluded from the two families on the basis of nr-DNA data.