NOTES ON AND ADDITIONS TO THE NIESSLIACEAE (HYPOCREALES)

The ascomycete family Niessliaceae presently includes the genera Crypt oniesslia, Melanopsamma, Niesslia, Taiwanascus, Trichosphaerella, and Valetoniella. To this assemblage are added the newly described Circino niesslia, with C. nectriae, and Valetoniellopsis, with V. laxa as thei r respective type species. The synonymy of Pseudorhynchia with Trichos phaeria is not accepted, and Pseudorhynchia is redescribed based on it s type species. Melanopsamma pomiformis is redescribed and illustrated . Other newly described species are Melanopsamma verrucosa, Valetoniel la pauciornata, and Valetoniella claviornata. The family Taiwanascacea e, described for the cleistothecial Taiwanascus tetrasporus, is placed in synonymy with the Niessliaceae. Trichosphaerella arecae is transfe rred to Neorehmia, and that genus is excluded from the family.