AN EXAMINATION OF STRUCTURAL FEATURES AND RELATIONSHIPS IN BALANSIA SUBGENUS DOTHICHLOE

Balansia subgenus Dothichloe is defined to include only species of gra minicolous Clavicipitaceae that are endophytic, form stromata on leave s or culms, and produce nonstipitate black ascomata. Species included in subgenus Dothichloe are Balansia aristidae, B. epichloe, B. henning siana, B. nigricans, B. strangulans, and Balansiopsis gaduae. The genu s Balansiopsis is invalidated since its type B. gaduae is herein class ified in subgenus Dothichloe Balansia subnodosa is considered to be a synonym of B. gaduae based on morphological and anatomical similaritie s of the ascomata. Phylogenetic relationships in Dothichloe are evalua ted through examination of ribosomal DNA ITS (internal transcribed spa cer) sequence data. It is concluded that at least two subclades are ev ident in the subgenus, including the B. gaduae/B. nigricans subclade a nd the B. aristidae/B. henningsiana/B. strangulans subclade. Sequence divergence of B. epichloe makes it difficult: to confidently assign it to either subclade. A dichotomous key to Dothichloe is included along with descriptions of B. aristidae, B. eibichloe, B. gaduae, and B. he nningsiana.