Botryosphaeria eucalyptorum sp nov., a new species in the B. dothidea-complex on Eucalyptus in South Africa

Two morphologically similar fungi are associated with canker and die-back o f eucalypts in South Africa, one of which was identified as part of the Bot ryosphaeria dothidea-complex, In this study, the identity of the other fung us was determined by comparing morphology, pathogenicity and DNA sequence a nalysis of isolates of both taxa. Based on these results, a new species, Bo tryospshaeria eucalyptorum, and its anamorph Fusicoccum eucalyptorum, are d escribed. Although the teleomorph is morphologically similar to other taxa in the B. dothidea-complex, conidial characteristics of the anamorph are di stinct, as well as the sequences of the nrDNA internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2. Like B. dothidea, the fungus is pathogenic to Eucalyptus, al though there do not appear to be clear differences in pathogenicity between these two species.