Fungi on grasses: new species of Ascotaiwania, Diaporthe and Oxydothis (Ascomycetes)

Four new species of ascomycetes, Ascotaiwania pennisetarum sp. nov., Diapor the appendiculata sp. nov., Diaporthe minutis sp. nov., and Oxydothis misca nthiecola sp, nov., are described from senescent culms of grasses in Hong K ong. Ascotaiwania pennisetarum is distinctive from other species in the gen us as ascospores are narrower. Diaporthe minutis differs from the most simi lar Diaporthe species in having ascospores with bipolar mucilaginous pads, while Diaporthe appendiculata differs from other species in having ascospor es with both a mucilaginous pad and appendages at both ends. Oxydothis misc anthicola differs from other species in the genus in having long fusiform a scospores, which taper to rounded apices or otherwise differ in shape and s ize. These new species are compared with existing species and illustrated w ith interference light micrographs. The Diaporthe species known to possess mucilaginous ascospore appendages are listed. (C) 2001 Adac/Editions scient ifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.