J Syst Evol

• Research Article •    

Revisiting Xylaria Diversity in Southern China: Descriptions of 40 New Species

Qirui Li1,2,3# Kamran Habib1,4#, Youpeng Wu1, Sihan Long1, Xu Zhang1, Hongmin Hu1, Qianzhen Wu1, Lili Liu5,6, Yan Lin1, Xiangchun Shen2*, Jichuan Kang3*   

  1. 1 State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China;
    2 The High Efficacy Application of Natural Medicinal Resources Engineering Center of Guizhou Province(The Key Laboratory of Optimal Utilization of Natural Medicine Resources), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, P.R. China;
    3 Engineering and Research Center for Southwest Bio-Pharmaceutical Resources of National Education Ministry of China, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P.R. China;
    4 Department of Botany, Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak, KP, Pakistan;
    5 Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province/Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, P.R. China;
    6 Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Engineering Research Center of Cellular Immunotherapy of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, P.R. China
    #These authors contributed equally as first authors to this work.
    *Corresponding Authors email:Xiangchun Shen shenxiangchun@126.com;Jichuan Kang jckang@gzu.edu.cn
  • Received:2023-10-19 Accepted:2024-01-14

Abstract: The genus Xylaria comprises a diverse group of fungi with a global distribution and significant ecological importance, known for being a source of bioactive secondary metabolites with antibacterial, antioxidative, anti-carcinogenic, and additional properties. In this study, we present a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the species of Xylaria found in some parts of southern China, characterized by an extensive multilocus phylogeny analysis based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS), TUB2 (β-tubulin), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) gene regions. Morphological examination and detailed comparative analyses of the collected specimens were conducted to determine the distinctiveness of each species. The multilocus phylogeny approach allowed us to infer evolutionary relationships and assess species boundaries accurately, leading to the identification of 40 novel Xylaria species hitherto unknown to science. The newly described species are: X. baoshanensis, X. bawanglingensis, X. botryoidalis, X. dadugangensis, X. doupengshanensis, X. fanglanii, X. glaucae, X. guizhouensis, X. japonica, X. jinghongensis, X. jinshanensis, X. kuankuoshuiensis, X. liboensis, X. negundinis, X. orbiculati, X. ovata, X. pseudoanisopleura, X. pseudocubensis, X. pseudobambusicola, X. pseudoglobosa, X. pseudohemisphaerica, X. pseudohypoxylon, X. puerensis, X. qianensis, X. qiongzhouensis, X. rhombostroma, X. serratifoliae, X. shishangensis, X. shuqunii, X. shuangjiangensis, X. sinensis, X. tongrenensis, X. umbellata, X. xishuiensis, X. yaorenshanensis, X. yinggelingensis, X. yumingii, X. yunnanensis, X. zangmui, and X. zonghuangii. The study's findings shed light on the distinctiveness of the newly described species, supported by both morphological distinctions and phylogenetic relationships with their close relatives. This taxonomic revision significantly contributes to our understanding the diversity of Xylaria in China and enriches the knowledge of fungal biodiversity worldwide.

Key words: Fungal diversity, Novel species, Taxonomic revision, Xylariaceae