Bactrodesmium gabretae (anamorphic Helotiales), a new sporodochial species described from spruce needles

Bactrodesmium gabretae is described as a new species of hyphomycetes, based on morphological and molecular data. Bactrodesmium gabretae was isolated from prematurely fallen needles of Picea abies in the Bohemian Forest National Park, Czech Republic. It is characterised by whitish colonies, black sporodochium-like structures formed by loosely fasciculate conidiophores and dark ellipsoidal to obovoidal conidia with 1-3 distosepta produced monoblastically. Analysis of 28S rDNA and ITS rDNA regions showed its position within Helotiales (Leotiomycetes). Its placement within the genus Bactrodesmium (supposedly anamorphic of Dothideomycetes) is thus provisional until a molecular phylogenetic study elucidates the phylogeny of the genus.