Improving the backbone tree for the genus Pestalotiopsis; addition of P. steyaertii and P. magna sp. nov.

A novel, saprobic Pestalotiopsis species isolated from the decaying leaves of Pteridium sp. collected in France is described as Pestalotiopsis magna. The novelty of the species is confirmed based on phenotypic analyses of conidial characters and phylogenetic analyses of sequence data. Pestalotiopsis magna can also be distinguished from similar and related species by its larger conidia. Phylogenetic species recognition, based on combined, multilocus alignment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial beta-tubulin, and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), strongly supported the monophyly of P. magna with relation to other versicolorous species. The ex-type culture of P. steyaertii was also sequenced and placed in the backbone tree for Pestalotiopsis.