Studies on diversity of foliar fungal endophytes of naturalised trees from Argentina, with a description of Haplotrichum minutissimum sp. nov

Abstract

An ecological investigation of foliar endophytic fungal communities on Broussonetia papyrifera, Celtis occidentalis and Ligustrum lucidum was carried out in the natural reserve Dr. Carlos Spegazzini, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The study yielded 21 taxa. Alternaria and Xylaria were the most abundant ones and both were isolated from the three hosts. Phomopsis ligustri-vulgaris, Pycnidiella resinae, Scytalidium acidophilum, Thermomyces lanuginosus and the genus Haplotrichum are cited for the first time as endophytic microorganisms, while P. resinae, Scytalidium aff. acidophilum and T. lanuginosus are cited for the first time in Argentina. A new species, Haplotrichum minutissimum, is described.