Leptoxyphium
Leptoxyphium Speg., Physis, Rev. Soc. Arg. Cienc. Nat. 4(no. 17): 294 (1918).
Index Fungorum number: IF 8762; Facesoffungi number: FoF 06949, 17 morphological species (Species Fungorum 2022), 5 species with molecular data.
Saprobic on sugary exudates from insects growing on the surface of living leaves. Thallus of superficial, grey brown to brown, septate, branched mycelium, constricted at the septa, forming an irregular network. Sexual morph: Unknown. Asexual morph: Pycnidia superficial, gregarious, arising from aggregated hyphae, base bulbous, comprising parallel hyphae, straight to slightly flexuous, sometimes with helical twisting, comprised of cylindrical hyphae and expanded to become funnel-shaped, cupulate at the apex. Conidia ellipsoidal, hyaline, 1-celled, guttulate (adapted from Woronichin 1925; Hughes 1976).
Type species: Leptoxyphium graminum (Pat.) Speg.
Notes: Leptoxyphium is characterised by grey brown to brown thallus, superficial, gregarious pycnidia and hyaline, 1-celled, guttulate conidia. Taxonomic studies on the genus are scarce. Crous et al. (2011) introduced L. kurandae from leaves of Eucalyptus from Queensland and Chomnunti et al. (2011) introduced L. cacuminum from leaves of Gossypium herbaceum from Thailand. Only five species have sequence data in GenBank namely L. cacuminum, L. citri, L. glochidion, L. kurandae and L. madagascariense. Leptoxyphium cacuminum is unique because of its hyaline conidia, never becoming septate or pigmented when mature. Leptoxyphium differs from other genera in Capnodiaceae in having a pycnidia with a thin bulbous base, with a cup-like apex, which produces conidia. Leptoxyphium is a distinct and well-supported genus in Capnodiaceae.
Recent News
Recent paper to be publishedRecent Genus
NothocladosporiumPhillipsiella
Ampelomyces
Recent Species
Nothocladosporium syzygiiPhillipsiella atra
Curreya conorum