New Fungal Species Discovered on Invasive Grass in Jiangxi

In wetlands in Jiangxi Province, researchers collected saprobic fungi associated with the invasive grass Arundo donax. The study, led by YinRu Xiong, Ishara S. Manawasinghe, MiaoMiao Zhang, Qiong Ren, and LiYing Zhou, identified two previously unknown species based on detailed morphology and multigene phylogenetic analysis ¹.net].

The newly described taxa are named Lentimurispora arundinis and Stachylidium arundinis. Both isolates grew saprobically on decaying leaf litter, but they differed markedly in spore size and hyphal structure—details that required careful microscopic examination to separate them from related genera ¹.net].

Phylogenetic placement relied on four genetic markers: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), part of the large subunit nuclear rRNA gene (LSU), the translation elongation factor 1‑alpha gene (tef1-α), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2). These sequences confirmed each isolate as a distinct lineage within their respective families, justifying the formal species descriptions ¹.net].

Beyond taxonomy, the discovery underscores how an introduced plant can shape local mycological communities.

Similar patterns have been observed with Phragmites australis, whose introduction into North America has altered soil microbial composition and reduced native vegetation cover according to a study published in Ecography in 2018.

The new findings suggest that Arundo donax may likewise foster novel fungal associations in its invaded habitats.