New Pleosporales Fungi Found on Dead Bamboo in Thailand

A recent issue of MycoKeys reports that scientists Yu Xiao, Zaw Lin Tun, Yong Wang, Deecksha Gomdola and Long‑Feng Yu have uncovered two previously unknown Pleosporales fungi while surveying microfungal communities in northern Thailand. The paper appears in volume 138, pages 193–208, with DOI 10.3897/mycokeys.138.189855. ¹.net]

The team isolated sexual morphs from distinct substrates: one specimen was recovered from a dead stem of an unidentified woody host, whereas the other came from dead bamboo stems (Phyllostachys spp.). Using morphological examination alongside multigene phylogenetic analyses—28S, ITS, 18S, tef1‑α and rpb2—the researchers established two new species within the order Pleosporales. They are named Anastomitrabeculia chiangraiensis sp. nov., belonging to the family Anastomitrabeculiaceae, and Roussoella chiangraiensis sp. nov., placed in Roussoellaceae. ¹.net]

Morphologically, A. chiangraiensis can be distinguished from its sister taxon A. didymospora by the absence of longitudinal striations on ascospores; sequence comparison shows high interspecies divergence across ITS, 28S and rpb2 loci. In contrast, R. chiangraiensis is well resolved within Roussoellaceae and differs markedly from the closely related R. aseptata, with robust statistical support (100 % maximum likelihood bootstrap, 1.00 posterior probability) and significant genetic distance in the ITS region. ¹.net]

These findings add to a growing catalogue of microfungal diversity in Southeast Asia’s complex ecosystems. The discovery underscores ongoing efforts to document fungal biodiversity and highlights how newly identified taxa aid scientists studying ecological interactions between microorganisms and plants. ¹.net]

The authors note that identifying such species expands our understanding of endophytic fungi—organisms that live inside plant tissues without causing harm—and contributes to knowledge bases essential for managing plant diseases and promoting sustainable agriculture. This work also provides baseline data for future studies on bamboo health and potential biocontrol applications.

Overall, the study shows that even common dead stems can contain new fungal lineages, underscoring the need for careful morphology and DNA analysis in mycology research. Scientists are expected to examine more such materials to find additional species, adding to science and understanding of plant‑microbe interactions.