Two novel species of sooty mould fungi (Capnodiales, Dothideomycetes) from China

Conidiocarpus and Polychaeton are genera of sooty mould fungi (Capnodiales, Dothideomycetes) that grow epiphytically on the leaf surfaces of living plants and typically depend on honeydew excreted by sap-sucking insects as their primary nutrient source. Heavy colonization by these fungi may impair host photosynthesis, reduce plant vigor, and decrease the aesthetic or economic value of affected plants. In this study, two novel species, Conidiocarpus nanshanense and Polychaeton cengongense , were collected from the leaves of Schefflera macrostachya (large-spiked schefflera) and Dalbergia assamica (South China rosewood) in Guizhou and Guangdong Provinces, respectively. Species delimitation was based on detailed morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of multiple loci, including ITS, LSU, tef 1-α, and rpb 2. Morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided, together with phylogenetic analyses inferred using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). The results expand the known taxonomic diversity of sooty mould fungi in China and provide important morphological and molecular data that support species delimitation and classification within Capnodiales.