A new species of Cudonia based on morphological and molecular data

A discomycete collected in western Sichuan, China, is morphologically intermediate between Cudonia and Spathularia. The fungus has a bright yellow capitate ascigerous head, a white, ridged stalk, and a well-developed membrane covering the whole ascoma. The asci, ascospores, and paraphyses are similar to those of Cudonia and Spathularia. Based on morphology and DNA sequence analysis, a new species, Cudonia sichuanensis, is reported. Cudonia and Spathularia are closely related to members of Rhytismataceae, as has been suggested previously. The similarity of ascoma and ascospore development between these two genera and Lophodermium, (Rhytismataceae) is discussed.