Aspects of the Pleosporales Sensu Lato in New Zealand

Abstract

The historical and morphological basis for the order Pleosporales Luttrell (1955) are reviewed with particular regard to the segregation of the order Melanommatales Barr (1983) from Pleosporales. It is concluded that there is at present insufficient evidence to support this taxonomic division. A key and descriptions to some members of this order occuring on herbaceous substrates, in New Zealand, are given. The species considered are: Phaeosphaeria eustoma (Fckl.) Holm 1957, P.fuckelii (Niessl) Holm 1957, P.luctuosa (Niessl apud Sacc.) Otani et Mikawa 1971, P.microscopica (Karst.) Erikss. 1967, P.nigrans (Rob. ex Desm.) Holm 1957, P.typharum (Desm.) Holm 1957, P.vagans (Niessl) Erikss. 1967; Paraphaeosphaeria michotii (West.) Erikss. 1967; Montagnula rhodophaea (Bizz.) Leuchtmann (in press); Nodulosphaeria erythrospora (Riess apud Fab.) Holm 1957; Entodesmium niessleanum (Rabh. ex Niessl) Holm 1957; Ophiosphaeriella herpotrichia (Fr.) Walker 1980; Keissleriella culmifida (Karst.) Bose 1961, K.taminensis (Weg.) Bose 1961; and Lophiostoma caudatum (Fabre) Chesters et Bell 1970. Also described are five species which do not conform to any described species. They have been attributed to the genera: Phaeosphaeria Miyake 1909; Massariosphaeria (Muller) Crivelli 1983; Nodulosphaeria Rabh. 1858; and Massarina Sacc. 1883.