Neotropical mountain forests are characterized by having hyperdiverse and unusual fungi inhabiting lichens. The great majority of these lichenicolous fungi (i.e., detectable by light microscopy) remain undescribed and their phylogenetic relationships are mostly unknown. This study focuses on lichenicolous fungi inhabiting the genus Lobariella (Peltigerales), one of the most important lichen hosts in the Andean cloud forests. Based on molecular and morphological data, three new genera are introduced: Lawreyella gen. nov. (Cordieritidaceae, for Unguiculariopsis lobariella), Neobaryopsis gen. nov. (Cordycipitaceae), and Pseudodidymocyrtis gen. nov. (Didymosphaeriaceae). Nine additional new species are described (Abrothallus subhalei sp. nov., Atronectria lobariellae sp. nov., Corticifraga microspora sp. nov., Epithamnolia rugosopycnidiata sp. nov., Lichenotubeufia cryptica sp. nov., Neobaryopsis andensis sp. nov., Pseudodidymocyrtis lobariellae sp. nov., Rhagadostomella hypolobariella sp. nov., and Xylaria lichenicola sp. nov.). Phylogenetic placements of 13 lichenicolous species are reported here for Abrothallus, Arthonia, Globonectria, Lawreyella, Monodictys, Neobaryopsis, Pseudodidymocyrtis, Sclerococcum, Trichonectria and Xylaria. The name Sclerococcum ricasoliae comb. nov. is reestablished for the neotropical populations formerly named S. lobariellum (Sclerococcales). A key to sexual and asexual states of 40 species of lobariellicolous ascomycetous fungi is provided. Teleomorph-anamorph connections were established for several species using molecular methods and/or visual observations in nature. Additionally, we found that the anamorphic species Cornutispora ophiurospora inhabiting Lobariella was often accompanied by ascomata of Spirographa. Results of phylogenetic analyses, including newly generated sequences of several Cornutispora and Spirographa species inhabiting various host lichens, support the conclusion that Cornutispora is a synonym of Spirographa. Our Maximum Likelihood inference based on multiple loci show that all studied Spirographa (including Cornutispora) belong to a new lineage within Ostropales. Based on these highly supported phylogenetic placements and the distinct character states of their conidiomata, in comparison with other Lecanoromycetes, a new family is proposed – Spirographaceae fam. nov. This new lineage includes broadly distributed mycoparasites, inhabiting various lichen and fungal hosts, and representing an early diversification event preceding the lichen-forming clade of Fissurinaceae, Gomphillaceae and Graphidaceae. Two lichenicolous species, Asteroglobulus giselae and Pleoscutula arsenii, were found to be nested within the Spirographa clade, and their teleomorph-anamorph connections were confirmed based on genotypic and phenotypic data. This phylogenetic result is corroborated by their highly similar ascomata anatomy. Together these results strongly indicate that both species are congeneric with Spirographa. As a result, four new species (S. aggregata sp. nov., S. galligena sp. nov., S. maroneae sp. nov., and S. parmotrematis sp. nov.) and 15 new combinations are proposed (Spirographa ascaridiella comb. nov., S. arsenii comb. nov., S. ciliata comb. nov., S. giselae comb. nov., S. herteliana comb. nov., S. hypotrachynae comb. nov., S. intermedia comb. nov., S. lichenicola comb. nov., S. limaciformis comb. nov., S. ophiurospora comb. nov., S. pittii comb. nov., S. pyramidalis comb. nov., S. triangularis comb. nov., S. tricupulata comb. nov., and S. vermiformis comb. nov.). Species of the genus Spirographa, as outlined here, are strongly host-specific, mainly at the generic level of their host. Some host genera can harbour more than one Spirographa species.

Natural history collections, including name-bearing type specimens, are an important source of genetic information. These data can be critical for appropriate taxonomic revisions in cases where the phylogenetic position of name-bearing type specimens needs to be identified, including morphologically cryptic lichen-forming fungal species. Here, we use high-throughput metagenomic shotgun sequencing to generate genome-scale data from decades-old (i.e., more than 30 years old) isotype specimens representing three vagrant taxa in the lichen-forming fungal genus Rhizoplaca, including one species and two subspecies. We also use data from high-throughput metagenomic shotgun sequencing to infer the phylogenetic position of an enigmatic collection, originally identified as R. haydenii, that failed to yield genetic data via Sanger sequencing. We were able to construct a 1.64 Mb alignment from over 1200 single-copy nuclear gene regions for the Rhizoplaca specimens. Phylogenomic reconstructions recovered an isotype representing Rhizoplaca haydenii subsp. arbuscula within a clade comprising other specimens identified as Rhizoplaca haydenii subsp. arbuscula, while an isotype of R. idahoensis was recovered within a clade with substantial phylogenetic substructure comprising Rhizoplaca haydenii subsp. haydenii and other specimens. Based on these data and morphological differences, Rhizoplaca haydenii subsp. arbuscula is elevated to specific rank as Rhizoplaca arbuscula. For the enigmatic collection, we were able to assemble the nearly complete nrDNA cistron and over 50 Mb of the mitochondrial genome. Using these data, we identified this specimen as a morphologically deviant form representing Xanthoparmelia aff. subcumberlandia. This study highlights the power of high-throughput metagenomic shotgun sequencing in generating larger and more comprehensive genetic data from taxonomically important herbarium specimens.

The year 1949 was an important year. Shortly after theend of the disastrous World War II, the world beganto reshape at a global level. In April of that year, theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded,including several countries of Western Europe, the UnitedStates, and Canada. Just one month later, the FederalRepublic of Germany came into existence, and in September, the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed.Perhaps even more impacting were the sociocultural novelties introduced during that year. In August of 1949, theBasketball Association of America (BAA) merged withthe National Basketball League (NBL) to form the brandname of the National Basketball Association (NBA). InJune of the same year, Gertrude Augusta ‘Gussy’ Moranshocked Wimbledon by wearing a miniskirt on the court.Much to the delight of the first author of this tribute, inthat year also the so-called ‘currywurst’ was inventedin Germany, credited to a woman named Herta Heuwer,who owned a food stand in Berlin. Jim hadn’t been bornyet to witness these events, but would learn about themeventually in history classes or through documentaries.Whether he has ever tasted a traditional ‘currywurst’ isnot known.

Molecular data and culture-dependent methods have helped to uncover the phylogenetic relationships of numerous species of lichenicolous fungi, a specialized group of taxa that inhabit lichens and have developed diverse degrees of specificity and parasitic behaviors. The majority of lichenicolous fungal taxa are known in either their anamorphic or teleomorphic states, although their anamorph-teleomorph relationships have been resolved in only a few cases. The pycnidium-forming Lichenodiplis lecanorae and the perithecioid taxa Muellerella atricola and M. lichenicola were recently recovered as monophyletic in Chaetothyriales (Eurotiomycetes). Both genera are lichenicolous on multiple lichen hosts, upon which they show a subtle morphological diversity reflected in the description of 14 species in Muellerella (of which 12 are lichenicolous) and 12 in Lichenodiplis. Here we focus on the teleomorphic genus Muellerella and investigate its monophyly by expanding the taxon sampling to other species occurring on diverse lichen hosts. We generated molecular data for two nuclear and one mitochondrial loci (28S, 18S and 16S) from environmental samples. The present multilocus phylogeny confirms the monophyletic lineage of the teleomorphic M. atricola and M. lichenicola with their L. lecanorae-like anamorphs, but places the rest of the Muellerella species studied in two different monophyletic lineages with strong support. The first, Muellerella spp. 1, is nested within some new lineages of black fungi isolated from different epilithic lichen thalli, while the second, Muellerella spp. 2, is closely related to the Verrucariales. Based on these results, we reappraise the phylogenetic placement of Muellerella and suggest its polyphyly within Chaetothyriomycetidae.

Pluteus fenzlii is a rare Eurasian lignicolous fungus, an iconic bright yellow species that attracts attention. Its habitat in the Białowieża Virgin Forest, Poland, is dominated by Carpinus betulus with admixture of Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Picea abies, with an herb layer typical for the Carpinion betuli alliance. In Slovakia, the country hosting the highest number of localities worldwide, P. fenzlii prefers closed canopy of thermophilous forest with dominance of Quercus cerris and adjacent Quercus robur agg., Q. petraea agg., Carpinus betulus and Tilia cordata. In the Natura 2000 classification this vegetation belongs to habitat 91M0, Pannonian-Balkanic Turkey Oak-Sessile Oak forests, and priority habitat 91G0, Pannonic woods with Quercus petraea and Carpinus betulus. The Slovak localities can be assigned to the mycosociological community Boleto (aerei)–Russuletum luteotactae, typical for thermophilous oak forests of Southern Europe and extrazonal areas in Central Europe. The presence of P. fenzlii at the isolated Białowieża locality could represent either a remote site of its present occurrence or a remnant of its former distribution, connected with the relict occurrence of thermophilous vegetation in Białowieża where continental oak forests have already disappeared.

This issue of Plant and Fungal Systematics includes sixpapers dedicated to the memory of Professor JadwigaSiemińska-Słupska, an exceptional woman, scientist,and educator who devoted her life to research on algae,especially diatoms, and teaching. Her work had a significant impact on the post-war and contemporary phycology and hydrobiology in Poland. Prof. J. Siemińska wasborn on January 1, 1922, in Krakow, the city where shegraduated from Jagiellonian University and later choseas a place for her over half a century long academic career.