Fungalpedia – Note 766, Fanglania
Fanglania C.L. Hou, Q.T. Wang & P.F. Cannon.
Citation when using this data: Wang QT et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1, 2.
Classification: Rhytismataceae, Rhytismatales, Leotiomycetidae, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Etymology: To commemorate the founder of mycology in China and one of the main founders of plant pathology in China, Mr. Fanglan Dai.
Parasitic on Ilex spp. Stromata developing on both sides of living leaves, sparse, occasionally confluent, raising above the surface of the leaf, black. Ascomata developing on the abaxial surface of living leaves, opening by one more or less circular split. Lips absent. Paraphyses filiform. Ascospores cylindrical or clavate.
Notes: The genus corresponds to the Ilex clade which is well supported in the LSU-mtSSU phylogenetic tree (Wang QT et al. 2023). Species of this clade are parasitic on evergreen Ilex spp. and differ from species in other clades by ascomata opening with mostly circular splits. Therefore, the Ilex clade is proposed as a new genus, Fanglania. Ilex Tourn. ex L. is a large plant genus of around 660 species, with a centre of origin in the Indo-China region (Yao et al. 2020). Eight species associated with Ilex leaves have been described (Suto 2009), and a further two are added in this paper. The affinities of several of the species referred to by Suto remain uncertain, and this situation will remain unless modern collections and sequences can be obtained. Rhytisma bontocense Syd., described from Ilex buergeri var. rolfei in the Philippines (Sydow 1932), is similar to Fanglania ilicis-integrae and could perhaps be an earlier name for the species; the difference in ascus dimensions given by Suto (2009) is likely in at least part to Sydow’s measurement of the spore-bearing part of the ascus only. Rh. ilicincola (Schw.) Fr. and Rh. ilicis-canadensis Schw. occur on living leaves of Ilex in North America and are probably referable to Fanglania, and could represent a single species, but no modern collections are available. Similarly, Rh. prini (Schwein.) Fr. and Rh. velatum (Schwein.) Fr. are reported as parasites of Ilex verticillata (L.) A.Gray and I. decidua Walter (syn. I. prinoides (Sol.)) respectively from North America (Saccardo 1895), but their affinities cannot be confirmed due to lack of data on micromorphological characteristics. Rh. ilicis Sawada appears to have very short asci (Suto 2009), though again the measurement may only refer to the spore-bearing part. Rh. loesenerianum Henn. was described from Uruguay and was stated as having one-septate ascospores; its affinities remain unclear.
Type species: Fanglania hubeiensis C.L. Hou, Q.T. Wang & P.F. Cannon.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Fanglania.
Figure 1 – Fanglania hubeiensis on Ilex cornuta (HOU 1406/BJTC 201960, holotype). a Ascomata on the abaxial surface of leaves. b Mature ascomata on the abaxial surface of a leaf. c–d Mature ascomata observed under a dissecting microscope. Scale bars a = 10 mm, b = 2 mm, c–d = 500 μm.
Figure 2 – Fanglania hubeiensis (HOU 1406/BJTC 201960, holotype). a Stroma in vertical section (leaf inverted for illustration). b Detail of a mature ascoma in vertical section. c Paraphyses, mature asci with ascospores, and immature asci. d Liberated ascospores. Scale bars a = 100 μm, b = 30 μm, c = 20 μm, d = 5 μm.
References
Sydow H. 1932 – Novae fungorum species – XXI. Annls Mycol 30: 91–117.
Entry by
Qiu-Tong Wang and Mei-Jun Guo, College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuanbeilu 105, Haidian, Beijing 100048, China.
Published online 27 August 2026