Fungalpedia – Note 3038, Lophodermina
Lophodermina Höhn.
Citation when using this data: Wang QT et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.
Classification: Rhytismataceae, Rhytismatales, Leotiomycetidae, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Parasitic on species of Vaccinium. Ascomata not developing from complex stromata, broadly elliptical with rounded ends, chiefly hypophyllous, in spots or scattered over the entire leaf. Lips heavily carbonized. Paraphyses filamentous. Ascospores filiform, with an inconspicuous gelatinous matrixi.
Notes: In the LSU-mtSSU phylogenetic tree in Lantz et al. (2011), Lophodermina melaleuca clustered with the species of Rhytisma, forming a clade with high support values. In order to test the possibility that this result was due to contamination, Lantz et al. (2011) sequenced different voucher material of Lo. melaleuca. However, the new sequences were identical to the earlier ones (Lantz et al. 2011). This indicated that the phylogenetic position of Lo. melaleuca seems to be correct. They suggested that the position of Lo. melaleuca among Rhytisma-like species is not supported by morphological characteristics and this species needs to be further investigated.
The LSU and mtSSU sequences of Lo. melaleuca used in the present analyses were provided by Lantz et al. (2011), and no other sequences are currently available. The tree topology of our study is consistent with that of Lantz et al. (2011); Lo. melaleuca clusters with Rhytismataceae s.str., at a long distance from the type species of Lophodermium, Lophodermium arundinaceum (Schrad.) Chevall. It is important to note that Lophodermium is polyphyletic, and species currently assigned to that genus occupy a number of clades within the Rhytismataceae. Although Lo. melaleuca and Xyloma form a sister relationship in the phylogenetic tree (Wang QT et al. 2023), they are completely different in the ascomata and host. The elliptic ascomata, heavily carbonized lip cells as well as the host of Lo. melaleuca are unique in the Rhytismataceae s.str.
Höhnel (1917) described the genus Lophodermina with Lo. melaleuca as type, so a new genus is not necessary for this clade. It was accepted by Tehon (1935) based on morphological criteria, but treated as a synonym of Lophodermium in many subsequent studies (e.g. Darker 1967; Cannon and Minter 1986). But based on the phylogenetic analysis of this study, the taxonomic status of Lophodermina should be reinstated.
Type species: Lophodermina melaleuca (Fr.) Höhn.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Lophodermina.
References
Cannon PF, Minter DW. 1986 – The Rhytismataceae of the Indian subcontinent. Mycological Papers 155: 1–123.
Höhnel F. von. 1917a – Mycologische Fragmente [nos 120–190]. Annales Mycologici 15: 293–383.
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