Fungalpedia – Note 3039, Neorhytisma
Neorhytisma M. Piepenbr., T.A. Hofm., S. Gronefeld & C.L. Hou.
Citation when using this data: Wang QT et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Rhytismataceae, Rhytismatales, Leotiomycetidae, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Etymology. The name refers to morphologically similar species of Rhytisma and the neotropical origin of the specimens of the type species.
Parasitic on species of Arbutoideae (Ericaceae). Conidiomata on adaxial surface of green leaves, ascomata developing directly from conidiomata, circular to elliptical, or slightly irregular, opening by a more or less longitudinal split, several ascomata usually coalesce to form black spots of up to 4 mm diam. Lips absent. Paraphyses filiform. Ascospores narrowly ellipsoidal to ovoid, with thick gelatinous sheaths.
Notes: The type and only species of this new genus, Neorhytisma panamense, was described as a species of Rhytisma on Comarostaphylis arbutoides by Hou et al. (2010). The position in the genus Rhytisma was supported by morphological characteristics, the host relationship (Ericaceae) and molecular sequence data. At this time, however, only a few sequences of further species of Rhytismatales were available.
According to the phylogenetic analysis presented here, Neorhytisma panamense does not form part of the clade including other Rhytisma-like species (Wang QT et al. 2023). It is located in a clade that is distant from other Rhytisma-like species, with Triblidium caliciiforme Rebent. as sister group with only moderate support (Fig. 1; Karakehian et al. 2019). N. panamense fundamentally differs from Tr. caliciiforme by the fact that the latter species is presumed to be a saprotrophic fungus with fruiting bodies developing on bark.
Type species: Neorhytisma panamense (C.L. Hou, T. Trampe & M. Piepenbr.) M. Piepenbr., T.A. Hofm., S. Gronefeld & C.L. Hou.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Neorhytisma.
Figure 1 – Neorhytisma panamense (A544, A539 and UCH 5284). a Black spots on a leaf. b Longitudinal section of a conidioma. c Two conidia; d Longitudinal section of an ascoma; e Liberated ascospores with gelatinous sheaths; e Liberated ascospores with gelatinous sheaths; f Paraphyses and mature asci with ascospores. Scale bars a = 1 cm, b = 100 μm, c = 10 μm, d = 100 μm, e = 10 μm, f = 10 μm (a from A544, b from UCH 5284, c and e from A539, d from A539 and A544).
References
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