Morphological and molecular identification of two new Alternaria species (Ascomycota, Pleosporaceae) in section Radicina from China

The fungal genus Alternaria was distributed widely and found in different habitats such as plant or indoor environment. During an investigation into this genus in China, two new Alternaria species, Alternaria vulgarae and A. divaricatae were respectively isolated from diseased leaves of Foeniculum vulgare and Saposhnikovia divaricata, which both belonged to Umbelliferae. Phylogenetically, they were determined as new species belonging in the section Radicina of Alternaria based on the combined four gene fragments of ITS, TEF1, GAPDH and RPB2. Morphologically, the two species were illustrated and compared with other relevant Alternaria species in section Radicina.

Automated summary

Two new Alternaria species were discovered in China, isolated from diseased leaves of Foeniculum vulgare and Saposhnikovia divaricata, belonging to the Radicina section. These findings contribute to the understanding of the diversity and classification of Alternaria fungi.