Rust fungi on Annonaceae II: the genus Dasyspora Berk. ∧ M.A. Curtis

Dasyspora gregaria, the single species of the allegedly monotypic rust genus Dasyspora (Basidiomycota, Pucciniales), was investigated by light microscopy and DNA sequencing (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, partial LSU and SSU of the nuclear rDNA, mt cytochrome oxidase subunit 3). Both methods indicated that D. gregaria is not a single species but can be split in 11 distinct taxa, each of which appear confined to a single Xylopia species (Annonaceae) host. Herein nine of these are described as new. Both the phylogenetic analyses and morphology show that the species are grouped into two main clades designated Dasyspora gregaria and D. winteri. The first comprises D. gregaria, the type species of the genus, which is restricted to X. cayennensis, two new species on X. aromatica, D. segregaria from northern South America and D. echinata from Brazil. The second clade is formed by D. winteri, recombined from Puccinia winteri on X. sericea, and the new species D. amazonica on X. amazonica, D. emarginatae on X. emarginata, D. frutescentis on X. frutescens, D. ferrugineae on X. frutescens var. ferruginea, D. guianensis on X. benthamii, D. mesoamericana on X. frutescens, and D. nitidae on X. nitida. Dasyspora frutescentis and D. mesoamericana were not clearly distinguishable by their morphology and host associations but differed from another in their sequences and geographic distributions. They are considered cryptic species. An identification key and the distributions are given for all recognized species. Along with molecular data we discuss the systematic position of Dasyspora in the Pucciniales.