Four New Endophytic Apiospora Species Isolated from Three Dicranopteris Species in Guizhou, China

Endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal ferns serve as significant natural resources for drug precursors or bioactive metabolites. During our survey on the diversity of endophytic fungi from Dicranopteris species (a genus of medicinal ferns) in Guizhou, Apoiospora was observed as a dominant fungal group. In this study, seven Apiospora strains, representing four new species, were obtained from the healthy plant tissues of three Dicranopteris species-D. ampla, D. linearis, and D. pedata. The four new species, namely Apiospora aseptata, A. dematiacea, A. dicranopteridis, and A. globosa, were described in detail with color photographs and subjected to phylogenetic analyses using combined LSU, ITS, TEF1-alpha, and TUB2 sequence data. This study also documented three new hosts for Apiospora species.

Automated summary

Endophytic fungi from medicinal ferns are valuable natural resources for drug precursors or bioactive metabolites. This study identified seven Apiospora strains, representing four new species, from three Dicranopteris species in Guizhou. Phylogenetic analyses and detailed descriptions were conducted to characterize these new species. Three new hosts for Apiospora species were also documented.