Leptographium profanum sp.nov., a new species from hardwood roots in North America

Species of Leptographium are anamorphs of Ophiostoma and best known as associates of tree-infesting bark beetles. The majority of these fungi and their insect associates are found on conifers where they typically cause sap-stain of lumber. A small number of species are also known as tree pathogens. Relatively few Leptographium species are found on angiosperm trees. Species described from these niches have increased in recent years. The objective of this study was to characterize a Leptographium species isolated from the roots of various hardwood trees in the southeastern United States. Morphology of this fungus differed from that of other Leptographium species. Comparisons of DNA sequences for part of the ITS2-28S ribosomal DNA region, the beta-tubulin, and the elongation 1-alpha gene regions also showed that this fungus represents an undescribed taxon. The fungus is thus described as Leptographium profanum sp.nov.