Bensingtonia changbaiensis sp nov and Bensingtonia sorbi sp nov., novel ballistoconidium-forming yeast species from plant leaves

Six ballistoconidium-forming yeast strains that were isolated from plant leaves collected on Changbai Mountain, north-east China, were assigned to the genus Bensingtonia Ingold emend. Nakase & Boekhout due to the formation of asymmetrical ballistoconidia, cream-coloured colonies and Q-9 as the major ubiquinone. Two separate groups, representing two novel Bensingtonia species, were recognized among these yeasts by 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 18S rDNA sequence analyses. The names Bensingtonia changbaiensis sp. nov. (type strain, CB 346(T) AS 2.2310(T) =CBS 9497(T)) and Bensingtonia sorbi sp. nov. (type strain, CB286(T) =AS 2.2303(T) =CBS 9498(T)) are proposed for these two species.