An overlooked source of fungal diversity: novel hyphomycete genera on trichomes of cerrado plants

Eight monotypic hyphomycete genera new to science are described from the trichomes of native plants growing in the cerrado of Brazil: Trichomatoclava cerradensis, Echinoconidiophorum cerradense, Globoconidiopsis cerradensis, Globoconidium cerradense, Helminthosporiomyces cerradensis, Microtrichosphaera cerradensis, Phragmoconidium cerradense, and Vesiculohyphomyces cerradensis gens. spp. nov. Two of the new genera were found on hosts belonging in Myrtaceae, and one of each of the following families: Icacinaceae, Malphigiaceae, Fabaceae, Dilleniaceae, Chrysobalanaceae, and Caryocaraceae. These discoveries suggest that the trichomes of neotropical plants are an unexplored source of novel fungal diversity, and merit more attention in biodiversity surveys.