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, Trichomatosphaera [corrected] 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.