Starmerella jinningensis sp. nov., a yeast species isolated from flowers of Erianthus rufipilus.

Five yeast strains (Ym24403, Ym24404, Ym24408, Ym24409 and Ym24410(T)) were isolated from different flowers of Erianthus rufipilus (Gramineae), a wild plant growing in the phosphorus-rich region in Yunnan Province, south-western China, and were found to be phenotypically and genetically divergent from currently recognized yeast species. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene revealed that the five strains represented a novel species described as Starmerella jinningensis sp. nov. The type strain is Ym24410(T) (= CBS 11864(T) =CCTCC AY 2011002(T)). Phylogenetic analysis based on the D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene suggested that S. jinningensis sp. nov. is placed within the Starmerella clade.