A worldwide checklist and morpho-molecular systematics of fungi associated with pteridophytes

Fungi associated with pteridophytes comprise a highly diverse group, with species occurring on ferns and their allies throughout the world. In this study, a checklist of fungi related to pteridophytes is listed, including additional details on the host, host family, geographical distribution and references based on the USDA Systematic Mycology and relevant studies. A total of 1658 fungal species, including 348 undetermined species, belonging to 612 genera, 241 families, 100 orders, 34 classes, and 11 phyla are listed based on the checklist. Two major fungal groups: (1) 36 genera with likely fern host-specificity (Asterocalycella, Carrismyces, Completoria, Dangeardiella, Desmella, Equiseticola, Exoteliospora, Griggsia, Hyalopsora, Hysteropeltella, Lachnopsis, Massalongina, Melaniella, Milesina, Mixia, Nothodactylaria, Ophiodiaporthe, Paratrimmatostroma, Phacidina, Placothyrium, Platycarpa, Pleurothyrium, Poculopsis, Polycladium, Polycyclina, Polycyclus, Ptechetelium, Radiciseta, Repetobasidiellum, Rhagadolobiopsis, Rommelaarsia, Scolecoleotia, Uncol, Uredinopsis, Woldmaria and Zymochalara), and (2) 10 genera with most species reported on ferns (Cercospora, Hyalopsora, Lachnum, Milesina, Phaeosphaeria, Pseudocercospora, Ramularia, Taphrina, Uredinopsis and Uredo) are discussed, providing generic notes and re-drawn photo plates. Furthermore, this article also provides morphological descriptions and illustrations of microfungi associated with pteridophytes, resulting in 81 fresh collections gathered in Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Based on morphology and multi-gene phylogeny, we identified 48 species distributed in three classes, nine orders, 17 families, and 30 genera in Ascomycota. Among these 48 species, 25 are introduced as new species, viz., Achroiostachys equiseti, Codinaeella plagiogyriae, Crassiclypeus appendiculatus, Cyphellophora alsophilae, C. guttulata, C. multiseptata, Dictyochaeta diplopterygii, Equiseticola guizhouensis, Memnoniella discreta, Monilochaetes guizhouensis, M. pronephrii, Myxospora synnematosa, Neomyrmecridium pteridophytophilum, Neopodoconis colorata, Nothodactylaria fusiformis, N. guizhouensis, N. polyblastis, N. woodwardiae, Oxydothis woodwardiae, Sporidesmium diplazii, S. pronephrii, Thysanorea guttulata, T. pronephrii, Torula guizhouensis and T. woodwardiae. Additionally, we report 13 new host records, five new host and habitat records, four new host and geographical records, and one new terrestrial habitat record. Furthermore, Tainosphaeria phialogeniculata is synonymized under T. jonesii based on conspecific phylogenetic relationship and similar morphology. Periconia elaeidis and P. verrucosa are synonymized under P. cookei. The historical background, significance, numbers, diversity, lifestyle and lifestyle switching, host-specificity or preference, and host jumping of fungi associated with pteridophytes have also been discussed and reviewed.