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Research Article
Three new species of Apiospora (Apiosporaceae, Amphisphaeriales) associated with diseased bamboo in China
expand article infoXiaoyun Chang‡, Yuanyuan Wang‡, Tao Xu‡, Guangshuo Li‡, Xianghua Yue§, MingJun Chen‡
‡ Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
§ International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Sanya Research Base, Sanya, China

Corresponding author: Xianghua Yue ( yuexianghua@icbr.ac.cn )

Corresponding author: MingJun Chen ( mjchen@ahau.edu.cn )

Academic editor: Thorsten Lumbsch
© 2025 Xiaoyun Chang, Yuanyuan Wang, Tao Xu, Guangshuo Li, Xianghua Yue, MingJun Chen.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation: Chang X, Wang Y, Xu T, Li G, Yue X, Chen M (2025) Three new species of Apiospora (Apiosporaceae, Amphisphaeriales) associated with diseased bamboo in China. MycoKeys 116: 205-226. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.116.142263
Open Access

Abstract

Apiospora is widely distributed worldwide, primarily comprising pathogens, endophytes, and saprobes associated with plants, and most of its hosts are Poaceae. In this study, 37 pathogenic strains of Apiospora were isolated from diseased bamboo collected in the provinces of Hunan and Guizhou, China. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis using combined ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1 sequence data, along with morphological assessments, identified three new species: A. bambusiparasitica sp. nov., A. qiannanensis sp. nov., and A. xiangxiense sp. nov. Descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic trees for the newly discovered species are provided and compared with closely related Apiospora species to enhance our understanding of the genus Apiospora. The pathogenicity test results demonstrated that the three new species could cause bamboo culm diseases, providing valuable information for the diagnosis and management of bamboo culm diseases.

Key words:

Bambusicolous fungi, morphology, new taxa, phylogeny, taxonomy

Introduction

The genus Apiospora (Amphisphaeriales, Apiosporaceae) was established and described by Saccardo in 1875, with Apiospora montagnei (Saccardo 1875) designated as the type species. The ongoing development of fungal taxonomy and phylogeny has led to multiple revisions of the taxonomic status of the genus Apiospora. Before 2021, the phylogenetic relationship between Arthrinium and Apiospora remained unclear. Molecular phylogenetic studies initially placed both genera in the family Apiosporaceae (Hyde et al. 1998). Subsequently, Crous and Groenewald (2013) proposed synonymizing Arthrinium with Apiospora and prioritized the former as per the “one fungus, one name” policy (Hawksworth et al. 2011; Réblová et al. 2016), despite a lack of data on the type species Arthrinium caricicola. However, Pintos and Alvarado’s (2021) study showed that genetic, morphological, and ecological differences between Apiospora and Arthrinium were considered sufficient to support the taxonomic separation of the two genera. Furthermore, Pintos and Alvarado (2022) refined the identity of Apiospora montagnei as the type species and delineated its phylogenetic boundaries. Additionally, many species from Arthrinium were transferred to Apiospora (Pintos and Alvarado 2021; Tian et al. 2021). As of March 2025, there are 206 epithets listed in Index Fungorum.

Morphologically, Apiospora and Arthrinium share many similarities, particularly in their asexual characteristics (Yuan et al. 2020). However, most Apiospora conidia are nearly spherical from the front view and lenticular from the side, while Arthrinium often produces conidia of various shapes, including angular, spherical, curved, boat-shaped, fusiform, and polygonal (Crous and Groenewald 2013; Pintos and Alvarado 2021, 2022; Li et al. 2023; Ai et al. 2024; Liu et al. 2024).

Ecologically, Apiospora is mainly associated with Poaceae or other plant hosts in tropical and subtropical regions (Liao et al. 2023; Liu et al. 2023; Zhang et al. 2023), while Arthrinium primarily occurs on Cyperaceae or Juncaceae hosts in temperate, cold, or alpine habitats (Sharma et al. 2014; Kwon et al. 2021; Pintos and Alvarado 2022). Current fungal taxonomy also emphasizes the correlation between host specificity and geographic location. All these pieces of evidence support the taxonomic separation of the two genera.

Bamboo is a vital non-wood bioresource, playing an irreplaceable role in economic, ecological, medicinal, and societal development (Shukla et al. 2016; Borowski et al. 2022). However, the intensification of bamboo cultivation has heightened its vulnerability to infectious diseases. Among fungal pathogens associated with bamboo, obligate pathogens such as Phyllachora, Physopella, Puccinia, Stereostratum, and Uredo predominantly infect bamboo leaves, while sporadic pathogens, including Apiospora, Meliola, Fusarium, and Sclerotium, target both leaves and culms (Hyde et al. 2002; Yang et al. 2019). The pathogenicity of Apiospora species on bamboo has garnered increasing attention. For instance, Li et al. (2016) identified A. phaeospermum as the causative agent of culm rot in Phyllostachys viridis in China. Subsequently, Yang et al. (2019) reported A. yunnanum as the pathogen responsible for bamboo blight in Phyllostachys heteroclada. More recently, Zheng et al. (2022) confirmed that A. arundinis caused culm rhomboid rot in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). Beyond their pathogenic roles, several Apiospora species are recognized as endophytes, contributing to the microbial diversity of bamboo (Wang et al. 2018).

In this study, we isolated several Arthrinium-like taxa from diseased culms of bamboo in China. To clarify their taxonomic status, we used a dataset composed of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU), β-tubulin (TUB2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1). Based on morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, we identified and described three new Apiospora species.

Materials and methods

Plant material

In this study, diseased bamboo samples were collected from Jiuyi Mountain in Ningyuan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan, and from Libo County, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, China. The International Center for Bamboo and Rattan provided the specimens. Samples were deposited in the Research Center for Entomogenous Fungi (RCEF) of Anhui Agricultural University.

Pathogen isolation

Pure cultures of all fungal isolates were obtained by the single hyphal tip isolation method. For pathogen isolation, lesion margin specimens were excised into 5 × 5 mm fragments, surface-sterilized in 2% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, followed by immersion in 75% ethanol for 1 min, and rinsed three times consecutively with sterile water (Zheng et al. 2022). The sterilized pieces were wiped dry with sterilized filter paper and then placed into Petri dishes containing potato dextrose agar (PDA) (three pieces per dish) amended with 50 µg/mL of benzylpenicillin potassium (Cai et al. 2009). The plates were incubated at 25 °C under a 12 h light/dark photoperiod. Hyphal tips from the leading edge of fungal colonies emerging from the tissues were transferred to fresh PDA after two days to obtain pure cultures, which were subsequently maintained at 25 °C. Living cultures were stored in a metabolically inactive state at the Research Center for Entomogenous Fungi (RCEF) of Anhui Agricultural University. The MycoBank number for the newly described species is referenced as outlined in Robert et al. (2013).

Morphological characterization

For morphological identification, the purified isolated strains were incubated on PDA (fresh diced potato 200 g/L, dextrose 20 g/L, agar 20 g/L) and MEA (malt extract 20 g/L and 20 g/L agar) at 25 °C. Incubate at 25 °C in alternating light and dark (12 h for each); colony growth was observed daily, and the morphology, color, texture of colonies, and the diameter of colonies were recorded. Asexual reproductive structures were observed based on cultures on PDA, following synoptic keys for Apiospora species identification. In the morphological analysis, the fungi were mounted in a drop of lactophenol solution on glass slides. The microstructures, such as mycelium, conidiogenous cells, and conidia, were observed using an optical microscope (ZEISS Axiolab 5) and microphotographed. Forty conidiogenous cells and conidia were measured and examined. The colors of fresh specimens and cultures were recorded by referring to the Methuen Handbook of Color (Kornerup and Wanscher 1978).

DNA extraction and PCR amplification

The genomic DNA of the isolates was extracted from mycelium that was cultured on a PDA plate and incubated for 3–5 days at 25 °C. DNA extraction was performed according to the CTAB method (Spatafora et al. 1998).

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was applied to amplify four gene fragments, including ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1. The following primer pairs were used: ITS1/ITS4 for ITS (White et al. 1990), LR0R/LR5 for LSU (Rehner and Samuels 1995), EF1-728F/EF2 for TEF1 (O’Donnell et al. 1998; Carbone and Kohn 1999), and T1/Bt2b for TUB2 (Glass and Donaldson 1995; O’Donnell and Cigelnik 1997). The PCR amplification system consisted of 2 min at 94 °C, followed by 35 cycles of 30 s at 94 °C, 30 s at 48 °C (ITS), and 45 s at 72 °C, and a final step of 2 min at 72 °C. Different annealing temperatures were used according to the genomic region to be amplified: 56 °C for TEF1 and LSU, 58 °C for TUB2. The final product was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis and sent to Beijing Liuhe Huada Gene Technology Company. The resulting sequences were submitted to GenBank for sequencing.

Molecular and phylogenetic analysis

Newly generated sequences from each isolate were blasted against the GenBank database, and searches were restricted to type materials for the initial determination of the closest matching species and species complex. Related gene sequences (ITS, LSU, TUB2, TEF1) of Apiospora spp. from recent publications were downloaded from GenBank (Table 1) (Yan and Zhang 2024). Manual adjustments of sequences were carried out using BioEdit (Hall et al. 2011) to maximize homology.

Table 1.
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Species of Apiosporaceae used in the phylogenetic analyses. Notes: Strains in this study are marked in bold. “T” indicates a type culture. NA = not available.

Strain Code Host and Substrates Locality GenBank accession numbers
ITS LSU TUB2 TEF1
Apiospora acutiapica KUMCC 20-0209 Bambusa bambos China MT946342 MT946338 MT947365 MT947359
A. adinandrae SAUCC 1282B-1 T Diseased leaves of Adinandra glischroloma China OR739431 OR739572 OR757128 OR753448
A. agari KUC21333 T Agarum cribrosum South Korea MH498520 MH498440 MH498478 MH544663
A. aquatica S-642 T Submerged wood China MK828608 MK835806 NA NA
A. arctoscopi KUC21331 T Eggs of Arctoscopus japonicus South Korea MH498529 MH498449 MH498487 MN868918
A. armeniaca SAUCC DL1831 T Leaves of Prunus armeniaca China OQ592540 OQ615269 OQ613285 OQ613313
A. arundinis CBS 124788 Living leaves of Fagus sylvatica Switzerland KF144885 KF144929 KF144975 KF145017
A. aseptata KUNCC 23-14169 T Living roots of Dicranopteris pedata China OR590341 OR590335 OR634943 OR634949
A. aurea CBS 244.83 T Air Spain AB220251 KF144935 KF144981 KF145023
A. babylonica SAUCC DL1841 T Diseased leaves of Salix babylonica China OQ592538 OQ615267 OQ613283 OQ613311
A. balearica AP24118 T Poaceae plant Spain MK014869 MK014836 MK017975 MK017946
A. bambusicola MFLUCC 20-0144 T Schizostachyum brachycladum Thailand MW173030 MW173087 NA MW183262
A. bambusiparasitica RCEF20000 Diseased culms of bamboo China OR687309 PQ530552 OR712912 PQ538537
A. bambusiparasitica RCEF20003 T Diseased culms of bamboo China OR687306 PQ530551 OR712906 OR712911
A. bawanglingensis SAUCC BW0444 T Leaves of Indocalamus longiauritus China OR739429 OR739570 OR757126 OR753446
A. bawanglingensis SAUCC 0443 Diseased leaves of Indocalamus longiauritus China OQ592552 OQ615281 OQ613303 OQ613325
A. bawanglingensis SAUCC 0444 Diseased leaves of Indocalamus longiauritus China OQ592551 OQ615280 OQ613302 OQ613324
A. biserialis CGMCC 3.20135 T Bamboo China MW481708 MW478885 MW522955 MW522938
A. camelliae-sinensis LC5007 T Camellia sinensis China KY494704 KY494780 KY705173 KY705103
A. cannae ZHKUCC 22-0139 Leaves of Canna sp. China OR164902 OR164949 OR166322 OR166286
A. chiangraiense MFLU 21-0046 Dead culms of bamboo Thailand MZ542520 MZ542524 MZ546409 NA
A. chromolaenae MFLUCC 17-1505 T Chromolaena odorata Thailand MT214342 MT214436 NA MT235802
A. cordylines GUCC 10026 Cordyline fruticosa China MT040105 NA MT040147 MT040126
A. coryli CFCC 58978 T Dead plant culms of Corylus yunnanensis China OR125564 OR133586 OR139978 OR139974
A. cyclobalanopsidis GZCC 20-0103 Cyclobalanopsidis glauca China MW481714 MW478893 MW522963 MW522946
A. dematiacea KUNCC 23-14202 T Healthy leaf Dicranopteris ampla China OR590346 OR590339 OR634948 OR634953
A. dendrobii MFLUCC 14-0152 T Roots of Dendrobium harveyanum Thailand MZ463151 MZ463192 NA NA
A. descalsii AP31118A T Ampelodesmos mauritanicus Spain MK014870 MK014837 MK017976 MK017947
A. dichotomanthi LC4950 T Dichotomanthes tristaniicarpa China KY494697 KY494773 KY705167 KY705096
A. dicranopteridis KUNCC23-14171 T Living stems of Dicranopteris pedata China OR590342 OR590336 OR634944 OR634950
A. dongyingensis SAUCC 0302 T Leaves of bamboo China OP563375 OP572424 OP573270 OP573264
A. elliptica ZHKUCC 22-0131 T Dead stems of unknown plant China OR164905 OR164952 OR166323 OR166284
A. endophytica ZHKUCC 23-0006 T Living leaves of Wurfbainia villosa China OQ587996 OQ587984 OQ586075 OQ586062
A. esporiensis AP16717 Phyllostachys aurea Spain MK014878 MK014845 MK017983 MK017954
A. euphorbiae IMI 285638b Bambusa sp. Bangladesh AB220241 AB220335 AB220288 NA
A. fermenti KUC21289 T Seaweeds South Korea MF615226 MF615213 MF615231 MH544667
A. gaoyouensis CFCC 52301 T Phragmites australis China MH197124 NA NA MH236793
A. gaoyouensis CFCC 52302 Phragmites australis China MH197125 NA NA MH236794
A. garethjonesii SICAUCC 22-0027 Bamboo China ON228603 ON228659 ON237651 NA
A. gelatinosa GZAAS 20-0107 Bamboo China MW481707 MW478889 NA MW522942
A. globosa KUNCC 23-14210 T Living stems of Dicranopteris linearis China OR590347 OR590340 NA OR634954
A. gongcheniae GDMCC 3.1045T Stems of Oryza meyeriana subsp. granulata China PP033259 PP034691 PP033102 PP034683
A. gongcheniae YNE00565 Stems of Oryza meyeriana subsp. granulata China PP033260 PP034692 PP033103 PP034684
A. guangdongensis ZHKUCC 23-0004 T Wurfbainia villosa China OQ587994 OQ587982 OQ586073 OQ586060
A. guizhouensis LC5318 Air in karst cave China KY494708 KY494784 KY705177 KY705107
A. hainanensis SAUCC 1681 T Leaves of bamboo China OP563373 OP572422 OP573268 OP573262
A. hispanica IMI 326877 T Beach sands Spain AB220242 AB220336 AB220289 NA
A. hydei CBS 114990 T Culms of Bambusa tuldoides China KF144890 KF144936 KF144982 KF145024
A. hyphopodii SICAUCC 22-0034 Bamboo China ON228605 ON228661 ON237653 NA
A. hysterina AP12118 Phyllostachys aurea Spain MK014877 KM014844 MK017982 MK017953
A. iberica AP10118 T Arundo donax Portugal MK014879 MK014846 MK017984 MK017955
A. intestini CBS 135835 Gut of grasshopper India KR011352 MH877577 KR011350 KR011351
A. italica AP29118 Arundo donax Italy MK014881 MK014848 MK017986 NA
A. jatrophae MMI00052 T Living Jatropha podagrica India JQ246355 NA NA NA
A. jiangxiensis LC4577 T Maesa sp. China KY494693 KY494769 KY705163 KY705092
A. jiangxiensis LC4578 Camellia sinensis China KY494694 KY494770 KY705164 KY705093
A. jinanensis SAUCC DL1981 T Diseased leaves of Bambusaceae sp. China OQ592544 OQ615273 OQ613289 OQ613317
A. kogelbergensis CBS 113332 Cannomois virgata South Africa KF144891 KF144937 KF144983 KF145025
A. koreana KUC21332 T Eggs of Arctoscopus japonicus South Korea MH498524 MH498444 MH498482 MH544664
A. lageniformis KUC21686 T Culms of Phyllostachys nigra South Korea ON764022 ON787761 ON806636 ON806626
A. lageniformis KUC21687 Culms of Phyllostachys nigra South Korea ON764023 ON787764 ON806637 ON806627
A. locuta-pollinis LC11683 T Brassica campestris China MF939595 NA MF939622 MF939616
A. longistroma MFLUCC11-0481 T Dead culms of bamboo Thailand KU940141 KU863129 NA NA
A. lophatheri CFCC 58975 T Diseased leaves of Lophatherum gracile China OR125566 OR133588 OR139980 OR139970
A. machili SAUCC 1175A-4 T Diseased leaves of Machilus nanmu China OR739433 OR739574 OR757130 OR753450
A. machili SAUCC 1175 Diseased leaves of Machilus nanmu China OQ592560 OQ615289 OQ613307 OQ613333
A. machili SAUCC 1176 Diseased leaves of Machilus nanmu China OQ592559 OQ615288 OQ613306 OQ613332
A. malaysianum CBS 102053 T Macaranga hullettii Malaysia KF144896 KF144942 KF144988 KF145030
A. marianiae AP18219 T Dead stems of Phleum pratense Spain ON692406 ON692422 ON677186 ON677180
A. marii CBS 497.90 T Beach sands Spain AB220252 KF144947 KF144993 KF145035
A. marina KUC21328 T Seaweeds South Korea MH498538 MH498458 MH498496 MH544669
A. mediterranea IMI 326875 T Air Spain AB220243 AB220337 AB220290 NA
A. minutispora 1.70E-42 T Mountain soils South Korea LC517882 NA LC518888 LC518889
A. montagnei AP301120 T Arundo micrantha Spain ON692408 ON692424 ON677188 ON677182
A. mori MFLU 18-2514 T Morus australis China MW114313 MW114393 NA NA
A. mukdahanensis MFLUCC 22-0056 T Dead leaves of bamboo Thailand OP377735 OP377742 NA NA
A. mytilomorpha DAOM 214595 Dead blades of Andropogon sp. India KY494685 NA NA NA
A. neobambusae LC7106 T Leaves of bamboo China KY494718 KY494794 KY705186 KY806204
A. neochinense CFCC 53036 T Fargesia qinlingensis China MK819291 NA MK818547 MK818545
A. neosubglobosa JHB 007 T Bamboo China KY356090 KY356095 NA NA
A. obovata LC4940 T Lithocarpus sp. China KY494696 KY494772 KY705166 KY705095
A. obovata LC8177 Lithocarpus sp. China KY494757 KY494833 KY705225 KY705153
A. oenotherae CFCC 58972 Diseased leaves of Oenothera biennis China OR125568 OR133590 OR139982 OR139972
A. olivata CGMCC 3.25514 T soil China OR680531 OR680598 OR843234 OR858925
A. olivata ZY 22.053 soil China OR680532 OR680599 OR843235 OR858926
A. ovata CBS 115042 T Arundinaria hindsii China KF144903 KF144950 KF144995 KF145037
A. pallidesporae ZHKUCC 22-0129 T Dead wood of unknown host China OR164903 OR164950 NA NA
A. paraphaeosperma KUC21488 Culms of bamboo South Korea ON764024 ON787763 ON806638 ON806628
A. phragmitis CPC 18900 T Phragmites australis Italy KF144909 KF144956 KF145001 KF145043
A. phyllostachydis MFLUCC 18-1101 T Phyllostachys heteroclada China MK351842 MH368077 MK291949 MK340918
A. piptatheri SAUCC BW0455 Diseased leaves of Indocalamus longiauritus China OR739430 OR739571 OR757127 OR753447
A. pseudohyphopodii KUC21680 T Culms of Phyllostachys pubescens South Korea ON764026 ON787765 ON806640 ON806630
A. pseudomarii GUCC 10228 T Leaves of Aristolochia debilis China MT040124 NA MT040166 MT040145
A. pseudoparenchymatica LC7234 T Leaves of bamboo China KY494743 KY494819 KY705211 KY705139
A. pseudorasikravindrae KUMCC 20-0208 T Bambusa dolichoclada China MT946344 NA MT947367 MT947361
A. pseudosinensis SAUCC 0221 Leaves of bamboo China OP563377 OP572426 OP573272 OP573266
A. pseudospegazzinii CBS 102052 T Macaranga hullettii Malaysia KF144911 KF144958 KF145002 KF145045
A. pterosperma CPC 20193 T Lepidosperma gladiatum Australia KF144913 KF144960 KF145004 KF145046
A. pusillisperma KUC21321 T Seaweeds South Korea MH498533 MH498453 MH498491 MN868930
A. qiannanensis RCEF7610 Diseased culms of bamboo China PQ526600 PQ530550 PQ538539 PQ538535
A. qiannanensis RCEF7611 T Diseased culms of bamboo China PQ526599 PQ530549 PQ538538 PQ538536
A. qinlingensis CFCC 52303 T Fargesia qinlingensis China MH197120 NA NA MH236795
A. rasikravindrae LC8179 Brassica rapa China KY494759 KY494835 KY705227 KY705155
A. sacchari CBS 372.67 Air Not mentioned KF144918 KF144964 KF145007 KF145049
A. saccharicola CBS 191.73 Air Netherlands KF144920 KF144966 KF145009 KF145051
A. sargassi KUC21232 Seaweeds South Korea KT207750 NA KT207648 MH544676
A. sasae CPC 38165 T Dead culms of Sasa veitchii Netherlands MW883402 MW883797 MW890120 MW890104
A. septata GZCC 20-0109 Bamboo Food China MW481712 MW478891 MW522961 MW522944
A. serenensis IMI 326869 T Excipients, atmosphere and home dust Spain AB220250 AB220344 AB220297 NA
A. setariae CFCC 54041 T Decaying culms of Setaria viridis China MT492004 NA MT497466 MW118456
A. setostroma KUMCC 19-0217 Dead branches of bamboo China MN528012 MN528011 NA MN527357
A. sichuanensis HKAS 107008 T Dead culms of Poaceae China MW240648 MW240578 MW775605 MW759536
Apiospora sp. SAUCC 1429 NA China OQ592558 OQ615287 OQ613305 OQ613331
Apiospora sp. SAUCC 1430 NA China OQ592557 OQ615286 OQ613304 OQ613330
A. sphaerosperma CBS 114315 Leaves of Hordeum vulgare Iran KF144905 KF144952 KF144997 KF145039
A. stipae CPC 38101 T Dead culms of Stipa gigantea Spain MW883403 MW883798 MW890121 MW890082
A. subglobosa MFLUCC 11-0397 T Dead culms of bamboo Thailand KR069112 KR069113 NA NA
A. subrosea LC7291 Leaves of bamboo China KY494751 KY494827 KY705219 KY705147
A. taeanensis KUC21359 Seaweeds South Korea MH498513 NA MH498471 MN868935
A. thailandica MFLUCC 15-0202 T Dead culms of bamboo Thailand KU940145 KU863133 NA NA
A. tropica MFLUCC 21-0056 Dead culms of Bambusoideae Thailand OK491657 OK491653 NA NA
A. vietnamensis IMI 99670 T Citrus sinensis Vietnam KX986096 KX986111 KY019466 NA
A. wurfbainiae ZHKUCC 23-0009 Wurfbainia villosa China OQ587999 OQ587987 OQ586078 OQ586065
A. xenocordella CBS 478.86 T Soils from roadway Zimbabwe KF144925 KF144970 KF145013 KF145055
A. xiangxiense RCEF20001 T Diseased culms of bamboo China OR687308 PQ530553 OR712910 OR712909
A. xiangxiense RCEF20002 Diseased culms of bamboo China OR687307 PQ530548 OR712908 OR712907
A. xishuangbannaensis KUMCC 21-0696 Rhinolophus pusillus China ON426833 OP363249 OR025931 OR025970
A. yunnana DDQ 00281 Phyllostachys nigra China KU940148 KU863136 NA NA
A. yunnanensis ZHKUCC 23-0014 T Dead stems of grass China OQ588004 OQ587992 OQ586083 OQ586070
Arthrinium caricicola AP23518 Carex ericetorum China MK014871 MK014838 MK017977 MK017948
Arthrinium caricicola CBS 145903 Dead and attached leaves Germany MN313782 MN317266 MN313861 NA

The DNA sequences were aligned using the MAFFT v7 with the G-INS-I option (Katoh et al. 2019). Sequences were manually edited as necessary using BioEdit v7.1.9 (Hall 1999). The combined loci were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. Combined sequences of ITS-LSU-TUB2-TEF1 were performed in SequenceMatrix v1.7.8 (Vaidya et al. 2011). The ML analysis was conducted using the TNe+I+R4 model and 1000 bootstrap replicates. The ML analysis was designed with IQ-TREE (Trifinopoulos et al. 2016). In Bayesian inference analysis, the best-fit substitution models for different datasets were estimated using MrModeltest v2.3 based on the implementation of the Akaike information criterion (AIC) (Nylander 2004). Posterior probabilities (PP) were determined by Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling (MCMC) under the estimated model of evolution (Zhaxybayeva and Gogarten 2002). Four simultaneous Markov chains were run for 20 million generations, and trees were sampled every 1000 generations. The run was stopped automatically when the average standard deviation of split frequencies fell below 0.01. The first 25% trees, which represented the burn-in phase of the analyses, were discarded, and the remaining trees were used for calculating PP in the majority rule consensus tree. Phylogenetic trees were subsequently visualized and refined using the Interactive Tree of Life (iTOL) online platform (Letunic and Bork 2019).

Pathogenicity assay

Fresh bamboo samples were collected from the campus of Anhui Agricultural University in Anhui Province, China, to validate Koch’s postulates. Bamboo culms were cut into 30 cm sections, sterilized with 75% ethanol spray, and wounded using sterile drills. Mycelial plugs (5 mm in diameter) from the edge of each isolate colony were placed onto the artificial wounds, while control pieces received PDA plugs without fungal inoculum (Zheng et al. 2022). All treated culms were placed in moisture chambers with sterile wet cotton to maintain humidity and incubated at 25 °C under a 12-hour light/12-hour dark cycle. Symptom development was observed daily, and each treatment was replicated six times.

Results

Disease symptoms and isolation of the pathogen

From the field survey, disease symptoms developed on the culm of the bamboo. The typical symptoms: (I) started with brown spots and irregular shapes that gradually enlarged, with dark edges and spread around, sometimes forming symmetrical or lobed patterns (Fig. 1A–C). (II) started with black spots and irregular shapes; each spot remained relatively small and did not expand significantly. In the later stages, they densely covered bamboo culm and exhibited chlorosis in the bamboo culms (Fig. 1D, E). (III) Irregular brownish lesions spread extensively, sometimes coalescing into large patches, covering a significant area of the bamboo culm (Fig. 1F, G).

Figure 1. 

Symptoms of disease in naturally infected bamboo in the field.

A total of 37 isolates were obtained on PDA. As the colony morphology of the isolates was uniform, two representative isolates from each group were selected for further analysis: (I). RCEF20001 and RCEF20002; (II). RCEF20000 and RCEF20003; (III). RCEF7610 and RCEF7611.

Phylogenetic analysis

A comprehensive dataset integrating ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1 sequences was constructed from 131 strains, including six newly sequenced isolates, with Arthrinium caricicola (CBS 145903 and AP23518) designated as the outgroup. Multi-locus sequences contained 2,544 characters, including gaps with ITS (1-433), LSU (434-1229), TUB2 (1230-1678), and TEF1 (1679-2544).

The phylogenetic trees derived from ML and BI analyses exhibited consistent topologies, with the ML tree, including MLBP and BIPP values, depicted in Fig. 2. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the six strains represented three new species lineages, which are now recognized as A. bambusiparasitica, A. qiannanensis, and A. xiangxiense.

Figure 2. 

Phylogenetic tree of Apiospora based on a concatenated data matrix of ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1. Bootstrap support values (> 75%) and posterior probabilities (> 0.9) are given at the nodes (ML/PP). The tree is rooted with Arthrinium caricicola CBS 145903 and AP23518. The novel species were highlighted. “T” indicates a type culture.

Taxonomy

Apiospora bambusiparasitica X.Y. Chang & M.J. Chen, sp. nov.

MycoBank No: 851766
Fig. 3

Etymology.

The name refers to the species that is capable of infecting the culm of bamboo.

Typification.

China • Hunan Province, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Ningyuan County, Jiuyi Mountain (25°24'N, 111°58'E), on diseased culms of bamboo, November 2022; X.H. Yue, holotype H5, ex-type RCEF20003.

Figure 3. 

Apiospora bambusiparasitica (from ex-type living cultures RCEF20003) A diseased culms of bamboo B, C upper view and reverse view of culture on PDA D, E upper view and reverse view of culture on MEA F conidiogenous cells giving rise to conidia G–I conidia with pale germ slit. Scale bars: 10 µm.

Description.

Asexual morph : Hyphae 1.5–5.0 µm diam, hyaline, branched, septate. Conidiogenous cells hyaline to pale brown, smooth, erect or flexuous, scattered or aggregated in clusters on hyphae, ampulliform to clavate, 7.0–17.0 × 2.0–4.5 µm (x̄ = 9.6 ± 2.6 × 2.7 ± 0.7, n = 40), apical neck 6.0–10.0 µm long, basal part 3.0–6.0 µm long. Conidia 7.0–11.5 × 6.0–10.5 µm (x̄ = 9.2 ± 0.9 × 8.1 ± 1.1, n = 40), brown, smooth to finely roughened, granular, globose to ellipsoid in surface view, usually with a longitudinal, hyaline, germ-slit. Sexual morph: Undetermined.

Culture characteristics.

Colonies on PDA fluffy, spreading, margin irregular, with abundant aerial mycelia, surface and reverse white to grey, reaching 9 cm in 8 d at 25 °C. On MEA, the colony is thick in the middle and thin at the edges. The margin is irregular, the surface white, and the central color on the colony’s reverse side is characterized by a deeper, brownish-yellow tone that extends towards the periphery and transitions to a lighter, pale yellow shade.

Additional specimens examined.

China • Hunan Province, Ningyuan County, diseased on culms of bamboo, November 2022, other living culture RCEF20000.

Note.

Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that A. bambusiparasitica formed an independent clade (1.0 BIPP and 100% MLBS), exhibiting a close evolutionary relationship with A. arctoscopi and A. obovata. Based on a BLASTN search of the GenBank database, it was found that A. bambusiparasitica shares high similarities with the following strains: A. arctoscopi strain KUC21331 (86.48% in ITS, 98.9% in LSU, 92.2% in TEF1, 92.91% in TUB2); A. obovata strain LC4940 (90.03% in ITS, 95.77% in LSU, 93.42% in TEF1, 95.27% in TUB2); strain LC8177 (90.15% in ITS, 95.77% in LSU, 93.42% in TEF1, 95.27% in TUB2).

Morphologically, A. bambusiparasitica and A. obovata show distinct differences. Apiospora obovata forms darker colonies and produces significantly longer, ellipsoidal conidia, measuring 16.0–31.0 × 9.0–16.0 µm, whereas A. bambusiparasitica has spherical to oval conidia, measuring 8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 µm. Apiospora bambusiparasitica and A. arctoscopi are morphologically similar, with conidia of comparable size and overlapping dimensions. However, A. arctoscopi forms thicker colonies with more developed hyphae. Additionally, the two species exhibit significant ecological differences in host association, as A. arctoscopi is associated with Arctoscopus japonicus, while A. bambusiparasitica is associated with bamboo. Current fungal taxonomy emphasizes the importance of host association. For details, see Table 2. Thus, both morphological and molecular evidence support A. bambusiparasitica as a new species.

Table 2.
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Synopsis of morphological characteristics of A. bambusiparasitica and its closely related species.

Species Isolation source Country Colony morphology (on PDA) Conidia References
Shape Diam (μm)
A. obovata Lithocarpus sp. China White to olivaceous-grey; Reaching 9 cm in 7 days a. Roughened, globose to subglobose; b. obovoid, occasionally elongated to ellipsoidal. a. 11.0–16.5; b. 16.0–31.0 × 9.0–16.0 Wang et al. (2018)
A. arctoscopi Egg masses of Arctoscopus japonicus Korea Creamy white;5-7 cm in 5 days globose to elongate ellipsoid 9.5–13 × 7.5–12 Kwon et al. (2021)
A. bambusiparasitica Diseased culms of Bamboo China White to grey; Reaching 9 cm in 8 days globose to elongate ellipsoid 8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 This study

Apiospora qiannanensis X.Y. Chang & M.J. Chen, sp. nov.

MycoBank No: 856457
Fig. 4

Etymology.

The name refers to the locality where the type specimens were collected, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China.

Figure 4. 

Apiospora qiannanensis (from ex-holotype strain RCEF7610) A diseased culms of bamboo B, C upper view and reverse view of culture on PDA D, E upper view and reverse view of culture on MEA F–H conidiogenous cells giving rise to conidia I conidia. Scale bars: 10 μm.

Typification.

China • Guizhou Province, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Libo County (25°25'N, 107°53'E), on diseased culms of bamboo, May. 2023, X.H. Yue, holotype GZ15, ex-type RCEF7610.

Description.

Asexual morph : Hyphae 1.5–6.0 µm diam, hyaline to pale brown, branched, septate. Conidiophores hyaline to pale brown, smooth, erect or ascending, simple, flexuous, subcylindrical, and grouped together. Conidiophores aggregated in brown sporodochia, smooth, hyaline to brown, up to 30 µm long, 3.0–4.0 µm width. Conidiogenous cells 9.5–23.0 × 3.0–5.5 µm (x̄ = 15.0 ± 4.50 × 4.3 ± 0.9, n = 40), pale brown, smooth, doliiform to subcylindrical. Conidia 16.5–20.8 µm (x̄ = 18.5 μm, n = 40), pale brown to dark brown, smooth, globose to subglobose. Sexual morph: Undetermined.

Culture characteristics.

Colonies on PDA are fluffy, spreading, and circular, with moderate aerial mycelia, flocculent cotton, surface, and reverse white to grey, reaching 60 mm in 7 d at 25 °C. On MEA, surface grey-white with abundant mycelia, reverse greyish without patches.

Additional specimens examined.

China • Hunan Province, Ningyuan County, diseased on culms of bamboo, May 2023, other living culture RCEF7611.

Note.

Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that A. qiannanensis formed an independent clade (1.0 BIPP and 100% MLBS), exhibiting a close evolutionary relationship with A. setostroma, A. mytilomorpha, A. subrosea, A. neobambusae, and A. garethjonesii. Based on a BLASTN search of the GenBank database, it was found that A. qiannanensis exhibits some differences in the ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1 sequences compared to closely related species: A. setostroma strain KUMCC 19-0217 (92.65% in ITS, 99.16% in LSU, 95.01% in TEF1); A. mytilomorpha strain DAOM 2145955 (96.28% in ITS); A. subrosea strain LC7291 (90.33% in ITS, 99.02% in LSU, 94.38% in TEF1, 99.25% in TUB2); A. neobambusae strain LC7106 (89.16% in ITS, 99.16% in LSU, 95.22% in TEF1, 91.94% in TUB2); A. garethjonesii strain SICAUCC 22-0027 (93.65% in ITS, 99.29% in LSU, 94.50% in TUB2); A. gongcheniae strain GDMCC 3.1045 (95.44% in ITS, 99.41% in LSU, 93.14% in TEF1, 91.77% in TUB2).

Morphologically, colony characteristics of A. mytilomorpha are lacking, and the asexual morphology of A. garethjonesii has not been described. We compared the existing morphological data and found that these closely related species have certain differences. A. setostroma and A. subrosea produce pigments in the later stages of colonies, while the others do not. Apiospora qiannanensis, A. mytilomorpha, and A. neobambusae differ in conidia shape (globose to subglobose vs. fusiform or boat-shaped vs. subglobose to ellipsoid) and size (16.5–20.8 μm vs. 20–30 × 6–8.5 μm vs. 11.5–15.5 × 7.0–14.0 μm). In addition, A. qiannanensis differs from A. gongcheniae in having larger conidia (16.5–20.8 µm) compared to A. gongcheniae (8.0–17.0 × 6.8–16.1 µm). Although some morphological features overlap among these taxa, significant genetic divergence is evident, underscoring their distinct species boundaries. For details, see Table 3. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, we propose A. qiannanensis as a new species.

Table 3.
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Synopsis of morphological characteristics of A. qiannanensis and its closely related species.

Species Isolation source Country Colony morphology (on PDA) Conidia References
Shape Diam (μm)
A. qiannanensis Diseased culms of bamboo China White to grey; Reaching 60 mm in 7 days Globose to subglobose 16.5–20.8 This study
A. gongcheniae Stems of Oryza meyeriana subsp. granulata China Greyish, reverse light orange; Reaching 90 mm in 7 days Globose to subglobose 8.0–17.0 × 6.8–16.1 Yan and Zhang (2024)
A. setostroma Dead branches of bamboo China Initially white, becoming greyish, reverse reddish; Reaching 35 mm in 7 days Subglobose to obovoid, 0–1-septate 18–20 × 15–19 Jiang et al. (2019)
A. mytilomorpha Dead blades of Andropogon India Undetermined Fusiform or boat-shaped 20-30 × 6-8.5 Bhat and Kendrick (1993)
A. subrosea Bamboo China Initially white, becoming light pink on surface, reverse peach-puff; Reaching 10 cm in 8 days Globose to subglobose or ellipsoidal 12.0–17.5 × 9.0–16.0 Wang et al. (2018)
A. neobambusae Leaf of bamboo China White to grey Subglobose to ellipsoid 11.5–15.5 × 7.0–14.0 Wang et al. (2018)
A. garethjonesii Dead culms of bamboo China White; Reaching 40 cm in 7 days Undetermined Undetermined Dai et al. (2016)

Apiospora xiangxiense X.Y. Chang & M.J. Chen, sp. nov.

MycoBank No: 851765
Fig. 5

Etymology.

The name refers to the locality where the type specimens were collected, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, China.

Figure 5. 

Apiospora xiangxiense (from ex-type living cultures RCEF20001) A, B diseased culms of bamboo C, D upper view and reverse view of culture on PDA E, F upper view and reverse view of culture on MEA G, H conidiogenous cells giving rise to conidia I–K conidia L sterile cells and conidia. Scale bars: 10 µm.

Typification.

China • Hunan Province, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Ningyuan County, Jiuyi Mountain (25°24'N, 111°58'E), on diseased culms of bamboo, November 2022, X.H. Yue, holotype H2 (stored in a metabolically inactive state), ex-type living cultures RCEF20001.

Description.

Asexual morph : Hyphae 1.5–5.0 µm diam, hyaline, branched, septate. Conidiogenous cells 2.0–15.5 × 1.4–3.9 µm (x̄ = 8.1 ± 3.9 × 2.4 ± 0.7, n = 40), aggregated in clusters on hyphae or solitary, at first hyaline, becoming pale brown, basauxic, polyblastic, sympodial, erect, cylindrical. Conidia 8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 µm (x̄ = 10.3 ± 1.5 × 8.3 ± 1.0, n = 40), brown, smooth to granular, globose to elongate ellipsoid in surface view, lenticular in side view, pale equatorial slit, with a central scar, 3.5 to 5.5 µm diam. Sterile cells forming on solitary loci on hyphae, brown, finely roughened, subcylindrical to clavate. Sexual morph: Undetermined.

Culture characteristics.

Colonies on PDA are fluffy, spreading, circular, with abundant aerial mycelia, surface and reverse white to grey, sometimes with pale yellow, reaching 9 cm in 8 d at 25 °C. On MEA, slower growth, surface white, reverse white, and slightly yellowish.

Additional specimens examined.

China • Hunan Province, Ningyuan County, diseased on culms of bamboo, November 2022, other living culture RCEF20002.

Note.

Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that A. xiangxiense formed an independent clade, exhibiting a close evolutionary relationship with A. aseptata, A. olivata, and A. machili (1.0 BIPP and 100% MLBS).

However, A. xiangxiense differs from A. aseptata in several key aspects, including conidial size (8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 µm vs. 7–9.5 (–13) µm). Based on nucleotide comparisons, A. xiangxiense differs from A. aseptata by 0.69% in ITS, 0.16% in LSU, 2.36% in TUB2, and 0.49% in TEF1. Apiospora xiangxiense also differs from A. machili by having longer conidia (8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 µm vs. 7.1–9.5 × 5.6–8.8 µm) and more elongated conidiogenous cells (2.0–15.5 × 1.4–3.9 µm vs. 6.0–8.0 × 2.5–4.0 µm). Apiospora xiangxiense differs from A. olivata by having longer conidia (8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 µm) compared to A. olivata (8–12 × 5.5–8 µm), with sequence differences of 7.52% in ITS, 1.22% in LSU, and 1.94% in TUB2. Furthermore, their isolation sources are different.

For details, see Table 4. Thus, both morphological and molecular evidence support A. xiangxiense as a new species.

Table 4.
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Synopsis of morphological characteristics of A. xiangxiense and its closely related species.

Species Isolation source Country Colony morphology (on PDA) Conidia References
Shape Diam (μm)
A. aseptata Healthy leaf of Dicranopteris pedata China Grey-brown; 5 cm in 10 days Globose or sub globose 7–9.5 (–13) Zhang et al. (2023)
A. machili Diseased leaves of Machilus nanmu China Ivory; 69.7–78.8 mm cm in 7 days Globose to subglobose 7.1–9.5 × 5.6–8.8 Liu et al. (2024)
A. olivata Green belt soil China initially white, becoming curry on the surface; reverse pale green; more than 90 mm in 14 days a. olivary; b. subglobose to globose a. 8–12 × 5.5–8 μm; b. 8–11.5 μm Zhang et al. (2024)
A. xiangxiense Diseased culms of Bamboo China white to grey, sometimes with pale yellow; Reaching 9 cm in 8 days globose to elongate ellipsoid 8.6–15.4 × 6.7–10.2 This study

Pathogenicity tests

To determine the pathogenicity of the three new species isolates, three representative strains (RCEF20001, RCEF20000, and RCEF7611) were selected and inoculated onto fresh bamboo culms using a wound inoculation method. All three isolates were able to induce necrotic lesions. Inoculation with A. xiangxiense RCEF20001 resulted in the formation of gray-brown diamond-shaped lesions at the wound site after three days. Upon removing the epidermis, the internal lesions exhibited regular hollow black-brown diamond-shaped spots, which were larger than those observed on the surface (Fig. 6A–C). Inoculation with A. bambusiparasitica RCEF20000 caused rotting, diamond-shaped lesions at the wound site, with internal lesions displaying elliptical to scattered black-brown spots after the epidermis was scraped off (Fig. 6D–F). Inoculation with A. qiannanensis RCEF7611 resulted in gray-brown oval to diamond-shaped lesions at the wound site after three days. Scraping off the epidermis revealed hollow black-brown diamond-shaped spots, which were smaller than those seen on the surface (Fig. 6H, I). The control group was subjected to the same wound treatment as the experimental groups, but without pathogen inoculation, and no visible symptoms were observed in the control group (Fig. 6J). The symptoms observed were similar to those of naturally infected bamboo. Furthermore, the same fungus was consistently recovered from the experimentally inoculated bamboo. Deposits of the isolates are maintained at the Research Center for Entomogenous Fungi (RCEF), Anhui Agricultural University, Anhui Province, China.

Figure 6. 

Pathogenicity test A symptoms on bamboo culm inoculated with the isolate A. xiangxiense RCEF20001 after 3 days B inoculation with RCEF20001 strain after 5 days C details under the diseased tissues D symptoms on bamboo culm inoculated with the isolate A. bambusiparasitica RCEF20000 after 3 days E inoculation with RCEF20000 strain after 5 days F details under the diseased tissues G symptoms on bamboo culm inoculated with the isolate A. qiannanensis RCEF7611 after 3 days H inoculation with RCEF7611 strain after 5 days I details under the diseased tissues J bamboo inoculated with PDA plug.

Discussion

In this study, 37 isolates of Apiospora (Apiosporaceae, Amphisphaeriales, Sordariomycetes) were obtained from diseased culms of bamboo in China (Hunan and Guizhou Provinces). Based on morphological and culture characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1 sequence data, three novel species were identified, namely Apiospora bambusiparasitica, A. xiangxiense, and A. qiannanensis. These findings were confirmed through both morphological and molecular characterization, verifying the taxonomic classification of the three species.

Apiospora is a cosmopolitan genus distributed across tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates, primarily associated with Poaceae, but also known to colonize a wide range of other hosts (Pintos and Alvarado 2021; Yan and Zhang 2024; Zhang et al. 2024). The strains analyzed in this study were isolated from bamboo in the subtropical regions of China (Guizhou and Hunan), further validating the previously described ecological characteristics of the genus.

According to data from Index Fungorum (accessed on October 28, 2024), the genus Apiospora has been recognized to have 196 species. Among them, many species of Apiospora are known to be associated with various living and decaying plant materials, and several Apiospora species act as plant pathogens. Such as A. marii, which causes olive tree dieback in Italy (Gerin et al. 2020); A. phaeospermum, which causes leaf necrosis in the olive crop in Sicily (Lo Piccolo et al. 2014); A. arundinis, which causes kernel blight of barley in the USA, Phyllostachys praecox brown culm streak disease in Nanjing, leaf blight on tea plants in China, leaf edge spot of peach in China, and culm rhomboid rot of Moso Bamboo (Martínez-Cano et al. 1992; Chen et al. 2014; Thangaraj et al. 2019; Ji et al. 2020; Zheng et al. 2022). The three species in this study were isolated from diseased culms of bamboo, and we verified their pathogenicity to bamboo under laboratory conditions. In the field, the disease symptoms caused by these fungi typically manifest as brown or black lesions of irregular shape on bamboo culms. These lesions may expand, coalesce, and in some cases, lead to extensive necrotic patches, resembling what we refer to as bamboo culm piebald-spot disease. Our pathogenicity tests confirmed that the three newly described species can induce similar symptoms under laboratory conditions, providing a theoretical basis for future research on bamboo disease management and control strategies.

In terms of biological applications, numerous Apiospora species produce bioactive secondary metabolites, potentially offering a promising source for pharmacological and medicinal research. For instance, Apiospora has shown strong antifungal activity against various plant pathogens (Hong et al. 2015). A. saccharicola, isolated from Miscanthus sp., is known to produce enzymes of industrial significance (Shrestha et al. 2015). A. rasikravindrae, isolated from Coleus amboinicus, exhibits notable cytotoxicity against WiDr cells and displays effective antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (Astuti et al. 2021). Metabolites from A. arundinis, isolated from Aconitum brevicalcaratum, show cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cell lines (Shu et al. 2022), while A. arundinis MA30, derived from sea anemones, demonstrates significant anti-inflammatory activity (Lee et al. 2024). Whole-genome sequencing with antiSMASH analysis identified six and ten NR-PKS gene clusters in A. malaysianum and A. koreana, respectively, which may encode known or novel quinone compounds with notable biological functions (Christiansen et al. 2021). Apiospora holds substantial potential for synthesizing diverse secondary metabolites. However, many novel species, including new species in this study, remain underexplored. Future research necessitates further exploration of the biological applications of both known and newly discovered Apiospora species to comprehensively elucidate their biological properties.

In conclusion, this study provides a detailed account of three new species of Apiospora from China and emphasizes the importance of integrating morphological and molecular data for accurate species identification. Given their potential ecological and economic impacts on bamboo, further research is warranted. Comprehensive taxonomic and ecological investigations will offer valuable insights for potential biotechnological applications and enhance our understanding of this genus and its broader ecological and medicinal significance.

Additional information

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Ethical statement

No ethical statement was reported.

Funding

This study was supported by the Scientific Research Projects in Higher Education Institutions in Anhui Province (Key Project), China (No. 2024AH050480), and the National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFD2200501).

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Xiaoyun Chang and Mingjun Chen; Data curation: Xiaoyun Chang, Yuanyuan Wang, and Tao Xu; Funding acquisition: Xianghua Yue and Mingjun Chen; Investigation: Xianghua Yue; Project administration: Mingjun Chen; Resources: Xianghua Yue and Mingjun Chen; Supervision: Mingjun Chen, Xianghua Yue, and Guangshuo Li; Writing—original draft: Xiaoyun Chang; Writing—review and editing: Mingjun Chen, Guangshuo Li, Xianghua Yue, Yuanyuan Wang, and Tao Xu. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Author ORCIDs

Xiaoyun Chang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0093-9582

Yuanyuan Wang https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1801-3984

Tao Xu https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0028-6508

Guangshuo Li https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7285-0712

Xianghua Yue https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2165-7653

Mingjun Chen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1439-7796

Data availability

All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.

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