In: Sydowia 78, (2026): 1-12; ISSN 0082-0598, DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia78-2026-0001, Published online on January 30th, 2025

Botulisporaceae (Cephalothecales, Sordariomycetes), a new family for Botulispora fagicola, gen. et sp. nov., from branches of Fagus sylvatica in Austria

Gernot Friebes,* & Hermann Voglmayr

1 Universalmuseum Joanneum, Centre of Natural History, Botany & Mycology, Weinzöttlstraße 16, 8045 Graz, Austria
2 Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Wien, Austria
* e-mail: gernot.friebes@museum-joanneum.at

Friebes G. & Voglmayr H. (2025) Botulisporaceae (Cephalothecales, Sordariomycetes), a new family for Botulispora fagicola, gen. et sp. nov., from branches of Fagus sylvatica in Austria. – Sydowia 78: 1–12.

An ascomycete repeatedly collected in Austria on the inner bark of branches of Fagus sylvatica is described as a new species, accommodated in the new genus Botulispora. Multi-locus (partial SSU-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-LSU nrDNA, RPB1, RPB2) phylogenetic and morphological analyses place this genus in a sister clade to the family Cephalothecaceae in the order Cephalothecales, thus the new family Botulisporaceae is proposed. The previously monofamilial Cephalothecales included genera with cleistothecioid ascomata with a cephalothecioid (i.e. polygonally splitting) peridium and small, simple, evanescent asci. The inclusion of Botulispora fagicola extends the morphological circumscription of the order to include fungi with perithecioid (i.e. ostiolate) ascomata with a non-cephalothecioid peridium and non-evanescent asci.

Keywords: Ascomycota, beech, cephalothecioid fungi, molecular phylogeny, taxonomy. – 1 new family, 1 new genus, 1 new species.