MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Morphology and molecular phylogeny of Dothideomycetes fungi associated with Dracaena plants

Summary

Researchers studied fungi living on Dracaena plants in Thailand, which are tough plants that grow well in dry, rocky areas. They found eleven different types of fungi, including three completely new species never described before. By examining the fungi under microscopes and analyzing their DNA, they discovered that these drought-tolerant plants support a rich variety of fungal life that hadn’t been well documented previously.

Background

Dracaena species are widely recognized for their drought tolerance and ecological importance in arid regions, particularly in limestone outcrop habitats. Despite their ecological significance, knowledge concerning fungal communities associated with limestone-inhabiting Dracaena species remains limited, particularly within the diverse biogeographic contexts of Thailand.

Objective

This study aims to investigate and identify microfungi associated with Dracaena species in Thailand by combining morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The research provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of fungal taxa isolated from Dracaena substrates across seven Thai provinces.

Results

This study documents eleven fungal taxa isolated from Dracaena substrates, belonging to seven families across five fungal orders. Three new species were described: Cladosporium dracaenae, C. dracaenicola, and Torula dracaenae. Eight new host records were established including species of Bipolaris, Curvularia, Lasiodiplodia, Longididymella, Ochroconis, and Zasmidium.

Conclusion

The findings advance the current understanding of microfungal diversity associated with limestone outcrop habitats and Dracaena species. By revealing novel fungal species and previously undocumented host-fungus interactions, this study underscores the rich but underexplored fungal biodiversity of limestone ecosystems in Thailand.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Original Research,
  • Source: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1550824, PMID: 40861486
Scroll to Top