Information from the abstract
The tropics account for one-third of global fungal biodiversity. In tropical climates, palms (Arecaceae) thrive as one of the most important monocots, valued for culture and food, while also hosting diverse fungal communities. Over the last 30 years, extensive research on fungi associated with palms has led to the identification of numerous new species, genera, and higher taxonomic groups. However, these valuable records are scattered and often lack DNA sequences and herbarium specimens. The current study compiles the data and provide a comprehensive analysis of the diversity, distribution, and host associations of palm fungi from 1990–2025. Fresh samples from palms were also collected in southern China and southern Thailand from 2021 to 2024 and fungal species were isolated. Eighty collections were obtained from Guangxi, Jiangxi, and Yunnan provinces in China, as well as Narathiwat Province, in Thailand. Based on morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, these collections were classified into five classes and 27 orders with Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes being dominant. Four of the 27 orders were incertae sedis within Dothideomycetes. Fifty families and 66 genera (including one genus incertae sedis in Pleosporales, one in Sordariales, and six in Xylariales) of Ascomycota were recorded. Cannoniaceae, Ganzhomycetaceae, Ganzhofusosporaceae, Leucocellomycetaceae, Pseudoconlariaceae, and Sporodochyalomycetaceae are introduced as new families. Calamomyces, Ganzhomyces, Ganzhofusospora, Leucocellomyces, Pesudoconioscypha, Proliferirostrum, Sporodochyalomyces, and Tropicomicromyces are described as new genera. In addition, 48 new species and 32 new host/country records are introduced. For novel taxa, detailed descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis are provided. Three new combinations (Pleurophragmium submersum, Tropicomicromyces magnoliae and T. palmae) are also reported based on morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic evidence. This study presents a comprehensive worldwide checklist of palm fungi, comprising 6,094 records from 1990 to 2025. Centered on East Asia (southern China and southern Thailand), we combined these data to examine the predicted diversity and host preferences of palm fungi. Additionally, using weighted global records, we estimate that the total number of palm-associated fungal species ranges from 44,500 to 72,000. Furthermore, based on our collection and existing data, we classify the host preferences of palm fungi into three categories: typical, atypical, and suspected hosts, with definitions provided for each category. Our study establishes a foundation for future ecological and evolutionary research on host-specificity, filling important knowledge gaps, standardizing scattered data, and emphasizing the urgent need for further exploration in tropical regions.
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Related topics: Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases · Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions · Nail Diseases and Treatments
Thai researcher and institutional participation
Kevin D. Hyde · Mae Fah Luang University
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