Taxonomic Re-Examination of Nine Rosellinia Types (Ascomycota, Xylariales) Stored in the Saccardo Mycological Collection

A taxonomic re-examination of nine Rosellinia type specimens from the Saccardo Mycological Collection at Padua's Botanical Garden revealed critical insights into their classification. Using a combined morphological and molecular approach, including Illumina MiSeq sequencing for ITS1/ITS2 regions, researchers proposed new combinations for three species (R. chordicola, R. geophila, R. horridula) while validating current classifications for others. Notably, the name Rosellinia subsimilis Sacc. was deemed invalid due to homonymy, leading to the introduction of Coniochaeta dakotensis as a nomen novum. This study marks the first molecular analysis of these historic specimens, underscoring their value in taxonomic research and demonstrating that old type collections can yield vital DNA sequence data for modern classifications.

Forin, N., Vizzini, A., Fainelli, F., Ercole, E., & Baldan, B. (2021). Taxonomic Re-Examination of Nine Rosellinia Types (Ascomycota, Xylariales) Stored in the Saccardo Mycological Collection. Microorganisms, 9(3), 666. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9030666