The Coniochaeta are a genus of pleomorphic yeasts of the order Coniochaetales and are pathogens of trees.[1] Some species have also been found to form endophytic associations within plants in which they live inside plant tissues but do not actually harm the organism.[2] They can take the form of pink to brown colonies, hyphae, conidiophores or sclerotia. In 2013, the Lecythophora were merged with the Coniochaeta, following suggestions by Ziauddin Khan et al.[3]

Coniochaeta
Coniochaeta burtii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Coniochaetales
Family: Coniochaetaceae
Genus: Coniochaeta
Species

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Ecology

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The Coniochaeta have been described as typically associated with wood, water, and soil.[4][5] However, there is also growing evidence of specialised associations between each species and specific environments, and a suggestion that 4-spored and 8-spored species interact differently with their environments, some species surviving forest fires, which activate their sexual cycle.[6]

Medical Issues

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Other members of the Coniochaeta, most commonly Coniochaeta polymorpha, can cause clinical infections in immunocompromised individuals,[3] which has increased recent interest in the genus.

Species

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As accepted by Species Fungorum;[7]

Former species;[7]

References

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  1. ^ Damm, U; Fourie, PH; Crous, PW (June 2010). "Coniochaeta (Lecythophora), Collophora gen. nov. and Phaeomoniella species associated with wood necroses of Prunus trees". Persoonia. 24: 60–80. doi:10.3767/003158510x500705. PMC 2890157. PMID 20664761.
  2. ^ Harrington, A; Olmo-Ruiz, M; U'Ren, J; Garcia, K; Pignatta, D; Wespe, N; Sandberg, D; Huang, Y; Hoffman, M; Arnold, A (July 2019). "Coniochaeta endophytica sp. nov., a foliar endophyte associated with healthy photosynthetic tissue of Platycladus orientalis (Cupressaceae)". Plant and Fungal Systematics. 64 (1): 65–79. doi:10.2478/pfs-2019-0008.
  3. ^ a b Khan, Ziauddin; Gené, J; Ahmad, S; Cano, J; Al-Sweih, N; Joseph, L; Chandy, R; Guarro, J (Aug 2013). "Coniochaeta polymorpha, a new species from endotracheal aspirate of a preterm neonate, and transfer of Lecythophora species to Coniochaeta". Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 104 (2): 243–52. doi:10.1007/s10482-013-9943-z. PMID 23748934.
  4. ^ Weber, E (2002). "The Lecythophora-Coniochaeta complex I. Morphological studies on Lecythophora species isolated from Picea abies". Nova Hedwigia. 74: 159–185. doi:10.1127/0029-5035/2002/0074-0159.
  5. ^ Weber E, Go¨rke C, Begerow D (2002) The Lecythophora/Coniochaeta complex II. Molecular studies based on sequences of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA. Nova Hedwigia 74:187–200
  6. ^ Coniochaeta extramundana, with a Synopsis of Other Coniochaeta Species. D. P. Mahoney and J. S. LaFavre Mycologia Vol. 73, No. 5 (Sep. - Oct., 1981), pp. 931-952
  7. ^ a b "Coniochaeta - Search Page". www.speciesfungorum.org. Species Fungorum. Retrieved 21 January 2023.