Additional specimens examined: Italy, Sicily, Catania province, Praiola, Giarre, Praiola, Giarre, basal stem rot on Brahea armata, Sept. 2010, G. Polizzi, DiGeSA-BRA1 = CPC 22085 = CBS 135755; DiGeSA-BRA2 = CPC 22086 = CBS 135228; Aci Castello, basal stem rot on Howea forsteriana, July 2011, G. Polizzi, DiGeSA-HF7 = CPC 22088 = CBS 135753; Carruba, Giarre, basal stem rot on Trachycarpus princeps, Feb. 2012, G. Polizzi, DiGeSA-TP1 = CPC 22089 = CBS 135229; Carruba, Giarre, basal stem rot on Trachycarpus princeps, Feb. 2012, G. Polizzi, DiGeSA-TP3 = CPC 22090 = CBS 135756.

Perithecia formed homothallically in vitro, solitary or in groups of 2–3, developing directly on the SNA agar surface, ovoid to obpyriform, red, becoming purple-red in 3 % KOH (positive colour reaction), finely warted, 250–350 μm diam, up to 300–350 μm high; without recognisable stroma; perithecial wall consisting of two poorly distinguishable regions; outer region 10–15 μm thick, composed of 3–4 layers of angular to subglobose cells, 7–20 × 5–8 μm; cell walls up to 1 μm thick; inner region around 5 μm thick, composed of cells that are flat in transverse optical section and angular to oval in subsurface optical face view; perithecial warts consisting of globose to subglobose cells, 15–25 × 10–20 μm, that have walls up to 1.5 μm thick. Asci subcylindrical to narrowly clavate, 40–70 × 5–8 μm, 8-spored; apex truncate to bluntly rounded, with a visible ring. Ascospores divided into two cells of equal size, ellipsoidal, tapering towards both ends, smooth to finely warted, guttulate, (9–)10(−11) × 3(−3.5) μm. Conidiophores simple or complex, sporodochial. Simple conidiophores arising laterally or terminally from the aerial mycelium or erect, arising from the agar surface, solitary to loosely aggregated, unbranched or sparsely branched, 1–4-septate, rarely consisting only of the phialide, 50–170 μm long; phialides monophialidic, cylindrical, slightly tapering toward the base, 50–70 × 2–3 μm, 2.5–3 μm near aperture. Complex, sporodochial conidiophores aggregated in pionnote sporodochia, repeatedly, irregularly branched; phialides cylindrical but slightly tapering towards the tip, 25–50 × 2–3 μm, 1.5–2 μm near the aperture. Micro- and macroconidia present on both types of conidiophores. Macroconidia (2–)3-septate, straight or sometimes slightly curved, cylindrical or typically minutely widening towards the tip, therefore appearing somewhat clavate, mostly with a visible, slightly laterally displaced hilum, (25–)32–37(−39) × (4–)5(−6) μm. Microconidia common on SNA, 0–1-septate, ellipsoidal to ovoidal or subcylindrical, more or less straight, with a clearly laterally displaced hilum; aseptate microconidia (6–)8–9(−10) × 2.5–3(−4) μm; 1-septate microconidia (10–)11–13(−15) × (3–)3.5(−4) μm. Conidia formed in heads on simple conidiophores or as unpigmented masses on simple as well as complex conidiophores. Chlamydospores mostly in short, intercalary chains, golden-brown, globose to globose-ellipsoid, 8–15 × 9–12 μm. Culture characteristics Covering surface of PDA dish after 2 week at 25 °C; surface was appressed, dense, lacking zonation, and with sparse aerial mycelium; centre dark brick, outer zone cinnamon, reverse dark brick in centre, brick in outer zone (Rayner 1970). Cardinal temperatures for growth After 7 days at 4 °C all isolates only grew on the agar plug, while no growth was observed at 35 °C. Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, with colonies reaching 30–62 mm diam.

Typus : Italy, Sicily, Catania province, Aci Castello, basal stem rot on Howea forsteriana, July 2011, G. Polizzi, holotype CBS H-135754, culture ex-type DiGeSA-HF3 = CPC 22087 = CBS 135754.