Curvibasidium cygneicollum gen. nov., sp. nov. and Curvibasidium pallidicorallinum sp. nov., novel taxa in the Microbotryomycetidae (Urediniomycetes), and their relationship with Rhodotorula fujisanensis and Rhodotorula nothofagi. 

Sampaio et al. 

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 54: 1401-1407.

Strains of Rhodotorula fujisanensis (Basidiomycota, Urediniomycetes, Microbotryomycetidae), including the type strain, are sexually compatible and produce clamped mycelium with teliospores. However, since teliospore germination had not been documented, the complete sexual cycle was not known. During the course of our investigations we were able to characterize the basidial stage of Rh. fujisanensis. In addition, mating studies employing isolates preliminarily identified as Rhodotorula nothofagi, a species closely related to Rh. fujisanensis, yielded mycelium with teliospores, that formed basidia and basidiospores. The new data were evaluated using several criteria, including the molecular phylogenetic framework available for the Microbotryomycetidae. The new genus Curvibasidium is described to accommodate two teleomorphs: Curvibasidium cygneicollum (CBS 4551^T), which is described as the sexual stage of Rh. fujisanensis, and Curvibasidium pallidicorallinum (CBS 9091^T) that is closely related to Rh. nothofagi but does not represent its sexual stage.