Bryorutstroemia ( Rutstroemiaceae , Helotiales ), a New Genus to Accommodate the Neglected Sclerotiniaceous Bryoparasitic Discomycete Helotium fulvum .

The new genus is established for the red-brown, stipitate, bryoparasitic discomycete Boud. Combined phylogenetic analysis of ITS and LSU rDNA and revealed that belongs to the sclerotiniaceous clade, which comprises the paraphyletic families and formed with a supported clade ( s.l.), though with high distance. closely resembles other in having uninucleate ascospores with high lipid content and an ectal excipulum of textura porrecta, but is unique because of its bryophilous lifestyle and is extraordinary with its thick-walled inamyloid ascus apex. Although . was described in 1897, very few records came to our notice. The present study summarizes the known distribution of the species, including 25 personal collections from the years 2001-2022. was most often encountered on and rarely on other members of or , while inducing necrobiosis of the leaves. A detailed description based on mainly fresh apothecia is provided together with a rich photographic documentation. Six new combinations are proposed based on our phylogenetic results and unpublished personal morphological studies: , , , , , and .