New distribution records and taxonomic studies of ascomycetous fungi and (Ascomycota: Xylariales: Xylariaceae) in Karnataka, India

The family Xylariaceae represents a diverse assemblage of ascomycetous fungi, widely recognised for their prolific production of secondary metabolites with potent bioactive properties, including antimicrobial, anticancer, and immunomodulatory compounds. A mycological survey was conducted from June 2023 to August 2024 across various ecological niches in Karnataka, India, to document the diversity of Xylariaceae. Extensive morphological, anatomical, and taxonomic investigations led to the identification of 16 fungal taxa distributed across two genera: Daldinia (3 species), Xylaria (12 species) and Sphaeria (1 species). The species of Daldinia were confirmed as D. childiae J.D.Rogers & Y.M.Ju, D. concentrica (Bolton) Ces. & De Not., and D. eschscholtzii (Ehrenb.) Rehm, while the Xylaria taxa included X. curta Fr., X. carpophila (Pers.) Fr., X. castorea Berk., X. cornu-damae (Schwein.) Berk., X. apiculata Cooke, X. ellisii Tanney, Seifert & Y.M.Ju, X. frustulosa (Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Cooke, X. hypoxylon (L.) Grev., Sphaeria kegeliana Lév., X. longipes Nitschke, X. nigripes (Klotzsch) Cooke, X. polymorpha (Pers.) Grev., X. telfairii (Berk.) Sacc., These species were predominantly found colonizing decayed wood, lignified stumps, and decomposing leaf litter. Notably, D. childiae, X. curta, X. ellisii, X. frustulosa, X. kegeliana are reported for the first time in Karnataka, whereas X. telfairii and X. cornu-damae constitute new records for India. This study significantly enhances our understanding of the taxonomy, systematics, and biogeography of Xylariaceae in the Indian subcontinent, providing valuable insights into their classification, substrate preferences, and ecological distribution.