Unraveling anamorph-teleomorph connections allows proper classification of chalara‑like anamorphs of Helotiales and Chaetosphaeriales

The taxonomy of chalara-like anamorphs in Leotiomycetes was recently thoroughly redefined. Due to the morphological simplicity of these species, emphasis was given on monophyletic generic concepts defined based on rDNA. In our follow-up study, we revised the taxonomic classification of selected chalara-like fungi in the families Hamatocanthoscyphaceae and Pezizellaceae. We examined our isolates of chalara-like anamorphs and collections of discomycete teleomorphs from coniferous litter in Europe, along with a revision of related fungarium collections. We performed phylogenetic analyses based on data sets consisting of the internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, partial 28S nuc rDNA, and fragments of genes encoding either translation elongation factor 1α or RNA polymerase II second largest subunit. Our phylogenetic analyses showed that the inclusion of teleomorphs is essential for proper naming of the holomorphic species. In Hamatocanthoscyphaceae, we propose to synonymize the monotypic genus Chalarodendron with the recently erected genus Stipitochalara. Further, we provide evidence of Infundichalara microchona being the anamorph of Ciliolarina ligniseda. The anamorph for Hamatocanthoscypha laricionis, the type species of Hamatocanthoscypha, is also documented. Several sequences obtained from collections identified as H. laricionis were distantly placed in the phylogeny, indicating that a thorough revision of the genus is needed and its relationship with Constrictochalara and Xenochalara should be explored. In Pezizellaceae, we reveal the anamorph-teleomorph connection between Calycina (=Chalara) fungorum and Calycina subtilis and propose to synonymize Nagrajchalara angustata with N. inflatipes. Calycina (=Chalara) brevispora should be excluded from Leotiomycetes; molecular data from a recently obtained isolate showed that this fungus should be placed in Chalarina (Chaetosphaericaceae, Chaetosphaeriales, Sordariomycetes).