<i>Velutinus</i>, a novel genus in Patellariopsidaceae from the medicinal plants in Sichuan Province, China

<i>Velutinus sichuanensis</i> gen. et sp. nov. was collected from dead branches of the medicinal plant<i> Loropetalum chinense</i> var. <i>rubrum</i> (Hamamelidaceae) in Sichuan Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the combined ITS and LSU sequences data showed that <i>Velutinus </i>forms a distinct lineage in Patellariopsidaceae, Helotiales, Leotiomycetes. Hereby, a new genus, <i>Velutinus</i>, is introduced to accommodate <i>V. sichuanensis</i> based on morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the new taxa are provided.