Daisy, B., Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
Strobel, G., Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
Ezra, D., Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
Castillo, U., Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
Baird, G., Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Rexburg, ID 83460-1100, United States
Hess, W.M., Dept. of Botany and Range Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States

Muscodor vitigenus, anam. sp. nov., is described as a deuteromycetous (mycelia sterilia) endophytic species of Paullinia paullinioides, a liana, bearing a genetic relatedness to the ascomycetous group Xylaria. No fruiting bodies or spores have been observed. The hyphae (0.71-2.14 μm dia) frequently intertwine to form stalk-like strands (9.1-145.5 μm dia) that branch as well as form other intricate structures such as perfectly coiled loops (62 μm dia). Often, a matrix substance forms between the hyphae. The species is related to Xylariaceae by virtue of 96% homology of its 18S rDNA (1815 bp) to representative members of this group. In addition, ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 sequences (595 bp) of M. vitigenus showed close relatedness to several Xylaria spp. including X. enteroleuca, and X. arbuscula at the 90% level. High similarities of 18S rDNA and ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 rDNA and phylogenetic analysis showed that M. vitigenus is taxonomically related to Muscodor albus and Muscodor roseus. While M. albus and M. roseus produce a musty odor resulting from a mixture of volatile compounds, including naphthalene derivatives, M. vitigenus produces the scent of moth balls which is naphthalene.