Description of three novel species of : sp. nov., sp. nov. and sp. nov., isolated from the oak rhizosphere and bleeding cankers of broadleaf hosts.

While investigating the bacterial populations of environmental samples taken from a mix of healthy and Acute Oak Decline afflicted (pedunculate or English oak) rhizosphere soil samples and swabs of bleeding lesions on spp. (lime) and (red oak) trees, several strains belonging to the order were isolated using selective media and enrichment broth. Seven strains from the rhizosphere, three strains from spp. and one from were investigated, with their taxonomic status determined a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Initially stains were identified as potential members of the recently described genus , based on the partial sequencing of three housekeeping genes. Further analysis of phenotypic traits, including fatty acid profiles, coupled with 16S rRNA gene and phylogenomic analysis of whole genome sequences were applied to a subset of the strains. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analysis repeatedly placed the isolates in a monophyletic clade within , with four distinct clusters observed, one of which corresponded to , the type species of the genus. The remaining three clusters could be phenotypically and genotypically differentiated from each other and As such, we describe three novel species of the genus, for which we propose the names sp. nov. (type strain H11S7 = LMG 32612 = CCUG 76179), sp. nov. (type strain H17S15 = LMG 32613 = CCUG 76183) and sp. nov. (type strain TWS1a = LMG 32614 = CCUG 76188). Additionally, the descriptions of the genus and the type species, , are emended.