Molecular and Morphological Evidence Reveals Four New Species from Dragon Trees in Yunnan Province, China.

() is a globally distributed fungal genus, traditionally recognized as a group of plant pathogens, with most members known to cause severe plant diseases. However, recent studies have demonstrated that many of these fungi can also colonize plants endophytically, with certain strains capable of promoting plant growth and stimulating the production of secondary metabolites. In this study, 13 strains of were isolated from the stems and leaves of and in Yunnan Province, China. To clarify the taxonomic placement of these strains, morphological examination and multi-gene (ITS, nrLSU, , , and ) phylogenetic analyses were performed. Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence, four new species are introduced and described here: , , , and . This study expands our understanding of the fungal diversity associated with , provides essential data for the taxonomy of , and serves as a resource for the future development and utilization of endophytes.