A molecular phylogenetic analysis of the endolichenic fungi of Umbilicariales

We acquired 33 melanized fungi isolated from 21 specimens of 13 Umbilicariales from China and U.S.ITS nrDNA sequences based analysis indicates that all these fungi belong to 12 Capronia species.Analysis results also show that these fungi may be constant endophytic fungi and some selections exist between them and their host fungi.Different members of the same species of endophytic fungus may colonize in identical lichen for many times.Most of these endophytic fungi are close relatives of free-living saxicolous fungi,not the extenders of endophytic fungi in lichen.