New species of Microglossum (Leotiales: Leotiomycetes) from Brazil

Microglossum is a genus of bright colored earth tongues with hyaline ascospores. Although relatively common in the North Hemisphere, there are very few collections of this genus in South America. In Brazil, one species is recognized: Microglossum rickii, which belongs to the scaly-stipitate group. However, we have now identified three additional species, based on fresh and herbarium specimens of this genus in Brazil that do not match any known species. Therefore, we are describing them as new species: Microglossum azeurum, characterized by bright blue ascomata and found in Southern Brazil, sister to an unnamed Microglossum species from Chile, and M. sourellae and M. popovkinii, both featuring pale yellow ascomata and distributed in Midwestern Brazil, with M. popovkinii extending also to Northeastern Brazil, retrieved as sister to Microglossum macrosporum clade.