Dark Septate Endophytes on the Spotlight : Two New Cladophialophora Species Associated with Roots of the Orchid Cattleya locatellii ( Orchidaceae ) in Brazil

Dark septate endophytes (DSEs) have been isolated from various habitats worldwide. They are classified into different taxonomic groups within the phylum Ascomycota, including many representatives of the family Herpotrichiellaceae, such as the genus Cladophialophora , which already has some DSEs described. During a mycological survey of endophytic fungi associated with orchids in Brazil, many representatives of DSEs were found, including new taxa of Cladophialophora . In this article, we describe these two new species of Cladophialophora associated with the roots of the endemic orchid Cattleya locatellii. The isolation method performed was the dilution‐to‐extinction cultivation. Based on morphological studies and phylogenetic analysis of internal transcribed spacer, large subunit of the ribosomal DNA, and tub2 , we propose two new species: Cladophialophora chlamydospora sp. nov. and Cladophialophora fuscoatra sp. nov. For the first time, new taxa of DSE fungi were described from the orchid C. locatellii.