Pleurocordyceps Y. J. Yao, Y. H. Wang, S. Ban, W. J. Wang, Y. Li, K. Wang & P. M. Kirk 2021

Pleurocordyceps Y. J. Yao, Y. H. Wang, S. Ban, W. J. Wang, Y. Li, K. Wang & P. M. Kirk, 2021. Notes. Pleurocordyceps is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi within the family Polycephalomycetaceae, comprising 23 species (Index Fungorum 2025). This genus was established by Wang et al. (2021) to accommodate species previously classified under Polycephalomyces and Cordyceps, with Pleurocordyceps sinensis (synonym: Paecilomyces sinensis) designated as the type species. Alongside Polycephalomyces and Perennicordyceps, it forms a well-supported monophyletic clade within Hypocreales. Xiao et al. (2023) further clarified its taxonomic placement by formally assigning Pleurocordyceps to the newly established family Polycephalomycetaceae, thereby stabilizing its systematic position within Hypocreales. The sexual morph is characterized by lateral, pulvinate stromata near the host surface, bearing perithecia close to the apex, while the asexual morph produces two distinct conidial types in culture (Wang et al. 2021). Herein, we introduce Pl. shibingensis and Pl. tengchongensis as two new species.