ABSTRACT
Based on these general morphological features, the genus Verticillium for years became the depository of some 200 described species, and, therefore, its taxonomy needed urgently major revision, a task undertaken over the past years mainly by Gams and coworkers, amidst the contribution of some other groups.1-9 The revision resulted initially in retaining only phytopathogens and saprophytes in Verticillium sensu stricto, viz. the “Nigrescentia” (Phyllachorales)
and removed all members of Verticillium sect. Prostrata into Hypocreales. Thus, the genera Lecanicillium and Simplicillium were introduced to accommodate all entomogenous and fungicolous verticillium-like anamorphic fungi, Haptocillium for nematophagous species with adhesive conidia, and Pochonia comprising species that form dictyochlamydospores and parasitize nematode cysts and eggs. The saprophyte V. tenerum (syn. V. luteo-album) was also reclassi–ed as Acrostalagmus luteo-albus.10 However, in spite of this –rst generous reclassi–cation, the genus of Verticillium was still a polyphyletic entity that required resolution into more natural units. Thus, molecular phylogenetic data based on mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal sequences placed V. nigrescens, V. theobromae and Acrostalagmus luteo-albus close to Phyllachorales but clearly differentiated them from the group of all other phytopathogenic species of Verticillium.9 Consequently, V. nigrescens and V. theobromae were placed under the new generic names Gibellulopsis and Musicillium, respectively.11 Finally, the placement of V. fungicola, an important mushroom parasite, was also reconsidered according to molecular phylogenetic evidence that showed the af–nity of the latter to the genus of Lecanicillium.9,12,13 Therefore, in current taxonomy, only –ve closely related species, namely V. dahliae, V. longisporum, V. albo-atrum, V. tricorpus and V. nubilum remain as members of Verticillium s. str.
