Abstract:
Ceratocystis accommodates many important pathogens of agricultural crops and woody plants. Ceratocystis
fimbriata, the type species of the genus is based on a type that is unsuitable for a precise application and interpretation
of the species. This is because no culture or DNA data exist for the type specimen. The aim of this study was to select
a reference specimen that can serve to stabilize the name of this important fungus. We selected a strain, CBS 114723,
isolated from sweet potato in North Carolina, USA, in 1998 for this purpose. The strain was selected based on the availability
of a living culture in a public depository. A draft genome sequence is also available for this strain. Its morphological
characteristics were studied and compared with the existing and unsuitable type specimen as well as with the original
descriptions of C. fimbriata. The selected strain fits the existing concept of the species fully and we have consequently
designated it as an epitype to serve as a reference specimen for C. fimbriata.
