Rhynchomeliola Speg., an old genus new to Argentina

during a survey of the micromycetes growing on native plants from the patagonian andean forests, two species of rhynchomeliola speg. were found: r. lomatiae s. lee & joanne e. taylor growing on leaves of lomatia ferruginea (proteaceae), and r. usteriana (speg.) arx & müller growing on bark of nothofagus pumilio (nothofagaceae). rhynchomeliola is a small genus of long-necked, non stromatic, perithecial fungi which comprises nine species that are mostly tropical and foliicolous. in south america this genus was known only from brazil. rhynchomeliola lomatiae is recorded for the first time since its original description from herbarium material of lomatia polymorpha in australia. the finding of r. usteriana growing on bark is the first record of a rhynchomeliola species on a lignified substrate and supports the rejection of the habit as a useful character to distinguish the genus from the morphologically akin rhynchostoma p. karst. full descriptions and illustrations of the recorded species are provided along with those of the type materials of the species described by spegazzini.