Background and Aims:

The genus Hypoxylon has perithecia immersed in stromata, shiny to dark coloured, effuse to pulvinate or glomerulate; asci cylindrical with apical amyloid pore with ellipsoid, equilateral o inequilateral ascospores, brown to dark brown with germinal line right or sigmoid and perispore dehiscent with KOH 10%. The genus has a worldwide distribution and 115 species have been described with highest diversity in tropical regions. In Mexico, 36 species have been registered, of which 20 occur in the tropical dry forest. The objective of the present study is to expand the distribution of and describe the Hypoxylon species that grow in tropical dry forest of four Natural Protected Areas (ANPs) from Mexico.

Methods:

Six explorations were made to the following Mexican Natural Protected Areas: Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve (Jalisco), Isla Cozumel Biosphere Reserve (Quintana Roo), Sierra de Álamos-Río Cuchujaqui Biosphere Reserve (Sonora) and El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (Tamaulipas). The specimens collected were studied, described and determined according to the traditional techniques in mycology. The material is deposited in the ENCB herbarium.

Key results:

Eleven species of Hypoxylon were identified, and Hypoxylon jaklitschii is decribed for the first time to Mexico from Jalisco, Quintana Roo and Tamaulipas. Additionally, the distribution of Hypoxylon anthochroum, H. cinnabarinum, H. erythrostroma, H. haematostroma, H. investiens, H. lividipigmentum, H. perforatum, H. rickii and Hypoxylon subgilvum is expanded to other states.

Conclusions:

Hypoxylon is well represented in Mexico, being one of the best studied of the order Xylariales. Hypoxylon cinnabarinum, H. haematostroma and H. lenormandii were found in all the ANPs of this study. El Cielo Biosphere Reserve is with nine the Natural Protected Area with the largest number of species.

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