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Pleurophoma pleurospora is a filamentous fungi first observed as Dendrophoma pleurospora in 1884 by Abellini. Its genus was then later re-evaluated to be separate from Dendrophoma, instead being in Pleurophoma due to interwoven sporangia in 1914 by Höhnel. P. pleurospora is occasionally found as a human dermatophyte.

Taxonomy
The current name of Pleurophoma pleurospora was described by Höhnel in 1914. Since then, many species have been identified as P. pleurospora and then later redefined as other species such as Aposphaeria corallinolutea, Aposphaeria populina, and some Paraconiothyrium species. Other proposed lectotypes of P. pleurospora have been determined as dissimilar from Pleurophoma and have been removed from this genus and reclassified as Paraconiothyium. The current name has been disputed by Shkarupa and preposed to be part of genus Dinemasporium. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a close relationship with genera Montagnulaceae and other Phoma-related species such as Phoma lini, Plenodomus fusco-maculans, and Asteromella tilliae.

Growth and morphology
P. pleurospora is a filamentous fungi with long, usually simple and septate hyphae, interwoven with each other. Conidia are rod-shaped, sitting on the lateral walls of the sporangium. In vitro, colonies are greenish olivaceous to sepia, with felty, white, aerial mycelia. Different strains may or may not have ostioles. This fungus shares many properties with species in genera Phoma and Paraphoma, leading to confusion between these genera and Pleurophoma. However, Pleurophoma tends to exhibit glabrous pycnidia. Comparing growth on oxford agar to malt extract agar, P. pleurospora exhibits slightly greater growth (14-18 mm against 11-16 mm respectively). Cell walls are composed of 2-5 layers of cells with outer layers pigmented. P. pleurospora has also been found to remain viable at temperatures as low as -70°C

Habitat
P. pleurospora has been reported to be found in the Netherlands, Iceland, and the United States. Samples of this fungus have been found on species such as Sarothamnus scoparius, Pyrus communis, Laurus nobilis, Vitis vinifera, as well as on woody Lonicera species and some Fabaceae species; generally growing on shrubs and green wood. In infectious cases, the fungus was reported to be found in soil.

Pathology
P. pleurospora has been found to infect plants be a human and animal dermatophyte in immunocompromised individuals, causing subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis with black pigmentation in an elderly patient. Cases have also been reported in cardiac transplant patients. Infections can be result from contact with soil while immunocompromised. Treatments generally entail improving immune system capacity or general antifungal agents aside from amphotericin B and fluconazole, which have proven ineffective.