I speak on behalf of his closest friends to inform you of the sudden death, at his home, of Christian Lechat. Yes, our friend Christian ! The creator of this magnificent Ascofrance forum which has become, as he wished, an essential link between the members of the mycological community passionate about the study of ascomycetes. A community without borders, animated by the sharing of knowledge as much as by mutual respect.
Christian leaves us at the top of his art in the study of Hypocreales, especially Nectriaceae and Bionectriaceae, a field in which he handed on to us dozens of new species, many of which were collected in the Lesser Antilles and French Guiana.
Christian was soon to celebrate his 70th birthday, he had many publications in progress and devoted himself entirely to this immeasurable task, most often with Jacques Fournier and Amy Rosman, among other faithful and numerous friends. His expertise, recognized by the international community, earned him the Gordon and Tina Wasson Award from the prestigious Mycological Society of America in 2020.
Christian was also an actor at the local level where he chaired for nearly twenty years the Mycological Society of the Massif d'Argenson within which we organized together the fabulous meetings of Mellasco.
Ascofrance must remain this place of meetings, sharing and friendship that Christian created. We will see to it.

Michel