Ten strains of a novel heterothallic yeast species were isolated from rotten wood collected at different locations in Hungary. Analysis of gene sequences for the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA, as well as analysis of concatenated gene sequences for the nearly complete nuclear large subunit rRNA, nuclear small subunit rRNA and translation elongation factor 1-α, placed the novel species in the family Trichomonascaceae, but showed that it was distinct from all currently recognized genera. The name Spencermartinsiella europaea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate the new genus and novel species. The novel species could be distinguished from recognized species of neighbouring genera on the basis of standard phenotypic characteristics. The type and isotype strains of Spencermartinsiella europaea are NCAIM Y.01817(T) ( = NRRL Y-48265(T) = CBS 11730(T)) and NCAIM Y.01819(I) ( = NRRL Y-48266(I) = CBS 11731(I)), respectively.