Pleosporales in Japan (1): the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lophiostoma</Emphasis>

 Seven species of the genus Lophiostoma were the subject of this study. Among these, Lophiostoma mucosum is described and illustrated as a new species. All other species, L. macrostomum, L. semiliberum, L. arundinis, L. caulium, L. caudatum, and L. winteri, are reported for the first time in Japan. A key to the species of Lophiostoma in Japan is given. Received: August 5, 2002 / Accepted: November 28, 2002 Acknowledgments We are grateful to Dr. Hideki Takahashi (curator of SAPA) for the loan of fungal material. Correspondence to:Y. Harada     

Pleosporales in Japan (2): the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lophiotrema</Emphasis>

 Five species of the genus Lophiotrema are reported in this article. Of these, Lophiotrema vitigenum is described and illustrated as a new species. Three species, L. nucula, L. neohysterioides, and L. vagabundum, are newly added to the Japanease mycoflora. Lophiosphaera orientalis, Nodulosphaeria araucariae, and N. rosae, which had been recorded in Japan, are treated as synonyms of Lophiotrema fuckelii. A key to the species of Lophiotrema in Japan is given. Received: October 9, 2002 / Accepted: January 20, 2003 Acknowledgments We are grateful to Drs. Shuhei Tanaka (curator of YAM) and Ken Katumoto for the loan of fungal material. Correspondence to:K. Tanaka     

Fungi on submerged wood in the Koito River,Japan

 Woody substrates were collected from the Koito River in Japan, and the biodiversity of fungi on these substrates was investigated. Twenty-eight species were identified, comprising 12 ascomycete and 16 anamorphic taxa. The common fungi included Chaetosphaeria sp., Ophioceras commune, Pseudohalonectria lignicola, and Savoryella lignicola. The occurrence of fungi on submerged wood is discussed, and three interesting taxa – Pseudohalonectria lignicola, Bactrodesmium arnaudii, and B. pallidum – are described and illustrated. Received: August 19, 2002 / Accepted: November 25, 2002 Acknowledgments We are grateful to the financial support of the Special Coordination Fund for Promoting Science and Technology from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. Profs. K. Nishimura and M. Miyaji are thanked for scientific invitation and assistance in Chiba, Japan. Dr. Norio Hayashi from the Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, is thanked for providing physicochemical data for the Koito River. Y.M. Leung and M.H. Ng are thanked for technical assistance. Correspondence to:C.K.M. Tsui     

Three new species of Annulatascus (Ascomycetes) from Hong Kong freshwater habitats

 Annulatascus joannae, A. lactus, and A. tropicalis are described and illustrated from decaying woody substrata in freshwater habitats in Hong Kong. Annulatascus joannae is distinguished by ellipsoidal and thick-walled ascospores whereas A. lacteus has milky ascomata and A. tropicalis has relatively large, fusiform, 1–3-septate ascospores. Annulatascus biatriisporus is reported as a new record in Hong Kong. A key to and a synoptic table of Annulatascus species are provided. Received: December 14, 2001 / Accepted: July 5, 2002 Acknowledgments C.K.M. Tsui and V.M. Ranghoo are grateful to The University of Hong Kong for the award of postgraduate studentships. A.Y.P. Lee, M.H. Ng, and M.Y. Chan are thanked for photographic and technical assistance. Correspondence to:C.K.M. Tsui     

Three new freshwater ascomycetes from rivers in Akkeshi, Hokkaido, northern Japan

Three lignicolous freshwater ascomycetes from rivers in Akkeshi, Hokkaido, northern Japan are reported. All of these are new species belonging to the Lophiostomataceae and described as Lophiostoma breviappendiculatum, Massarina clionina, and Massariosphaeria maxima. Morphological differences between each species and its similar taxa are noted. All three species have been observed to produce only ascomatal states in artificial culture.     

Scleroderma laeve (Gasteromycetes, Sclerodermatales), new to Japan

 A Scleroderma species collected on sandy soil under trees of Lithocarpus edulis in Saitama Prefecture, central Japan, is identified as Scleroderma laeve, a new record for Japan. Macroscopic and microscopic features are given. Received: May 24, 2002 / Accepted: September 9, 2002 Acknowledgments We thank Ms. Ryoko Onuma, who offered some useful literature on Scleroderma. We are also grateful to Dr. Toshimitsu Fukiharu (Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba) for his help with preserving the specimens. For collecting specimens, we are grateful to Ms. Ayano Kimura, Mr. Tomoya Matsuyama, and Mr. Takahiro Uchida. Correspondence to:T. Kasuya     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Exobasidium dubium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. miyabei</Emphasis> sp. nov. causing Exobasidium leaf blisters on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhododendron </Emphasis>spp. in Japan

 Two Exobasidium species causing Exobasidium leaf blister on Rhododendron spp. are described. An Exobasidium leaf blister on Rhododendron yedoense var. yedoense f. yedoense has been recognized in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, since the first report was issued in 1950. The causal fungus is identified with Exobasidium dubium from the morphology of its hymenial structure and mode of germination of the basidiospores. Another Exobasidium leaf blister on Rhododendron dauricum has been observed in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. In comparison with morphology based on hymenial structure and mode of germination of the basidiospores of the 100 validly described taxa, this fungus differs from those known taxa in the size of basidia and basidiospores, the numbers of sterigmata and septa of basidiospores, and the mode of germination of basidiospores. Thus, a new species, Exobasidium miyabei, is established and illustrated. Received: February 13, 2002 / Accepted: September 25, 2002  Present address: National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba 305-8602, Japan Acknowledgments We profoundly appreciate the cooperation of Dr. V. Melnik in providing Russian papers and Dr. L. Vasilyeva for translating them into English. We thank Prof. H. Takahashi for loaning the materials in the Herbarium of the Hokkaido University Museum and Dr. W. Abe, Graduate School of Science, University of Hokkaido, for his kind help with the sampling of R. dauricum in Teshikaga, Hokkaido Prefecture. This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (No. 13460019), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Contribution No. 171, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba. Correspondence to:M. Kakishima     

Materials for the fungus flora of Japan (53)

Two interesting ascomycetes are described as new to Japan:Ascotricha amesii (Xylariaceae), isolated from garden soil in Osaka; andAuxarthron reticulatum, isolated from forest soil in Tokyo. ADicyma anamorph is associated with the former species. (52): Tubaki, K., Tokumasu, S. and Konno, M., Nippon Kingakukai Kaiho38: 249–250. 1997.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Umbelopsis gibberispora</Emphasis> sp. nov. from Japanese leaf litter and a clarification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Micromucor ramannianus </Emphasis>var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">angulisporus</Emphasis>

 Umbelopsis gibberispora is described as a new species in the genus Umbelopsis, Umbelopsidaceae, Mucorales. The species differs from others in this genus by ellipsoidal sporangiospores with unilaterally thickened walls. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (nLSU rDNA) partial sequences suggest that U. gibberispora, U. swartii, and U. westeae form a clade together with the strains of Umbelopsis ramanniana. The ex-type strain of Micromucor ramannianus var. angulisporus is found to be very close to Umbelopsis vinacea, whereas other isolates identified under the former name in the sense of Linnemann fall in the U. ramanniana subclade. For these isolates, a new species, Umbelopsis angularis, is introduced. Phylogenetic relationships among Umbelopsis species are discussed related to their attributes of the sporangial wall and mature spore shapes. Received: August 27, 2002 / Accepted: March 11, 2003 Acknowledgments We thank Dr. Takashi Ohsono, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Japan, for providing the strain of U. gibberispora (CBS 109328). We also thank Dr. Wieland Meyer, University of Sydney, Australia for access to the phylogenetic tree based on ITS sequence data before publishing, and Dr. Richard C. Summerbell, Centraalbureau von Schimmelcultures, the Netherlands, for linguistic corrections.     

Notes on the genus Inocybe of Japan: I

 Three species of the genus Inocybe are reported as new species or new records from Japan. Inocybe phaeodisca Kühner var. geophylloides Kühner is redescribed by specimens collected in Chiba Prefecture; this is the first record of I. phaeodisca var. geophylloides for Japan. Inocybe pseudoreducta Stangl & Glowinski is also redescribed by materials collected in Hokkaido and Chiba Prefecture, new to Japan. Inocybe subtilis Takahito Kobayashi sp. nov. is proposed for material collected from Tokyo. The sectional position of this species is noted. Received: January 4, 2002 / Accepted: February 25, 2002     

Erysiphe wadae: a new species of Erysiphe sect. Uncinula on Japanese beech

 A new species of Erysiphe sect. Uncinula is described and illustrated from Japan. Erysiphe wadae sp. nov., found on Japanese beech (Fagus crenata, Fagaceae), is characterized by having two types of appendages, i.e., a long (true) appendage arising from the equatorial zone of the ascomata, and a short appendage arising from the upper part of the ascomata. This characteristic is shared by E. simulans, E. australiana, E. flexuosa, E. liquidambaris, E. prunastri, and E. togashiana. Erysiphe wadae differs from the latter five species in its brown-colored appendage. Erysiphe simulans is most similar to E. wadae, but differs in its loosely uncinate appendage and smaller number of ascospores. Identity of the nucleotide sequences of the rDNA ITS region is 92.3% between the two species. The significance of the two types of appendage in taxonomy and phylogeny of powdery mildews is discussed based on molecular phylogenetic analysis. Received: November 8, 2002 / Accepted: January 29, 2003 Acknowledgments We are grateful to Drs. Yukio Harada and Hideki Naito for help in collecting powdery mildew specimens; Dr. Uwe Braun for providing the specimen of E. flexuosa; and Mr. Tetsuya Hirata and Miss Sanae Matsuda for nucleotide sequences of E. togashiana and E. flexuosa. This work was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 13660047) from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.     

Materials for the fungus flora of Japan (55)

From recent isolates of microfungi on soil materials collected at several localities in Japan, three onygenalean species are described and photographed as new to Japan:Aphanoascus durus, Kuehniella racovitzae, andShanorella spirotricha. (54) Yokoyama, T. and Nasu, H., Mycoscience41: 91–93, 2000.     

Hyaloscyphaceae in Japan (4): New records of the genusLachnum

Six species of the genusLachnum, Hyaloscyphaceae are described:Lachnum longispinum andL. radiatum spp. nov.;L. fuscescens, L. palmae, L. pulverulentum, andL. rhytismatis, new to Japan. Mycoscience40: 401–404. 1999.     

Correlation between pathogenicity and molecular characteristics in the willow leaf rusts <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melampsora epitea</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. humilis</Emphasis> in Japan

 We studied the correlation between pathogenicity and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) type, which was determined by polymerase chain reaction-based RFLP analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA, in the willow leaf rust fungi Melampsora epitea and M. humilis. Eighteen clones of eight Salix species were inoculated with urediniospores from seven collections of the two rust species. M. epitea and M. humilis (RFLP type-5 collections) were pathogenic to six to eight Salix species. RFLP type-7 collections of M. epitea were pathogenic to only two Salix species. The taxonomic relationships of the two rust species are discussed. Received: December 11, 2002 / Accepted: February 17, 2003 RID="*" ID="*" Contribution no. 179, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba, Japan Acknowledgments We thank K. Katsuya, former professor at the University of Tsukuba, for his encouragement in this study. We are also grateful to M. Yashima, Botanical Garden, University of Tohoku, for his assistance in collecting materials and to R. Suzuki, University of Tsukuba, for providing a rust isolate.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Erysiphe patagoniaca</Emphasis>: a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erysiphe </Emphasis>sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Uncinula </Emphasis>from Patagonia,Argentina

 A new species of Erysiphe sect. Uncinula is described and illustrated from Patagonia, Argentina. Erysiphe patagoniaca sp. nov., found on leaves of Nothofagus × antarctica, is similar to E. nothofagi and E. kenjiana, but differs in its appendages being twisted throughout their length and the number of appendages, asci, and ascospores. The two endemic species of Erysiphe sect. Uncinula, E. magellanica and E. nothofagi, coexisted on the same leaves together with Erysiphe patagoniaca. Received: September 19, 2002 / Accepted: November 28, 2002 Acknowledgments The authors are grateful to Ms. Seiko Niinomi for providing the micrographs of ascomata of Erysiphe spp. on Nothofagus. Correspondence to:S. Takamatsu