Endoconidiogenesis in Endoconidioma populi and Phaeotheca fissurella

Details of the development of endoconidia were basically the same in Endoconidioma populi and Phaeotheca fissurella. In both species, endoconidiogenesis involved (i) subdivision of conidiogenous mother cells by septation to form two to several daughter cells; (ii) accumulation of an electron-dense material between the daughter and mother cell walls; and (iii) separation of the daughter cells by septum schizolysis, accompanied by the dissolution of mother cell wall. Conidiomata of E. populi were unique in having a closed peridium and a locule filled with conidiogenous mother cells and, therefore, we proposed the new term, cleistopycnidium (pl. -a), for this structure. In the cleistopycnidium of E. populi, endoconidiation usually began in the core of the locule and spread outward. Release of endoconidia was by the degeneration of peridial cell walls.     

A new species of Pseudorobillarda, an endophyte from Thuja occidentalis in Canada, and a key to the species

Pseudorobillarda monica sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The endophyte was isolated from living leaves and bark of twigs of a Thuja occidentalis bonsai (>90 years old) at the Montréal Botanical Garden and ornamental trees in Montréal urban plantations. This pycnidial fungus is typical of the genus in morphology but clearly differs from other species in Pseudorobillarda by the distinct size of the conidiomata and the shape and size of conidia and paraphyses. Its taxonomic placement is discussed and a key to the species of Pseudorobillarda is provided.     

Anamorphs in Mycocalicium albonigrum and M. subtile (Caliciales)

Anamorphs of Mycocalicium albonigrum and M. subtile have been obtained in culture from ascospores, conidia collected in the field, and conidia produced in culture. The ontogenies of the conidiomata and conidia are described. Differences between the species with respect to cultural characteristics, septation of ascospores during germination, occurrence of chlamydospores and pyriform cells as well as ultrastructural details of conidiogenous cells and conidia were studied. Conidia are suggested to possibly be important in the dispersal of the species.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pezicula cinnamomea</Emphasis> from cherry tree: pathogenicity tests and photomorphogenesis in culture

Pezicula cinnamomea (DC.: Fr.) Sacc. was frequently isolated from dead twigs of flowering cherry (Prunus × yedoensis Matsum.) in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. Inoculations of flowering cherry tree twigs with the fungus resulted in longitudinal browning of heartwood tissues 3–4cm long after 7 months, showing no apparent symptoms on the bark. The fungus were reisolated at high rates from the affected tissues. Apothecia were formed on cut affected twigs when they were placed in a moist Petri dish and kept under near-UV (Black Light Blue; BL-B) light irradiation. On potato sucrose agar (PSA) plates, the fungus failed to form apothecia in the dark, while many apothecia were formed under BL-B and, to a lesser extent, under white light. In nature, the light, especially near-UV, might be an important factor in apothecium formation. Under near-UV from BL-B conidiomata with conidia formed after 5–6 days and mature apothecia after about 14 days. The developmental processes of the apothecium were histologically studied under light and electron microscopes. Pezicula cinnamomea, which is homothallic and fruits easily in culture, may be very useful for life cycle studies and the elucidation of ecological role of this group of fungi.     

Liberomyces gen. nov. with two new species of endophytic coelomycetes from broadleaf trees

During a study of endophytic and saprotrophic fungi in the sapwood and phloem of broadleaf trees (Salix alba, Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis, Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula) fungi belonging to an anamorphic coelomycetous genus not attributable to a described taxon were detected and isolated in pure culture. The new genus, Liberomyces, with two species, L. saliciphilus and L. macrosporus, is described. Both species have subglobose conidiomata containing holoblastic sympodial conidiogenous cells. The conidiomata dehisce irregularly or by ostiole and secrete a slimy suspension of conidia. The conidia are hyaline, narrowly allantoid with a typically curved distal end. In L. macrosporus simultaneous production of synanamorph with thin filamentous conidia was observed occasionally. The genus has no known teleomorph. Related sequences in the public databases belong to endophytes of angiosperms. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a position close to the Xylariales (Sordariomycetes), but family and order affiliation remained unclear.     

牡丹腔孢叶斑病及其病原物的共无性型

牡丹腔孢叶斑病于2007-2008年在山东省菏泽、济南、泰安、肥城等地牡丹上普遍发生,除危害牡丹叶片外,也发生于枝干上,在病枝上形成边缘褐色、中部灰白色的病斑,病斑绕茎可致枝条干枯,于病部形成稀疏的黑色扁平状子实体;叶片上病斑黄褐色,圆形至长圆形,直径10-35mm,具褐色至黄褐色相间的同心轮纹,于其上形成橘黄色至橘红色子实体。叶斑上的病原物载孢体盘状、有柄,为Hainesia lythri;病枝上的病原物载孢体为封闭的半球形结构,显示Pilidium concavum的典型特征。两种载孢体中形成的产孢细胞及分生孢子形态一致。分别从多份牡丹病枝、叶上分离获得的7株和21株分离物,在培养性状、生物学特性和致病性等方面基本相似。依据上述特性及部分分离物的rDNA-ITS序列分析结果,将山东牡丹叶斑上的病原物鉴定为Hainesia lythri,病枝干上为Pilidium concavum。二者是同一病原真菌的共无性型。     

Five additional genera of conidial lichen-forming fungi from Europe

Three remarkable new genera of conidial lichen-forming fungi, with pycnidial or acervular conidiomata are described and illustrated.Hastifera tenuispora gen. et spec. nov. from the South-Tyrol, Italy, is characterized by very long and narrow hyaline conidia produced in pycnidial conidiomata immersed in thalline warts.Lichingoldia gyalectiformis gen. et spec. nov. from rocks subject to inundation by freshwater in Norway has long sigmoidly curved conidia which appear to be adapted to dispersal in water.Woessia fusarioides gen. et spec. nov. from aQuercus stump in the Burgenland, Austria, has a finely granular thallus and disc-like conidiomata producing falcate conidia; this species is also of interest in that it hasChlorella as the photobiont. The recently described hyphomyceteCheiromycina flabelliformis B. Sutton is reported from Austria for the first time, and is also lichenized. Recent collections ofNigropuncta rugulosa D. Hawksw. from Austria and Italy also show that this species is lichenized rather than parasymbiotic. In all five cases the fungal hyphae of the conidiogenous structures are continuous with those in intimate contact with cells of the algal partners and the biological relationship appears to be mutualistic giving rise to stable crustose lichen thalli.     

Lecanora schistina (nyl.) Arnold,a lichen with dimorphic conidia

Abstract: The lichen Lecanora schistina (Nyl.) Arnold has two kinds of conidia: filiform microconidia and obpyriform macroconidia. Both appear mixed in the same conidioma, the former being much more abundant. Sometimes these conidiomata contain a third type of conidia (microconidia) belonging most probably to a lichenicolous coelomycete living in the conidiomata of the lichen.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (8): a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudolachnella from</Emphasis> Yakushima Island,southern Japan

A coelomycetous fungus occurring on culms of Pleioblastus sp. in Yakushima Island, southern Japan, is described and illustrated as a new species, Pseudolachnella yakushimensis. The species is characterized by cupulate, superficial black setose conidiomata, and cylindrical 3-septate conidia with two to five appendages at each end. Pseudolachnella yakushimensis is similar to P. indica and P. scolecospora by its 3-septate conidia, but is different from them by its smaller conidia with more than two appendages.     

Conidioma production of the white root rot fungus in axenic culture under near-ultraviolet light radiation

 Conidiomata of the white root rot fungus were produced in axenic culture under near-ultraviolet light radiation. Pieces of sterilized Japanese pear twigs were placed on 7-day-old oatmeal agar culture in plates. The plates were further incubated for 5 days and then illuminated by near-ultraviolet light. Synnemata developed on the twigs within 5 weeks in 19 of 20 isolates tested, and conidia were observed in 12 of the 19 isolates. The synnemata and conidia produced were morphologically identical to those of Dematophora necatrix. Received: October 29, 2001 / Accepted: March 11, 2002     

Cheiromycina flabelliformis gen. et sp. nov. on Picea from Sweden

The new genus Cheiromycina , based on the new species C. flabelliformis is described and illustrated from Picea wood in Sweden. It is characterized by eustromatic sporochial conidiomata, a thick-walled branched conidiogenous system and holobastic flabelliform to palmate, hyaline to pale brown, distoseptate conidia. It is compared and contrasted with several similar deuteromycetes, especially on coniferous substrates.     

Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Synchaetomella Lunatospora, a New Genus and Species of Synnematous Fungi from Southeast Asia

The anamorphic fungus Synchaetomella lunatospora gen. et sp. nov. is described from a culture isolated from leaf litter in Singapore. The genus is characterized by the production of synnematous conidiomata with brown stipes, phialidic conidiogenesis with terminal and acropleurogenous conidiogenous cells, and falcate, 1-septate conidia, aggregating in white, mucilaginous heads. Its phylogenetic relationships, inferred from the partial nuclear small ribosomal subunit (18S) sequence, are with the coelomycetous genera Sphaerographium, Chaetomella, and Hainesia. However, the order and family affinities of this group are unclear.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (7): a new coelomycetous genus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Versicolorisporium</Emphasis>

A new genus, Versicolorisporium, is established for the coelomycetous fungus collected in Japan on dead culms of the bamboos Pleioblastus chino and Sasamorpha borealis. The type species of the genus, V. triseptatum, is characterized by the production of holoblastic, 3-septate, obovoid, versicolored conidia. Versicolorisporium is similar to Toxosporiella, Neohendersonia, Toxosporiopsis, and Scolicosporium in having versicolored conidia, but differs from these genera by the uniloculate pycnidial conidiomata with a periphysate ostiole, lacking paraphyses, and the conidia without black-banded septa. A BLAST search using LSU nrDNA sequence indicates that the new genus is a member of Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes.     

杨四刺瘿螨的生物学及发生为害特征

杨四刺瘿螨Tetraspinus populi Kuang et Hong是杨树上发生的一种新害虫。调查显示,在不同的杨树品种上该螨的发生及危害程度不同。暖冬和少雨有利于该螨的发生。在2025品种上发生最重,2001品种上次之。1、2年树龄的杨树发生较重,3、4年树龄的发生较轻。     

Minteriella cenotigena anam. gen. & sp. nov. from submerged plant material in Mexico

Minteriella cenotigena gen. & sp. nov., found on decaying bark submerged in a sinkhole from the southern of Mexico, is described and illustrated. The new taxa is distinguished by synnematous conidiomata, with polyblastic, discrete, indeterminate, sympodially proliferating conidiogenous cells, with flat conidiogenous loci and cylindrical, 3- to 4- (to 5) euseptate, hyaline conidia.     

Viability and sporulating capability of Coelomycetes preserved under a range of different storage regimes

The viability and sporulating capability of 45 Coelomycetes strains were evaluated. Strain subcultures were maintained under mineral oil, in soil and on agar slant for different periods of time lasting as long as 50 years, 39 years and 2 years, respectively. Of the 34 strains preserved under mineral oil, 20 maintained their viability but lost the sporulating capability with exception of one strain of Pestalotiopsis guepinii. Of the 16 strains also preserved in soil only one was viable and it was not able to sporulate. All 12 endophytic strains, 11 preserved on agar slant and one under mineral oil remained viable; however, the strain preserved under mineral oil lost its sporulating capability, while the strains on agar slant were only able to sporulate after culturing on sterilized alfalfa twigs. The results demonstrate that routine monitoring, and the use of different preservation methods, specially with the addition of sterilized plant tissue on the culture media for promoting conidiomata formation, is necessary for the success of the Coelomycetes long-term preservation.     

新月弯孢子座的结构和形成条件

新月弯孢 [Curvularialunata (Walk)Boed ]是近些年我国北方玉米主栽区新发生的弯孢菌叶斑病的致病菌 ,它以分生孢子进行重复侵染。在试验中 ,当用高粱培养基进行扩繁培养时 ,新月弯孢能产生一种无性繁殖体 子座。报道了子座产生的条件及子座的形态结构特征。     

地域环境对青藏高原特有植物藏川杨生物学特性的影响

通过对西藏中、南部16个藏川杨种源地环境特征、植株和枝叶形态特征、生长习性等生物学特性的观测比较,发现藏川杨为高大、长寿乔木,株龄逾千年、株高达45 m、冠幅22 m,分布海拔高度2000～4500 m、分布区域跨越湿润、半湿润、半干旱和干旱区,随着分布区环境变化,不同种源藏川杨的树皮、枝条、芽、叶等形态特征呈现规律性变化,空气湿度增加、树干颜色变深、枝条被毛加重、顶生冬芽变窄、叶片长/宽比增加;半湿润区和灌溉区植株的叶面积、枝条长度增加,湿润区、阴湿地或环境条件恶劣地区植株叶片和枝条生长不佳,枝条干湿比相对较小。结果表明:藏川杨具有很强的环境适应能力和可塑性,耐旱,喜光、抗强光辐射,耐贫瘠、喜中性或弱碱性土壤,具有很高的生态和经济价值。     

Camouflage and selective predation in caterpillars of the poplar and eyed hawkmoths (Laothoe populi and Smerinthus ocellata)

Final instar caterpillars of the poplar hawkmoth ( Laothoe populi ) are usually yellow-green when they have been feeding on Salix fragilis but white when on Populus alba. Similarly final instar caterpillars of the eyed hawkmoth (Smerinthus ocellata) vary in colour from yellow-green when fed on Salix cinerea or S. fragilis to grey-green when fed on Salix ripens or S. alba. Most caterpillars of these two moths are thus very cryptic to the human eye. It has already been shown that colour matching is brought about by young caterpillars changing colour depending on the colour of the substrate perceived by their eyes. Evidence is presented here for selective predation, probably by birds. Yellow-green poplar hawk caterpillars disappeared from P. alba more rapidly than did white caterpillars, but there was no significant difference in the survival of the two colour forms on S. fragilis. Yellow-green caterpillars survived better on S. fragilis than on P. alba , but there was no significant difference in the survival of white caterpillars on the two plants. Reasons why selective predation did not occur in all of the experiments are discussed.