A new fungal genus, Teracosphaeria, with a phialophora-like anamorph (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota)

The new genus and species Teracosphaeria petroica is described for a perithecial ascomycete and its anamorph occurring on decayed wood collected in New Zealand. The fungus produces immersed, non-stromatic ceratosphaeria-like perithecia in nature, with hyaline, septate ascospores produced in unitunicate, non-amyloid asci. The anamorph produced in vitro is phialophora-like with lightly pigmented phialides terminating in flaring, deep collarettes that are often noticeably brown with conspicuous periclinal thickening. Phylogenetic analysis of LSU rDNA sequence data indicates that this fungus is distinct from morphologically similar fungi classified in the Chaetosphaeriales, the Trichosphaeriales or the Magnaporthaceae. It forms a monophyletic group with recently described, chaetosphaeria-like ascomycetes, such as the pyrenomycete genus Mirannulata, and shows affinity with the anamorphic species Dictyochaeta cylindrospora. The usefulness of describing anamorph genera for morphologically reduced anamorphs, when anamorph characteristics are actually part of the holomorph diagnosis, is discussed. An apparently contradictory example of the so-called Cordana and Pseudobotrytis anamorphs of Porosphaerella spp. is also discussed.     

Mycosphaerella buna sp. nov. with aPseudocercospora anamorph isolated from the leaves of Japanese beech

A species ofMycosphaerella with aPseudocercospora anamorph was collected on overwintered fallen leaves of Japanese beech,Fagus crenata. Based on comparison of morphology withMycosphaerella species on Fagaceae, the fungus was newly described asMycosphaerella buna. ThePseudocercospora anamorph derived from a single ascospore of the fungus was morphologically identical to an endophytic anamorph isolated from asymptomatic living leaves of Japanese beech. Contribution No. 150, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

A newLeptographium species associated withTomicus piniperda in south-western China

Tomicus species (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) are serious pests of pines with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia and America. In Yunnan, south-western China,T. piniperda has destroyed more than 0.5 million ha ofPinus yunnanensis in the past 15 years. A blue stain fungus belonging to the genusLeptographium is associated with both the shoot-feeding and trunk-attacking stages of the beetle's life cycle. The fungus is morphologically similar to the anamorph ofOphiostoma crassivaginatum and toL. pyrinum, which are both characterised by short robust conidiophores and hyphae covered by a granular layer. Both these species have been isolated from conifers and are associated with insects. After comparing the fungus fromT. piniperda with similarLeptographium species, using light and scanning electron microscopy, we concluded that it represents a new taxon, which is described here asL. yunnanense sp. nov.     

Diaporthe kyushuensis sp. nov., the teleomorph of the causal fungus of grapevine swelling arm in Japan, and its anamorphPhomopsis vitimegaspora

Diaporthe kyushuensis sp. nov. is described and named as the teleomorph of causal fungus of grapevine swelling arm. The anamorph of the fungus isPhomopsis vitimegaspora.     

Surculiseries rugispora gen. et sp. nov., a new endophytic mitosporic fungus from leaves ofBruguiera gymnorrhiza

Surculiseries rugispora gen. et sp. nov. is described as an endophytic fungus from leaves ofBruguiera gymnorrhiza in mangrove forests in the Iriomote Is., Okinawa, Japan. This fungus develops peculiar conditiongenous cells that resemble octopus legs with obvious sucker-like scars, and produces lentiform conidia with lines on surface. Sequence analysis of 18S rDNA places this new fungus in the family Xylariaceae and shows its close affinity to the genusAscotricha (anamorph:Dicyma).     

Aecidium dispori is the aecial anamorph ofPuccinia albispora, sp. nov. (Uredinales)

Aecidium dispori forms spermogonium and aecium onDisporum sessile andD. smilacinum, which are distributed in East Asia. TheAecidium species is found to be an aecial anamorph of aPuccinia fungus, with its uredinial-telial stage being formed onCarex conica, C. dolichostachya subsp.multifolia, C. pisiformis subsp.alterniflora andC. rugata. Urediniospores of this fungus are large, colorless, thick-walled with 4–5 equatorial germ pores. The morphological characteristics of urediniospores and the spermogonial-aecial host do not fit to any set of circumscribing characters of previously described species. We consider the fungus to be a new species and propose a new name,Puccinia albispora, for the fungus.     

Didymella fagi sp. nov. and its anamorphAscochyta fagi, causing the yellow leaf spot disease ofFagus crenata andQuercus mongolica var.grosseserrata in Japan

AnAscochyta fungus was obtained during a survey of leaf spot diseases ofFagus crenata in the mountains of Aomori prefecture in 1995. The pathogenicity of the fungus toF. crenata was confirmed by inoculation. Its teleomorph was first found on artificially infected leaves after the leaves were placed in an incubator at 5°C with a 12-h photoperiod (approximately 500lx, daylight strip lamps) for 4 mo. The fungus was found to be the causal agent of yellow leaf spots ofF. crenata andQuercus mongolica var.grosseserrata in the field. Comparison with similar fungi so far described from Fagaceae indicated that the anamorph isAscochyta fagi and the teleomorph is an undescribed species ofDidymella. The nameDidymella fagi is introduced for the teleomorph. Correlation between the two morphs has been proved by cultural, morphological and pathological studies.     

Isolation ofRoumegueriella rufula as a new record from East Asia

Roumegueriella rufula (Ascomycota; Hypocreales) isolated from a soil sample collected in Taiwan is described as a new record from East Asia. Some observations are recorded, particularly on cultural characteristics of aGliocladium anamorph of this fungus, which has scarcely been reported since Bainier described both ascosporic and conidial forms as species ofGliocladium.     

Talaromyces lagunensis,a new species from Philippine soil

A new species ofTalaromyces (Ascomycetes; Trichocomaceae) with aPenicillium anamorph,T. lagunensis, is described and illustrated. This fungus is characterized by its extremely restricted growh on Czapek-yeast extract agar, light yellow to light orange ascomata with a telaperidium, catenate, pyriform or ellipsoidal asci, ellipsoidal or subglobose ascospores with a microtuberculate wall, short conidiophores with an irregular, mostly monoverticillate to biverticillate penicillus, and subglobose to ovoid conidia. The holotype was isolated from forest soil in the Philippines.     

Sawadaea nankinensis comb. nov.: a powdery mildew fungus of Acer buergerianum

The anamorphic state of a powdery mildew on trident maple (Acer buergerianum, Aceraceae), belonging to Sawadaea, has been observed since 1980 in Tokyo and other areas of Japan. Since the autumn of 2003, this fungus has begun to produce chasmothecia in various areas of Japan, which were consistent with Erysiphe nankinensis (= Uncinula nankinensis), but apparently contradictory to the characteristics of the anamorph. Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis using DNA separately extracted from the anamorph and teleomorph of the fungus on A. buergerianum, it could be demonstrated that sequences of this fungus are sister to Sawadaea. As the anamorph belongs to Oidium subgen. Octagoidium and because of the phylogenetic position within the Sawadaea clade, the new combination Sawadaea nankinensis is proposed for this species. The genus Sawadaea is emended to comprise species with consistently unbranched appendages.     

Thielavia aurantiaca, a new species from Japanese soil

A new species ofThielavia (T. aurantiaca) isolated from field soil collected from Osaka is described and illustrated. The fungus is distinguished from other known species by having ascomata covered with yellowish orange mycelium and smaller size of ascomata and ascospores. A chlamydospore-like anamorph is formed.     

Molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses of Oidium heveae, a powdery mildew of rubber tree

Powdery mildew of rubber tree caused by Oidium heveae is an important disease of rubber plantations worldwide. Identification and classification of this fungus is still uncertain because there is no authoritative report of its morphology and no record of its teleomorphic stage. In this study, we compared five specimens of the rubber powdery mildew fungus collected in Malaysia, Thailand, and Brazil based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Morphological results showed that the fungus on rubber tree belongs to Oidium subgen. Pseudoidium. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the large subunit rRNA gene (28S rDNA) were conducted to determine the relationships of the rubber powdery mildew fungus and to link this anamorphic fungus with its allied teleomorph. The results showed that the rDNA sequences of the two specimens from Malaysia were identical to a specimen from Thailand, whereas they differed by three bases from the two Brazilian isolates: one nucleotide position in the ITS2 and two positions in the 28S sequences. The ITS sequences of the two Brazilian isolates were identical to sequences of Erysiphe sp. on Quercus phillyraeoides collected in Japan, although the 28S sequences differed at one base from sequences of this fungus. Phylogenetic trees of both rDNA regions constructed by the distance and parsimony methods showed that the rubber powdery mildew fungus grouped with Erysiphe sp. on Q. phillyraeoides with 100% bootstrap support. Comparisons of the anamorph of two isolates of Erysiphe sp. from Q. phillyraeoides with the rubber mildew did not reveal any obvious differences between the two powdery mildew taxa, which suggests that O. heveae may be an anamorph of Erysiphe sp. on Q. phillyraeoides. Cross-inoculation tests are required to substantiate this conclusion.     

Mycosphaerella chaenomelis sp. nov.: The teleomorph ofCercosporella sp., the causal fungus of frosty mildew inChaenomeles sinensis, and its role as the primary infection source

A leaf spot disease called frosty mildew was observed onChaenomeles sinensis throughout Japan. Small brown spots with white tufts occurred followed by successive defoliation. On the fallen leaves, minute black dots are formed. The causal fungus was regarded as a new species ofMycosphaerella, M. chaenomelis, andCercosporella chaenomelis in anamorph. Pathogenicity of the fungus was confirmed only inC. sinensis by inoculation experiments. Colonies of the fungus grew well on potato sucrose agar, and grew at 10–30°C with an optimum temperature of 25°C. The fungus overwintered on the fallen diseased leaves in the form of pseudothecia, and ascospores served as the primary infection source from April to June.     

Extensive host range of an endophytic fungus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Guignardia endophyllicola</Emphasis> (anamorph: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllosticta capitalensis</Emphasis>)

Isolation of endophytic species of Guignardia (anamorph: Phyllosticta) from healthy leaves of 94 plants (91 species and 3 varieties) in 69 genera, 42 families, was carried out in a test site (Kyoto Herbal Garden) to investigate the host range of Guignardia endophyllicola (anamorph: Phyllosticta capitalensis). Species of Guignardia and Phyllosticta were isolated from the leaves of 67 plants (66 species and 1 variety) belonging to 54 genera, 38 families. Among them, 53 isolates from different plants belonging to 43 genera in 36 families were similar in morphology, and sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosome DNA revealed these isolates to be conspecific with G. endophyllicola. In addition, this fungus was isolated from leaves of various plants collected in different places in Japan and Thailand. Thus, this endophytic fungus has been revealed to live within various vascular plants, angiosperms, gymnosperms, and pteridophytes.     

Morphology and phylogeny of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botryosphaeria dothidea</Emphasis> causing fruit rot of olives

The taxonomic position of the causal agent of fruit rot of olives was determined from fresh collections of the fungus from central Greece. In culture it formed two types of conidia, namely fusiform, hyaline, aseptate conidia typical of the genus Fusicoccum, and dark-walled, ovoid, ellipsoid or fusiform, 1–2 septate conidia that are not typically observed in Fusicoccum. A phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and EF1- sequences placed the fungus within the same clade as Fusicoccum aesculi, which is the anamorph of Botryosphaeria dothidea, and the type of the genus Fusicoccum.     

Control and possible applications of a novel carrot-spoilage basidiomycete, Fibulorhizoctonia psychrophila

A novel cold-tolerant fungus, Fibulorhizoctonia psychrophila, was isolated from a refrigerated carrot storage facility and identified as an anamorph of Athelia, often classified in Rhizoctonia s.l. Growth of this fungus was observed between 0 and 20°C with an optimum at 9–12°C, while incubation of mycelium grown at 15–32°C resulted in absence of growth even after the fungus was transferred back to 15°C. Growth was inhibited in the presence of the antifungals sorbic acid or natamycin, in particular when the fungus was incubated at 18°C. F. psychrophila produces polysaccharide degrading enzymes that, when compared to enzymes from the ascomycete fungus Aspergillus niger, retain a larger proportion of their activity at lower temperatures. This indicates that F. psychrophila could be used as a source for novel industrial enzymes that are active at 4–15°C.     

Two new species ofTalaromyces from Taiwan and Japan

Two new species ofTalaromyces, isolated from soils in Taiwan and Japan, are described and illustrated.Talaromyces eburneus, associated with aGeosmithia anamorph, is characterized by off-white colony on oatmeal agar, small pale yellow ascomata, and subglobose to ovoid ascospores with a smooth wall.Talaromyces muroii is characterized by restricted growth on Czapek agar, luteous ascomata, which are initiated by paired gametangia like those seen in members of the seriesFlavi, ellipsoidal and nearly smooth ascospores, and the absence of an anamorph.     

Ceratorhiza oryzae-sativae,a new combination for the anamorph of Cerabasidium setariae

Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, the anamorph of Ceratobasidium setariae, is transferred to Ceratorhiza. A discussion of teleomorph and anamorph taxonomy and nomenclature is also given and it is concluded that, for the present, there is only one holomorph species.     

Three new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ophiostoma</Emphasis> species isolated from Japanese red pine

Three new species of Ophiostoma found on Japanese red pine are described as Ophiostoma pusillum sp. nov., O. botuliforme sp. nov., and O. nigrogranum sp. nov. Ophiostoma pusillum is characterized by oblong ascospores and a Hyalorhinocladiella anamorph. Ophiostoma botuliforme has ostioles covered with a hyaline gelatinous cap, allantoid ascospores, and a Pesotum anamorph with hyaline to pale brown stipes. Ophiostoma nigrogranum has hyaline ostiolar hyphae with rounded tips, allantoid ascospores, and sclerotium-like structures.Contribution no. 172, Laboratory of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

Life cycle and life strategy features of Puccinia glechomatis (Uredinales) favorable for extending the natural range of distribution

The objective of this study was to find features in microcyclic rust fungi (Uredinales) on wild host plants favorable for extension of the natural range of distribution. Puccinia glechomatis, a leptosporic rust fungus and its herbal host Glechoma hederacea (Lamiaceae), both natives to Eurasia and introduced in North America, were used for this study. Although the host has been known from North America since the beginning of the nineteenth century, the rust fungus was first observed there only in recent years. Favorable features were identified by studying the life cycle of the rust, including nuclear conditions and seasonal characteristics as well as its spread in North America. The life cycle was studied macroscopically by inoculation experiments, by various light microscope techniques, and by scanning electron microscopy. The spread of the pathogen and its host were reconstructed by evaluating host plant herbarium specimens and databases, literature, and field study data. The studies on P. glechomatis show that, generally for microcyclic rust fungi, establishment and potential for spread are based on several favorable features of both the host (e.g., synanthropic occurence and dispersal, genetic stability, regeneration of vegetative plant parts) and the rust fungus (asexual reproduction/genetic stability, homothallism, propagation with host plant, formation of both leptospores and thick-walled teliospores).