Asterina hugoniae sp. nov. (Dothideomycetes: Asterinaceae) from Kerala, India

V.B. Hosagoudar ¹, A. Sabeena ² & M.C. Riju ³

^1,2,3 Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695562, India

Email: ¹ vbhosagoudar@rediffmail.com (corresponding author), ² asabeenarasheed@gmail.com, ³ rcmakkiyil@gmail.com

Date of publication (online): 26 June 2011

Date of publication (print): 26 June 2011

ISSN 0974-7907 (online) | 0974-7893 (print)

Editor: R.K. Verma

Manuscript details:

Ms # o2753

Received 07 April 2011

Finally accepted 01 June 2011

Citation: V.B. Hosagoudar, A. Sabeena & M.C. Riju (2011). Asterina hugoniae sp. nov. (Dothideomycetes: Asterinaceae) from Kerala, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 3(6): 1880–1881.

Copyright: © V.B. Hosagoudar, A. Sabeena & M.C. Riju 2011. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium for non-profit purposes, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication.

Acknowledgements: We thank Dr. A. Subramoniam, Director, TBGRI, Palode for the facilities.

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During the survey of the foliicolous fungi in the Western Ghats region of Kerala State, we came across a big liana, Hugonia mystax L. (Linaceae) found infected with the black mildew. Microscopic examination of the fungus and critical review of the literature revealed that it is a hitherto undescribed species of the genus Asterina. Hence, it is described and illustrated here in detail.

Asterina hugoniae sp. nov.

(Fig. 1)

Material examined: 03.xi.2009, on leaves of Hugonia mystax L. (Linaceae), Malabar Botanic Garden, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, coll. A. Sabeena & M.C. Riju, TBGT 4249 (holotype), MycoBank No. 561716. Part of the collection (isotype) has been deposited in HCIO, New Delhi.

Coloniae amphigenae, plerumque epiphyllae, subdensae vel densae, ad 2mm diam., confluentes. Hyphae subrectae vel flexuosae, opposite vel irregulariter acuteque vel laxe ramosae, laxe vel arte reticulatae, cellulae 12–27 x 3–5 µm. Appressoria unicellularis, alternata vel unilateralis, ovata, integra vel plerumque sublobata, 5–12 x 5–10 µm. Thyriothecia dispersa, orbicularis, stellatim dehiscentes ad centre, ad 300µm diam.; margine raro fimbriatae; asci ovati vel globosi, octospori, 20–37 µm diam.; ascosporae conglobatae, 1-septatae, constrictus ad septatis, 22–27 x 10–15 µm, parietus leniter verrucosus. Pycnothyria numerosa, dispersa, orbicularis, ad 100µm diam., stellatim dehiscentes ad centre, margine crenatae vel fimbriatae; pycnothyriosporae unicellularis, globosae, ovatae, 15–22 x 12–20 µm, parietus glabrus.

Colonies amphigenous, mostly epiphyllous, subdense to dense, up to 2mm in diameter, confluent. Hyphae substraight to flexuous, branching opposite to irregular at acute to wide angles, loosely to closely reticulate, cells 12–27 x 3–5 µm. Appressoria one celled, alternate to unilateral, ovate, entire to mostly sublobate, 5–12 x 5–10 µm. Thyriothecia scattered, orbicular, stellately dehisced at the centre, up to 300µm in diam.; margin rarely fimbriate; asci ovate to globose, octosporous, 20–37 µm in diam.; ascospores conglobate, 1-septate, constricted at the septum, 22–27 x 10–15 µm, wall slightly verrucose. Pycnothyria numerous, scattered, orbicular, up to 100µm in diameter, stellately dehisced at the centre, margin crenate to fimbriate; pycnothyriospores unicellular, globose, ovate, 15–22 x 12–20 µm, wall smooth.

Etymology: specific epithet is based on the host genus.

This is the first report of the genus Asterina on the members of the family Linaceae (Hosagoudar & Abraham 2000).

Reference

Hosagoudar, V.B. & T.K. Abraham (2000). A list of Asterina Lev. species based on the literature. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 24: 557–587.