Meliola psophocarpi, Hosagoudar & Riju, 2010

Hosagoudar, V. B. & Riju, M. C., 2010, Meliolaceae of Kerala, India - XXX new species and new records, Journal of Threatened Taxa 2 (4), pp. 824-826 : 826

Meliola psophocarpi sp. nov.

( Fig. 4)

Material examined

30.ix.2007, on leaves of Psophocarpus tetragonolobus L. ( Fabaceae ), 16 th mile, Padinharathara, Wayanad, Kerala, India, coll. M. C. Riju, HCIO 48174 (holotype), TBGT 2910 (isotype), (MycoBank # 518230).

Coloniae foliicolae, fructicolae, epiphyllae, tenues, dispersae, ad 3mm diam, saepe confluentes. Hyphae undulatae, plerumque opposite laxe ramosae, laxe vel arte reticulatae, cellulae 11-33 x 4-7 µm. Appressoria alternata, unilateralis, ad 3% opposita, recta vel leniter curvula, subantrorsa vel retrorsa, 11-20 µm longa; cellulae basilares cylindraceae vel cuneatae, 2-11 µm longae; cellulae apicales ovatae, globosae, 8-11 µm diam. Phialides appressoriis intermixtae, oppositae, alternatae,

unilateralis, ampulliformes, 13-20 x 6-9 µm. Setae myceliales dispersae, simplices, rectae vel leniter curvulae, ad apicem acutae vel obtusae, ad 360µm longae. Perithecia dispersa, ad 130µm diam.; ascosporae cylindraceae, 4-septatae, leniter constrictus ad septatae, 33-38 x 8-11 µm.

Colonies foliicolous, fructicolous, epiphyllous, thin, scattered, up to 3µm in diam., often confluent. Hyphae undulate branching mostly opposite at wide angles, loosely to closely reticulate, cells 11-33 x 4-7 µm. Appressoria alternate, unilateral, up to 3% opposite, straight to slightly curved, subantrorse to retrorse, 11-20 µm long; stalk cells cylindrical to cuneate, 2-11 µm long; head cells ovate, globose, 8-11 µm. Phialides mixed with appressoria, alternate, opposite, unilateral, ampulliform, 13-20 x 6-9 µm. Mycelial setae scattered, simple, straight to slightly curved, acute to obtuse at the tip, up to 360µm long. Perithecia scattered, up to 130µm in diam.; ascospores cylindrical, 4 septate, slightly constricted at the septa, 33- 38 x 8-11 µm.

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus is a climbing shrub, native of South East Asia, has been extensively cultivated in the backyards for its quadrangular pods used in the culinary purposes. The leaves of this plant is being infected with the black mildew fungus and is similar to M. nyanzae in having the same digital formula but differs from it in not being a strong parasite in producing pathogenic symptoms ( Hansford 1961; Hosagoudar 1996; Hu et al. 1996, 1999).