Meliola clausenigena, Hosagoudar & Riju, 2011

Hosagoudar, V. B. & Riju, M. C., 2011, Three new fungi from Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, India, Journal of Threatened Taxa 3 (3), pp. 1615-1619 : 1617-1618

Meliola clausenigena sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Material examined: 01.viii.2008, on leaves of Clausena sp. (Rutaceae) , Poochipara, Silent Valley National Park, Palakkad, Kerala, India, coll. M. C. Riju et al. TBGT 4514 (holotype). Part of the collection has been deposited in HCIO, New Delhi, (MycoBank # 561022).

Coloniae amphigenae, densae, velutinae, ad 3mm diam., dispersae vel confluentes. Hyphae rectae, flexuosae, opposite laxe ramosae, laxe vel arte reticulatae, cellulae 15–30 x 5–8 µm. Appressoria plerumque opposita, raro unilateralis, antrorsa vel subantrorsa, 17–23 µm longa; cellulae basilares cylindraceae vel cuneatae, 5–8 µm longae; cellulae apicales ovatae, oblongae, raro globosae, rectae vel curvulae, integrae, saepe sinuatae, truncatae ad apicem, 12–15 x 7–10 µm. Phialides appressoriis inter mixtus, oppositae, alternatae vel unilateralis, 15–20 x 7–10

a - Appressorium; b - Phialide;

c - Apical portion of the mycelial setae; d - Ascospores

µm. Setae myceliales simplices, rectae vel uncinatae ad portionio apicalis, acutae, obtusae vel 2–3-dentatae ad apicem, ad 240µm longae. Perithecia dispersa vel aggregata, ad 190µm diam.; ascosporae oblongae vel cylindraceae, 4-septatae, constrictus ad septatae, 37– 40 x 15–20 µm.

Colonies amphigenous,dense, velvety, up to 3mm in diam.,scatteredtoconfluent. Hyphaestraight,flexuous, branching opposite at wide angles, loosely to closely reticulate, cells 15–30 x 5–8 µm. Appressoria mostly opposite, rarely unilateral, antrorse to subantrorse, 17– 23 µm long; stalk cells cylindrical to cuneate, 5–8 µm long; head cells ovate, oblong, rarely globose, straight to curved, entire, often sinuate, truncate at the apex, 12–15 x 7–10 µm. Phialides mixed with appressoria, opposite, alternate to unilateral, 15–20 x 7–10 µm. Mycelial setae simple, straight to uncinate at the apical portion, acute, obtuse to 2–3-times dentate at the tip, up to 240µm long. Perithecia scattered to grouped in the colonies, up to 190µm in diam.; ascospores oblong to cylindrical, 4-septate, constricted at the septum, 37–40 x 15–20 µm.

This is the only species of the genus Meliola known on the members of the family Rutaceae having straight, curved to uncinate apical portion of the mycelial setae ( Hansford 1961; Hosagoudar et al. 1996; Hu et al. 1996, 1999; Hosagoudar 1996, 2008; Hosagoudar & Agarwal 2008). The specific epithet is derived from the host genus.

Figures

Figure 2. Meliola clausenigena sp. nov.