Spiropes effusus (Pat.) M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 10, 1968

Bermudez-Cova, Miguel A., Hofmann, Tina A., Yorou, Nourou S. & Piepenbring, Meike, 2024, Systematic revision of species of Atractilina and Spiropes hyperparasitic on Meliolales (Ascomycota) in the tropics, MycoKeys 103, pp. 167-213 : 167

Spiropes effusus (Pat.) M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 10, 1968

Fig. 11

Podosporium effusum ≡ Podosporium effusum Pat., Scient. Surv. P. Rico 8(1): 103, 1926.

Helminthosporium dorycarpum = Helminthosporium dorycarpum var. amazoniae Hughes [as ' Helmisporium '], Mycol. Pap. 50: 24, 1953.

Pleurophragmium dorycarpum ≡ Pleurophragmium dorycarpum var. amazoniae (S. Hughes) S. Hughes, Can. J. Bot. 36: 797, 1958.

Description.

Colonies effuse, olive to brown, hairy. Hyphae superficial, branched, septate, 1-2 µm wide, yellowish, olive or pale brown, smooth. Conidiophores arising singly or in groups, as terminal and lateral branches on the hyphae, erect, straight or flexous, septate, up to 300 µm long, 3-4 µm thick, slightly reticulated when seen by SEM, with few or many small conidial scars towards the apex. Conidia solitary, narrowly obclavate to fusiform, truncate at the base, mostly 3(-5)-septate, (15-)20-36 × (3-)3.8-4.5(-5) µm, pale brown, the central cells slightly darker, verruculose. As seen by SEM, the ornamentation of the spores is distinctly reticulated, with thin networks and no ridges.

Specimen examined.

On meliolalean fungus on leaves of Piper sp., Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, 1926, Heller, 142 (IMI 130721, type of Podosporium effusum ); on Amazonia psychotriae on leaves of Psychotria warneckei , Ghana, Togoland, 1938, F.C. Deighton M1617B (IMI 9996a).

Illustrations.

This species was illustrated by Ellis (1968).

Known hosts and distribution.

On colonies of Meliolales , especially Amazonia spp., on living leaves of various plants in Ghana, Puerto Rico, Sierra Leone and Venezuela. One record on Asterina sp. ( Asterinales , Ascomycota) in Uganda ( Ellis 1968).

Notes.

Spiropes effusus has conidia similar in size to those of S. dorycarpus . However, conidia of S. dorycarpus are wider (5-7 µm) than in S. effusus .

Figures

Figure 11. Spiropes effusus (IMI 130721) a conidiophore shown in optical section b conidia. The first two drawings show spores in optical section. The right-hand drawing shows a conidium as seen by SEM c, d as seen by SEM c conidiophore with scars and conidia d conidium. Scale bars: 5 μm (a); 8 μm (b); 2 μm (c); 8 μm (d).