Balladyna canthiigena M.R. Bhise, C.R. Patil, C.B. Salunkhe & S.V. Kambhar, 2021

Bhise, Mahendra R., Patil, Chandrahas R., Salunkhe, Chandrakant B. & Kambhar, Sidanand V., 2021, New species of Asterina and Balladyna (black mildew fungi) from Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, India, Phytotaxa 511 (3), pp. 283-288 : 284-287

Balladyna canthiigena M.R. Bhise, C.R. Patil, C.B. Salunkhe & S.V. Kambhar sp. nov. ( Fig. 2 ) MycoBank: MB 811800.

Colonies amphigenous, mostly hypophyllous, dark brown, effused, dense velvety at center, circular to spreading, confluent, up to 13 mm in diameter. Hyphae pale brown, straight to flexuous, branching opposite to alternate at acute to wide angles, closely reticulate, hyphal cells 13–36 × 5–7 μm. Appressoria alternate to unilateral, moderately placed, antrorse to recurved, unicellular, oblong, elongate to variously curved, 13–19 × 5–7 μm. Mycelial setae numerous, distinctly at the center of colony and aggregated along perithecia, absent on peripheral hyphae, simple, straight, closely scattered, septate, apex obtuse, up to 130 μm long. Perithecia numerous, closely scattered at the center of colony, globose to orbicular, ostiolate, slightly verrucose at margin, up to 120 μm in diameter. Asci globose to obovoid, evanescent, rarely seen, octosporous, up to 66 μm in diameter. Ascospores cylindrical, oblong to capsulate, olivaceous brown, uniseptate, slightly constricted at septum, upper cell cylindrical, lower subglobose, rounded at both end, 30–33 × 9–11 μm, wall smooth.

Type:— INDIA. Maharashtra: Satara, Mahabaleshwar, Wilson point , on leaves of Canthium dicoccum var. umbellatum (Rubiaceae) , 19 October 2013, Bhise M.R., MHB0344 (b), holotype ( HCIO 51669 ) .

Additional specimen examined:— INDIA. Maharashtra: Satara, Mahabaleshwar, Birmani-Bhairijogeshwari , on leaves of Canthium dicoccum var. umbellatum , 10 December 2013, Bhise M.R., MHB0376 (c), HCIO 51670 .

Etymology:— the specific epithet refers to the host genus.

Notes:— Balladyna magnifica (Sydow) Hansf. and B. tenuis Hansf. are known on Canthium globgensis and C. vulgare , respectively, from Africa ( Hosagoudar 2004), and B. indica Hosag. is known on unidentified Rubiaceae from India ( Hosagoudar 2009). Balladyna canthiigena differs from these species and closely related species in having larger velvety colonies, mycelial setae and perithecia distinctly formed only at the center of colony and absent on peripheral hyphae; larger sized hyphal cells, perithecia and ascospores; and distinctly cylindrical to capsulate and slightly constricted ascospores ( Table 2 ). Therefore, Balladyna canthiigena is treated as a new species.

Balladyna canthiigena is associated with Asterina rubiacearum , Meliola longiseta and M. plectroniae , which are also growing on the leaves.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Illustration of Balladyna canthiigena M.R. Bhise, C.R. Patil, C.B. Salunkhe & S.V. Kambhar. Balladyna canthiigena. (A) Infected Leaves, (B) Mycelial Colony with perithecia, (C) & (H) Appressoriate mycelium, (D) Perithecium, (E) & (I) Mycelial setae, (F) Ascus, (G) & (J) Ascospores. Illustrated by Mahendra R. Bhise