Asterina myristicacearum, Hosagoudar & Sabeena, 2011

Hosagoudar, V. B. & Sabeena, A., 2011, The genus Asterina (Asterinaceae) on the members of Myristicaceae in Kerala State, India, Journal of Threatened Taxa 3 (10), pp. 2143-2146 : 2144-2145

Asterina myristicacearum sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Material examined: 30.iv.2008, on leaves of Myristica malabarica Lam. (Myristicaceae) , TBGRI Campus, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, A. Sabeena & M.C. Riju TBGT 4979 (holotype) (MycoBank 563497). Part of the collection has been deposited in HCIO, New Delhi.

Coloniae epiphyllae, subdensae, ad 3mm diam.

a - Appressoriate mycelium; b - Thyriothecium; c - Ascus;

d - Germinating ascospores

Hyphae rectae vel subrectae, opposite vel unilateralis acuteque vel laxe ramosae, laxe reticulatae, cellulae 17–47 x 2–5 µm. Appressoria saepe dense posita, alternata, opposita vel subopposita, unicellularis, saepe crassa posita, ovata, globosa, integra, angularis vel sublobata, 7–15 x 7–10 µm. Thyriothecia dispersa vel connata, ovata, ad 170µm diam., margine crenatae, stellatim dehiscentes ad centre et portionio ad centralis dissolutus; asci globosi, octospori, 37–50 µm diam.; ascosporae conglobatae, brunneae, uniseptatae, constrictus ad septatae, 25–32 x 12–17 µm, parietus echinulatus.

Colonies epiphyllous, subdense, up to 3mm in diameter. Hyphae straight to substraight, branching opposite to unilateral at acute to wide angles, loosely reticulate, cells 17–47 x 2–5 µm. Appressoria often crowded,alternate,opposite to subopposite,unicellular, often broad based, ovate, globose, entire, angular to sublobate, 7–15 x 7–10 µm. Thyriothecia scattered to connate, ovate, up to 170µm in diam., margin crenate, stellately dehisced at the centre or the central portion dissolved by exposing asci; asci globose, octosporous, 37–50 µm in diam.; ascospores conglobate, brown, uniseptate, constricted at the septum, 25–32 x 12–17 µm, wall echinulate.

Note: Crowded appressoria on this host distinguishes from Asterina knemae-attenuatae Hosag. et al. ( Hosagoudar & Abraham 2000). By adding these three taxa, the number of Asterina species known on Myristicaceae in the world is raised to eight and the key is provided here to facilitate their rapid identification.

Key to the Asterina species from Kerala

1. Appressoria two celled ………………… …………………………………….….… Asterina myristicae sp. nov.

1. Appressoria unicellular …………………...........… ……………… ………………………………………………… 2

2. On Knema ……………………………………… ……………… ……............……… Asterina knemae attenuatae

2. On Myristica ……………………………… …………….…………………… Asterina myristicacearum sp. nov. Key to the Asterina species known on Myristicaceae members

1. On Coelocarya ….………………………… ……………… ……………………………………………… coelocaryi

1. On other genera ……………………… ……………… ……………… ……..……………………………………… 2

2. Appressoria bicellular ………………… ……………… ……….…………………..…………. myristicae sp. nov.

2. Appressoria unicellular …………………… ……………… ……..................……………………………………… 3

3. Appressoria opposite …………………………………………………………….…………………………………… 5

3. Appressoria not so ………………………………………………………..............................……………………… 4

4. Appressoria ampulliform ………………………………………...…………………………………… compsoneurae

4. Appressoria not so …………………………………………………..............................…………………………… 6

5. Ascospores more than 35µm long ……………………………………………………………………… horsfieldiae

5. Ascospores less than 35µm long …………………………………..………………………………… horsfieldiicola

6. Appressoria opposite, subopposite to alternate ………………………………......… myristicacearum sp. nov.

6. Appressoria not so ………………………………………………………….………………………………………… 7

7. Ascospores more than 30µm long …………………………………...…………………………………… pycnanthi

7. Ascospores less than 30µm long …………………………………...………………….……… knemae attenuatae

Figures

Figure 3. Asterina myristicacearum sp. nov.