Spiropes japonicus (Henn.) M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 22, 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 japonicus (Henn.) M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 22, 1968

Fig. 16

Podosporium japonicum ≡ Podosporium japonicum Henn., Bot. Jb. 29: 152, 1900.

Helminthosporium insigne = Helminthosporium insigne Gaillard ex Sacc. [as ' Helmisporium '], Atti Accad. Sci. Ven.-Trent.-Istr. 10: 89, 1917.

Description.

Colonies effuse, amphigenous, sometimes dense, dark brown to black, with tightly packed hyphae that form large, erect, dark synnemata clearly visible under the stereomicroscope. Hyphae superficial, branched, septate, 1-4 µm wide, pale olivaceous-brown, smooth. Conidiophores tightly packed to form dark brown to blackish synnemata up to 1 mm high, spreading out at the apex and upper half of the synnemata; conidiophores individually flexuous or straight, thick-walled, septate, 6-8 µm thick, brown to dark brown at the base, paler towards the apex, smooth, with scattered cylindrical scars. Conidia solitary, fusiform to obclavate, with 4(-6) pseudosepta, (50-)67-80 × (7-)8-14 µm, 2-3 µm wide at the apex, 3-5 µm at the truncate base, pale brown to brown, striate.

Specimens examined.

On Meliola sp. on living leaves of Asteraceae , Panama, Chiriquí Province, Boquerón District, Chuspa Hydroelectric , 8°32'20"N, 82°36'21"W, 281 m a.s.l., 6 March 2020, M. A. Bermúdez-Cova, A. Sanjur, S. Samaniego, MB120 (UCH15492); on Meliola sp. on living leaves of Fabaceae , Panama, Chiriquí Province, Bugaba District , area around Gariche River , 8°38'38.1"N, 82°41'19.6"W, 566 m a.s.l., 8 March 2020, M. A. Bermúdez-Cova, A. Sanjur, A. Villarreal, MB123 (UCH15493, M) .

Additional specimens examined.

On Irenina entebbeensis on Alchornea hirtella ( Euphorbiaceae ), Sierra Leone, 1939, Makump, M 1774 (IMI 38813); on Asteridiella aucubae on Aucuba japonica ( Garryaceae ), Japan, Ise, 1899, P. Hennings (IMI 130973, type of Podosporium japonicum ) .

Illustrations.

This species was illustrated by Ellis (1968).

Known hosts and distribution.

On colonies of Meliolales on living leaves of various plants in the Cook Islands, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Sierra Leone ( Ellis 1968). Spiropes japonicus is reported here for the first time for Panama.

Notes.

Spiropes japonicus is the only known synnematous species of Spiropes that produces conidia with 4-6 pseudosepta, as well as synnemata that splay out at the apex and upper half ( Ellis 1968).

Figures

Figure 16. Spiropes japonicus (MB 120, 123) a synnemata growing on a colony of Meliola sp. b conidiophores with scars and a young conidium, shown in optical section c a conidium shown in optical section (drawing on the left) and as seen by SEM (drawing on the right) d, e as seen by SEM d conidiophore with a scar e conidium. Scale bars: 1 mm (a); 10 μm (b, c); 3 μm (d); 9 μm (d).