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Title: A new species of Hydropisphaera, H. bambusicola, is the sexual state of Gliomastix fusigera

Author
item LECHAT, CHRISTIAN - Collaborator
item Farr, David
item HIROOKA, Y. - University Of Maryland
item MINNIS, DREW - Rutgers University
item Rossman, Amy

Submitted to: Mycotaxon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/7/2009
Publication Date: 3/31/2010
Citation: Lechat, C., Farr, D.F., Hirooka, Y., Minnis, D., Rossman, A.Y. 2010. A new species of Hydropisphaera, H. bambusicola, is the sexual state of Gliomastix fusigera. Mycotaxon. 111:102.

Interpretive Summary: Fungi cause numerous diseases of plants throughout the world yet many species have yet to be discovered. A number of fungi that cause diseases produce only an asexual state and are thus difficult to classify. Once the sexual state is discovered, the fungus can be grouped with similar fungi. In this research the sexual state of a well-known asexual fungus was discovered and named. Both the sexual state and molecular sequence data were used to classify this fungus. By connecting these two states of the life cycle the worldwide distribution as well as the host range of this fungus can be determined. Mycologists and plant pathologists will use these results to control diseases caused by this fungus.

Technical Abstract: A new species of Hydropisphaera, H. bambusicola sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on a collection from Bambusa vulgaris in Martinique. The asexual state was obtained in culture and identified as Gliomastix fusigera. Gliomastix fusigera is an anamorph species that occurs on members of the Arecaceae and Bambusaceaee throughout the tropics and for which no sexual state was known previously. Hydropisphaera bambusicola is distinctive in having non-septate ascospores; all other species of Hydropisphaera and most species of the Bionectriaceae have one or more septate ascospores. The placement of this new species and the genus Gliomastix is confirmed using sequences of the large subunit of the nrDNA (LSU). Hydropisphaera bambusicola and seven other species in Hydropisphaera are unusual in having fasciculate hairs around the apex; a key to these species is presented.