The first smut fungus, Thecaphora anthemidis sp. nov. (Glomosporiaceae), described from Anthemis (Asteraceae)

Abstract

There are 63 known species of Thecaphora (Glomosporiaceae, Ustilaginomycotina), a third of which occur on Asteraceae. These smut fungi produce yellowish-brown to reddish-brown masses of spore balls in specific, mostly regenerative, plant organs. A species of Thecaphora was collected in the flower heads of Anthemischia (Anthemideae, Asteraceae) on Rhodes Island, Greece, in 2015 and 2017, which represents the first smut record of a smut fungus on a host plant species in this tribe. Based on its distinctive morphology, host species and genetic divergence, this species is described as Thecaphoraanthemidissp. nov. Molecular barcodes of the ITS region are provided for this and several other species of Thecaphora. A phylogenetic and morphological comparison to closely related species showed that Th.anthemidis differed from other species of Thecaphora. Thecaphoraanthemidis produced loose spore balls in the flower heads and peduncles of Anthemischia unlike other flower-infecting species.

Thecaphora dahuangis, a new species causing leaf smut disease of the traditional medicinal plant dahuang (Rheum palmatum) in China

“…The resulting alignment (new number of positions: 1,338 [64% of the original 2,085 positions], number of variable sites: 166) was used for phylogenetic analyses using a maximum‐likelihood (ML) and a Bayesian approach (BA) following Vasighzadeh et al (2014). In line with the results of Vasighzadeh et al (2014) and Kruse, Kummer et al (2018), trees were rooted with T. amaranthi and T . leptideum .…”

“…ITS and 28S rDNA sequences available in GenBank that clustered in the clade including Thecaphora species on Rheum species, T . amaranthi , and a couple of other Thecaphora species revealed by Vasighzadeh et al (2014) and Kruse, Kummer et al (2018). For final analyses, the sampling was reduced to at most two specimens per species.…”

“…For final analyses, the sampling was reduced to at most two specimens per species. GenBank accession numbers of the sequences used (Kruse, Kummer et al, 2018; Kummer et al, 2014; Vánky & Lutz, 2007; Vánky et al, 2008; Vasighzadeh et al, 2014) are given in Figure 1 and listed in Table 1.…”

“…The 65 Thecaphora species are ecologically diverse. They infect host plants from 16 dicotyledonous families, in which they produce dusty sori with spore balls, rarely single spores, in leaves, flowers, anthers, ovaries, seeds, pods, or root tubers (Crous et al, 2018; Frantzeskakis et al, 2017; Kruse, Kummer et al, 2018; Smith et al, 2020; Vánky, 2012, 2013; Vánky & Lutz, 2007; Vánky et al, 2008; Vasighzadeh et al, 2014). The causal agent of leaf smut of R. palmatum was classified as Thecaphora schwarzmaniana (Bai & Wang, 1991, 1993; Guo, 2000; Vánky et al, 2008; Wang et al, 2009; Zhuang, 2005).…”

Contributions to the smut fungi of Africa. 5. First record of Thecaphora thlaspeos

“…Th ecaphora is a large genus in the Glomosporiaceae (Urocystidales) comprising 63 species on host plants belonging to 16 eudicot families (Vánky 2011(Vánky , 2013Kruse et al 2018;Stajsic et al 2018). Th e species of Th ecaphora develop sori in various plant organs: fl owers, ovaries, anthers, fruits, seeds, stems or leaves, exceptionally, in roots or tubers (T. solani).…”