A JOURNAL ON TAXONOMIC BOTANY PLANT SOCIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY REINWARDTIA Editors SOEDARSONO RISWAN MIEN A. RIFAI ELIZABETH A. WIDJAJA Published by HERBARIUM BOGORIENSE BALAI PENELITIAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN BOTANI PUSAT PENELITIAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN BIOLOGI - LIPI BOGOR, INDONESIA Reinwardtia Vol. 11, Part 3, 153 - 225 25 March 1998 10 I S S N 0 0 3 4 - 3 6 5 X REINWARDTIA Vol. 11, Part 3, pp. 185 - 189 (1998) TWO NEW SPECIES OF SPHAERULINA FROM INDIA ALAKA P A N D E & V.G. RAO Mycology Group, Division of Plant Sciences Agharkar Research Institute, Pune 411 004, India ABSTRACT Two new species of the genus Sphaerulina (Ascomycetes- Dothideales) collected from India are described and illustrated here. ABSTRAK Dua jenis baru marga Sphaerulina (Ascomycetes—Dothideales) di kumpulkan dari India dipertelakan dan digambarkan. Among some of the leaf spotting ascomycetous fungi from the Penin- sular India, we came across two fungi causing necrotic spots on living leaves of Dracaena marginata and Gymnosporia rothiana. The first host plant is an ornamental herb, planted in gardens and the other one is small tree or a bush growing wild in dry deciduous forest of Western Ghats of Peninsular India, especially Maharashtra. The two fungi on the above hosts although distinct from each other, were found to exhibit some commom features which lead to their iden- tity as members of the genus Sphaerulina Sacc. There are hardly 10 species reported under this genus from India (Bilgrami et al. 1979, 1981 & 1991; Kamat et al. 1971; Bhide et al. 1987). Comparative studies showed that the two species at hand are distinct among themselves as well as differ from the type species or other so far known Indian species. The fungi produces epiphyllous, buff coloured or light brown, necrotic leaf spots with brown margins. The spots are studded with minute punctate fruit bodies. On Dracaena the fungus starts growth at the leaf tips and spreads inwards producing leaf blemishes, while on Gym- nosporia the small to medium sized scattered, necrotic spots develop on leaf which may coalesce to form larger spots. The two fungi are described here as new taxa with their latin diagnoses. 185 186 REINWARDTIA [VOL.11 Sphaerulina dracaenis Pande & Rao, sp. nov. - Fig. 1 Infectionis maculae foliicoliae, necroticae. Pseudothecia dispersa, epiphylla, minuta, immersa, magnit. ca 265 µm in diametro; ostiolo nigro. Asci bitunicati, clavati, octospori, magnit. 88-94 x 9.5-10.5 µm. Ascopsorae biseriatae, irregulariter ordnatae, hyalinae, transverso spetatae, septo 7, magnit. 29.7735,1 x 5.5-6.7 urn. In foliis viventibus Dracaena marginata Leg. B. R. D. Yadav AMH 4112 (Holotype), at Pune (M.S. India), Dec. 1976. Infection spots foliicolous, produced at the tips growing backwards, necrotic, dark buff with margin showing chocolate brown coloured rings; spots studded with dark coloured punctate ascocarps. The ascocarps (pseudothecia) scattered, minute, ostiolate, epiphyllous, embedded in leaf tisue, with black ostiole and thin wall made up of few layers of brown, polygonal cells. Pseudothecia measure up to 265 µm in diam. Asci clavate, pitunicate, 8-spored, thick walled at tip, 88-94 x 9,5-10.5 µm. Ascospores irregularly biseriate, hyaline, narrowly elliptical, with up to 7 transverse septa, central cell slightly bigger, 29.7-35.1 x 5.5-6.7 µm. Foliicolous on living leaves of Dracaena marginata (Agavaceae) Leg. B. R. D. Yadav AMH 4112 (Holotype), Dec. 1976. at Pune (M.S. India). Remarks. No species of Sphaerulina is described on this host. The represent fungus also differed in morphology from other closely resem- bling species, S. taxi (Cke.) Massee, in having 7 - septate ascospores and also in the size of the asci. Sphaerulina gymnosporiae Pande & Rao, sp. nov. - Fig.2 Infectionis maculae necroticae, foliicolae. Pseudothecia innata, ostiolata, globosa, minuta, magnit. 112-144 x 96-128 µm,. Asci cylindrici, aparaphysati, fasciculati, octopori, magnit. 52-62 x 10-12 µm. Ascosoprae cylindricae, leviter curvatae, hyalinae vel ohvaceae, 3 cellularae, magnit. 36-44 x 4µm. In foliis viventibus Gymnosporii rothianae Law. (Celastraceae); Typo loco Pande AMH.510 (Holotypus), Mahabaleshwar (M.S. Indiaj. Infection spots foliicolous; minute, black, compactly arranged in cir- cular necrotic lesions. Pseudothecia dark, epipyllous, globose, innate, ostiolate, 112-144 x 96-128 µm. Asci cylindrical, aparaphysate, in fasci- cles, octosporous, 52-62 x 10-12 µm. Ascospores cylindrical, slightly curved, hyaline to olivaceous, uniformly 3 celled, 36-44 x 4µm. Foliicolous on living leaves of Gymnosporia rothiana Law. (Celastraceae) Leg. Pande AMH 510 (Holotype) at Mahabaleshwar (M.S. India). Other materials: AMH 4191 Bhimashankar, (M.S. India); AMH 4195 Lonavla (M.S. India). 581 1998 ] ALAKA PANDE & V.G. RAO : Two species of Sphaerulina from India 187 50 µm Fig. 1. Sphaerulina dracaenis A. Habit. B. v.s. Pseudothecium. C. Ascus. D. Ascospores. 188 REINWARDTIA [ VOL. 11 B 50 µm Fig. 2. Sphaerulina gymnosporiae A.Habit. B. v.s. Pseudothecium.-C. Ascus. D. Ascospores. 1998 ] ALAKA PANDE & V.G. RAO : Two species of Sphaerulina from India 189 Remarks: S. myriadea (DC.) Sacc. which is the lectotype for the genus Sphaerulina. Sphaerulina myriadea is collected on Fagus and Quercus (Fagaceae) with temperate distribution. Comparison of the present collections with the type species showed that the present species differed in dimensions, especially in having much bigger ascospores. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks are offered to Dr. A.D. Agate, The Director, A.R.I, Pune for facilities. REFERENCES BILGRAMI, K.S. JAMALUDDIN & M.A. RIZWI (1979, 1981 & 1991). (revised ed.). The Fungi of India, List and References. Today & Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers, New Delhi. : 467, 268 & 798. KAMAT, M.N., P.G. PATWARDHAN, V.G. RAO & A.V. SATHE. 1971. Fungi of Maharashtra. M.P. Agri. Univ. Publ. : 124. BHIDE, V.P., ALAKA PANDE, V.G. RAO, A.V. SANTHE & P.G. PATWARDHAN. 1987. Fungi of Maharashtra • Suppl. I. M.A.C.S. Publ. : 146. CONTENTS Page RATNA WIDURI & PETER VAN WELZEN. A revision of the genus Cephalomappa (Euphorbiaceae) in Malesia 153 ALAKA PANDE & V.G. RAO. TWO new species of Sphaerulina from India 185 KUSWATA KARTAWINATA. Additional notes on Planckonia brevistipitata Kusw. (Lecythidaceae) 191 A.J.G.H. KOSTERMANS. The Burmese Cimiamomum (Lauracee) 195 RUGAYAH & W.J.J.O. DE WlLDE. New taxa in Malesian Cucurbitaceae.. 215 The Publication of this issue of Reinwardtia is assisted by a grant from the Faculty of Science, Osaka City University (Japan) to which an acknowledgement is gratefully made. Printed by 78 Cover depan Rein. vol 11, Part 3, 153-225_Page_17a tmapakbelkng