Conidiocarpus caucasicus
Conidiocarpus caucasicus Woron., Key to fungi (fungi imperfecti) 2: 743 (1917).
Index Fungorum number: IF 803878; Facesoffungi number: FoF 11048, Fig. 1
Description:
Saprobic on host. Sexual morph: Unknown. Asexual morph: Thallus comprising black, pelliculose, reticulately branched, dense, cylindrical, radiating, septate hyphae. Ascomata not observed. Conidiomata 80–100 μm diam., 70–95 μm high, pycnidial, consisting of a black, long, narrow, cylindrical stalks with tightly compressed, anastomosed, synnematous cylindrical hyphae, lageniform with a brown oval or ellipsoid portion, producing long neck and conidia. Conidiomatal wall comprising two or more layers, the outer is pseudoparenchymatous even though the short cells are arranged linearly, originating from longitudinally fused hypha. Ostiole surrounded by hyaline, subulate, hyphal extensions. Conidia 4.1−5.5 × 2.1−2.8 µm (x̄ = 5.0 × 2.6 µm, n = 10), small, ellipsoid, continuous, aseptate, hyaline, smooth-walled, arranged in a droplet at the apex of pycnidial neck.
Material examined: Iran, Mazandaran, Nashtaroud, on Citrus sinensis (Rutaceae), F. Byrami, 17 June 2011 (UBC F23755).
Fig. 1 Conidiocarpus caucasicus (UBC F23755). a Details of herbarium material. b Herbarium material. c, d Appearance of sooty moulds on the host surface. e–k Conidiomata with cylindrical stalks producing long neck and conidia. l, m Conidia. Scale bars: d = 500 μm, e, g–j = 100 μm, f, k = 50 μm, l, m = 20 μm.
Importance and distribution
Species of Conidiocarpus are sooty molds. They are decomposers that break down honeydew or naturally exuded plant constituents as their source of nutrition (Chomnunti et al. 2014). They may also prevent photosynthesis by forming superficial, dark brown or black mycelium on the host surface. Conidiocarpus comprises seven species known on four host families, Apocynaceae, Cupressaceae, Poaceae and Rutaceae. Conidiocarpus has been reported from Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Iran, Thailand), Australia (New South Wales) and Europe (Georgia). Conidiocarpus seems to have a wide host and geographical distribution.
References
Batista AC, Ciferri R. 1963 – Capnodiales. Saccardoa 2, 1–296.
Bose T, Reynolds DR, Berbee MA. 2014 – Common, unsightly and until now undescribed: Fumiglobus pieridicola sp. nov., a sooty mold infesting Pieris japonica from western North America. Mycologia 106, 746–756. https://doi.org/10.3852/13-288
Hongsanan S, Tian Q, Hyde KD, Chomnunti P. 2015 – Two new species of sooty moulds, Capnodium coffeicola and Conidiocarpus plumeriae in Capnodiaceae. Mycosphere 6, 814–824. https://www.mycosphere.org/pdf/Mycosphere_6_6_14.pdf
Hughes SJ. 1976 – Sooty moulds. Mycologia 68, 693–820. https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514. 1976.12019958
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