MYCOTAXON Volume 106, pp. 479–483 October–December 2008 The first report of Neoramularia bidentis from Europe Małgorzata Ruszkiewicz-Michalska1 & Agata Wołczańska2 *mrusz@biol.uni.lodz.pl Department of Mycology, University of Łódź Banacha 12/16, PL-90-237 Łódź, Poland 1 Department of Botany and Mycology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University Akademicka 19, PL-20-033 Lublin, Poland 2 Abstract — Neoramularia bidentis, hitherto known only from a few Korean localities, has recently been found in southern Poland. he habit, morphology and ecology of this species and its host, Bidens tripartita, are described, discussed and compared with Neoramularia spissa, and Ramularia concomitans, a similar hyphomycete on Bidens species. Key words — anamorphic fungi, hyphomycetes, distribution Introduction he genus Neoramularia U. Braun was introduced by Braun (1991). Ater the modification of the circumscription and subsequent redispositions (Braun 1998, Shin & Braun 1996), it now comprises ten species worldwide. hey parasitize mostly dicots, and only Neoramularia phragmitis (Nagorny) U. Braun has been found on a member of the family Poaceae, viz. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin ex Steud. (compare Table 1). While four Neoramularia species are known exclusively from their type localities, Neoramularia kochiae (Woron.) U. Braun, N. oxytropidis (Jacz.) U. Braun, N. phragmitis, N. rubi (Bubák) U. Braun and N. spissa (Harkn.) U. Braun occur more abundantly (Braun 1998). N. bidentis should now be added to this more widespread group. he description of Neoramularia bidentis is based on material collected by Shin in South Korea in 1992 (Shin & Braun 1993). Although it was repeatedly observed in Kangung and Seoul in the following years (Shin & Kim 2001), this species was not found outside South Korea (Farr et al. 2008). However, Neoramularia bidentis has recently been collected in Poland during studies on 480 ... Ruszkiewicz-Michalska & Wołczańska micromycetes in southwest part of the country. It is the first confirmed locality of this species both in Poland and in Europe. Material and methods Native to the Polish vascular plant flora (Mirek et al. 2002), Bidens tripartita L. is widespread in the whole country (Zając & Zając 2001). his plant is a permanent element of communities belonging to the Bidentetea class which develop on drying shores of inland water bodies (Matuszkiewicz 2006). In these habitats, Bidens tripartita coexists and competes with anthropophytes: B. frondosa L., and, on a lesser scale, with B. connata Muhl. ex Willd. (Kucharski 1992), considered to be an alien invasive species (NOBANIS, www.nobanis. org). Infected host plants were collected in a poor meadow (Junco-Molinietum association) with the participation of species of the Bidentetea class. he fungus occurred abundantly on wild-growing Bidens tripartita from June to September 2006. he collected host plants were air-dried and examined by standard light microscopy (LM). Measurements of conidia and conidiophores, mounted in lactophenol cotton blue and warmed, were taken. he monograph by Braun (1998) was used for determination. he examined collections are deposited at LOD and LBL. Table 1. Host range and worldwide distribution of Neoramularia species* Neoramularia species host (family) distribution N. bidentis Bidens (Asteraceae) South Korea, Poland N. capparis Capparis (Capparaceae) India N. esfandiarii Scrophularia (Scrophulariaceae) Iran N. karelii Vitex (Verbenaceae) Turkey N. kochiae Ceratocarpus, Eurotia, Kochia (Chenopodiaceae) Central Asia, Caucasus, Europe N. koreana Stachys (Lamiaceae) South Korea N. oxytropidis Oxytropis (Fabaceae) Europe, North America N. phragmitis Phragmites (Poaceae) Central Asia, Caucasus, Europe N. rubi Rubus (Rosaceae) Central Asia, Caucasus, Europe N. spissa Euthamia (Asteraceae) North America *source: Braun (1998), Shin & Braun (1996). Neoramularia bidentis new to Europe ... 481 Fig. 1. Neoramularia bidentis: A, Leaf spots on Bidens tripartita; B, Conidiophores and conidia; scale bar = 20μm; A. Wołczańska del. Description and discussion Neoramularia bidentis H.D. Shin & U. Braun, Mycotaxon 49: 352. 1993. Leaf spots irregular, 2–15 × 2–5 mm, the largest one usually elongated, yellowish brown with very thin, dark brownish margin (Fig. 1). Caespituli hypophyllous. Conidiophores solitary or in small loose groups, erect, cylindrical with slightly bulbose base, narrowed towards the tip, apex rounded, 18–32 × 4 µm, up to 7 µm wide at the base (Braun 1998: 20–32(–55) × 4(–7) µm). Conidiogenous loci inconspicuous. Conidia 0–2-septate (mostly 1-septate), cylindrical or fusoid, hyaline, 14–30 × 3.5–4.5(–5) µm (Braun 1998: 10–34 × (2.5–)3.5–5 μm). Hila neither thickened nor darkened. Specimens examined – POLAND. Śląskie voivodeship: Wola near Pszczyna, Junco-Molinietum association, on Bidens tripartita – 22.VI.2006; RuszkiewiczMichalska & Myszka (LOD PF 2886); the same host, locality and collectors, 24.VII.2006, 28.VIII.2006, 10.IX.2006 (LOD PF 2913, 2934, 3081, LBL M 8652). he Polish specimens agree well with the original description of N. bidentis except for somewhat shorter conidiophores. Another Neoramularia species, N. spissa, was also described on hosts of the family Asteraceae, but it clearly differs from N. bidentis in having solitary, 2-celled conidia, 6–9(–10) μm wide. Conidia of N. bidentis are catenate or solitary; they may be 1–3-celled and (2.5–) 3.5–5 μm wide (Braun 1998). he distribution of these species is also different: Neoramularia spissa is confined to North America (Canada, USA), while N. bidentis is known from Asia (Korea) and has currently been found in Europe (Poland). 482 ... Ruszkiewicz-Michalska & Wołczańska In Poland, Ramularia concomitans Ellis & Holw. additionally occurs on Bidens tripartita (Ruszkiewicz 2000, Wołczańska 2005). he morphology of hila and conidiogenous loci, which are colorless and inconspicuous in Neoramularia and conspicuously darkened in Ramularia, is the main feature that differentiates the two genera. he present collection of N. bidentis represents the first confirmed locality of this species in Poland and in Europe at all. he specimen collected by Danilkiewicz (1990) in Woroblin on the Bug River, published as Ramularia concomitans, probably also belongs to this species (Wołczańska 2005). Recent Polish reports of newly found phytopathogenic fungi mostly concern taxa occurring either in plant communities barely researched by mycologists or in urban areas. Our specimens of Neoramularia bidentis on Bidens tripartita have also been recorded from habitats investigated less extensively (Ławrynowicz et al. 2004). Only a few fungal species are known on this host in Poland, namely Leptosphaeria ogilviensis (Berk. & Broome) Ces. & De Not., Septoria bidentis Sacc. (Mułenko & Majewski 2008), and a powdery mildew reported by different authors as Sphaerotheca castagnei Lév., S. fuliginea (Schltdl.) Pollacci, S. fusca (Fr.) Blumer emend. U. Braun as well as S. xanthii (Castagne) L. Junell (Sałata 1985, Mułenko 1989, Danilkiewicz 1990, Hołownia & Kostrzewska 1991, Kalinowska-Kucharska & Kadłubowska 1993, Dynowska et al. 1999, Czerniawska 2001). he herbarium material must be verified to confirm the taxonomic status of these specimens in Podosphaera fusca (Fr.) U. Braun & Shishkoff or P. xanthii (Castagne) U. Braun & Shishkoff according to the criteria proposed by Braun & Takamatsu (2000). Acknowledgements he authors are grateful to Prof. Dr. Uwe Braun (Halle/Saale, Germany) and to Dr. Marcin Piątek (Kraków, Poland) for reading the manuscript and serving as presubmission reviewers. 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