Mycol. Res. 101 (3) : 278–280 (1997) 278 Printed in Great Britain New species of Stenella from India S E E M A M I S R A, N E E R A J S R I V A S T A V A A N D A. K. S R I V A S T A V A* Department of Botany, University of Gorakhpur, Gorakhpur-273 009, India Three new species of Stenella, S. heterophragmae, S. lantanae and S. buteae occurring on Heterophragma sp., Lantana indica and Butea parviflora, respectively, have been described and illustrated. Stenella Syd. is a well defined genus of dematiaceous hyphomycetes (Deighton, 1971, 1979 ; Mulder, 1975, 1982). Many species of this genus have been described from NorthEastern Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh in India (Kamal et al., 1980 a, b, 1981 ; Singh & Kamal, 1986 ; Verma & Kamal, 1987 ; Rai & Kamal, 1989, 1990 ; Chaudhary et al., 1991 ; Srivastava et al., 1994, 1995). Our recent collections have revealed the presence of three new species of Stenella in this area, which have been described and illustrated here as S. heterophragmae, S. lantanae and S. buteae occurring on living leaves of Heterophragma sp., Lantana indica and butea parviflora, respectively. Stenella heterophragmae S. Misra, N. Srivast. & A. K. Srivast., sp. nov (Figs 1–4) Maculae amphigenae, primo parvae et circulares, ad 5 mm diam., deinde irregulariter extensae, flavo brunneae. Mycelium internum vel plerumque externum ; hyphae externae septatae, ramosae, subtiliter verruculosae, olivaceae, ad 2 µm latae. Stromata absentia. Conidiophora superficialia, singularia, ex hyphis superficialibus lateriter vel terminaliter oriunda, macronematosa, mononematosa, erecta, non ramosa, laevia, recta vel dense flexuosa, fusco brunnea, versus apicem pallidora, 6±5–33±5 µm longa, 2–5 µm lata. Cellulae conidiogenae in conidiophoris incorporatae, polyblasticae, terminales vel intercalares, cylindricae, sympodiales, pallide brunneae, loci conidiogenae ad numerosae, cicatricati, cicatricibus incrassati. Conidia holoblastica, sicca, acropleurogenosa, raro catenata, in catenis simplicibus vel ramosis formata, cylindrica, tenuitunicata, subtiliter verruculosa, recta vel leniter curvata, 2–7 transverse septata, subhyalina vel olivaceo brunnea, apice rotundata vel leniter attenuata et interdum cicatricata, basi obconica vel obconico truncata, hilo incrassato, 30–91 µm longa, 1±5–4 µm lata. In foliis vivis Heterophragma sp. (Bignoniaceae), Nichlaul forest, Maharajganj, U.P., India, Jan. 1994, Kamal, GPU 3038 holotypus, HCIO 41783 isotypus. Infection spots amphigenous, primarily small and circular, up to 5 mm diam., later spreading irregularly, yellowish brown. Colonies hypophyllous, effuse, yellowish brown. Mycelium * Corresponding author. internal to mostly external ; external hyphae septate, branched, finely verruculose, olivaceous, up to 2 µm wide. Stromata absent. Conidiophores superficial, arising singly as lateral branches or apices of external hyphae, macronematous, mononematous, erect, unbranched, smooth-walled, straight to closely flexuous, dark brown below and paler near the apex, 6±5–33±5 µm long and 2–5 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, polyblastic, terminal to intercalary, cylindrical, sympodial, pale brown, with one to many conidiogenous loci bearing thickened scars. Conidia holoblastic, dry, acropleurogenous, rarely catenate, mostly in unbranched or rarely in branched chains, cylindrical, thin walled, finely verruculose, straight to slightly curved, 2–7 transversely septate, subhyaline to olivaceous-brown, rounded to slightly attenuated and sometimes cicatrized, base obconic to obconico-truncate, hilum thickened, 30–91 µm long and 1±5–4 µm wide. Stenella has not been reported earlier on the host species or genus. S. oroxylicola J. M. Yen, A. K. Kar & B. K. Das (1982) recorded on Oroxylum indicum of the host family Bignoniaceae, differs from S. heterophragmae in having much larger conidiophores. Stenella lantanae S. Misra, N. Srivast. & A. K. Srivast., sp. nov. (Figs 5–8) Maculae amphigenae, primo parvae, suborbiculares, 2–10 mm diam., deinde extensae, pallide olivaceae vel brunneae. Coloniae hypophyllae, effusae. Mycelium internum vel plerumque externum ; hyphae externae septatae, ramosae, subtiliter verruculosae, olivaceae, 1–2±5 µm latae. Stromata absentia. Conidiophora superficialia, ex hyphis superficialibus lateriter vel terminaliter oriunda, macronematosa, mononematosa, erecta, recta vel leniter flexuosa, non ramosa vel interdum ramosa, laevia, transverse septata, med brunnea, versus apicem palliodora, 11±5–35 µm longa, 2–5 µm lata. Cellulae conidiogenae in conidiophoris incorporatae, polyblasticae, terminales vel intercalares, sympodiales, cicatricati, cicatricibus incrassati. Conidia holoblastica, sicca, acropleurogenosa, non ramosa, interdum catenata in catenis non ramosis formata, laevia, recta vel interdum curvata, 1–6 transverse septata, pallide olivacea, cylindrica vel obclavata, apice rotundata vel leniter attenuata et interdum cicatricata, basi obconica vel obconico truncata, hilo incrassato, 26±5–97 µm longa, 1–3 µm lata. Seema Misra, Neeraj Srivastava and A. K. Srivastava 279 3 11 10 12 9 2 1 4 Figs 1–4. Stenella heterophragmae. Fig. 1. External hyphae. Fig. 2. Conidiophores. Fig. 3. Conidia. Fig. 4. Infection spots. Bars ¯ upper, 20 µm ; lower, 20 mm. Figs 9–12. Stenella buteae. Fig. 9. External hyphae with stroma. Fig. 10. Conidiophores. Fig. 11. Conidia. Fig. 12. Infection spots. Bars ¯ upper, 20 µm ; lower, 20 mm. Figs 5–8. Stenella lantanae. Fig. 5. External hyphae. Fig. 6. Conidiophores. Fig. 7. Conidia. Fig. 8. Infection spots. Bars ¯ upper, 20 µm ; lower, 20 mm. Colonies hypophyllous, effuse. Mycelium internal and mostly external ; external hyphae septate, branched, finely verruculose, olivaceous, 1–2±5 µm wide. Stromata absent. Conidiophores superficial, arising singly as apices or lateral branches of superficial hyphae, macronematous, mononematous, erect, straight to slightly flexuous, unbranched to sometimes branched, smooth-walled, transversely septate, mid brown below, paler near the apex, 11±5–35 µm long, 2–5 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells polyblastic, integrated, terminal to intercalary, sympodial, cylindrical, cicatrized, scars thickened. Conidia holoblastic, dry, acropleurogenous, unbranched to sometimes branched, catenate in unbranched chains, smooth walled, straight to sometimes slightly curved, 1–6 transversely septate, light olivaceous, cylindrical to obclavate, apex rounded to slightly attenuated and sometimes cicatrized, base obconic to obconico-truncate, hilum thickened, 26±5–97 µm long, 1–3 µm wide. Stenella has not been reported on any host of Verbenaceae. Our fungus is, therefore, comparable with Stenella spp. showing absence of stroma and smooth-walled conidia. Among such species S. triseptata Matsush. (1983), S. ficina Kamal, P. Kumar & B. Rai (1981) and S. laurina (Speg.) M. B. Ellis (1976) have conidiophore dimensions more or less similar to the fungus in question but the latter differs due to its longer conidia. Conidial dimensions of S. elaeodendri Kamal, R. P. Singh & P. Kumar (1980 b) are somewhat similar to our fungus which, however, is distinct due to its much shorter conidiophores. In foliis vivis Lantana indica (Verbenaceae), Kusumi forest, U.P., India, Jan. 1994, Kamal, GPU 3010 holotypus, HCIO 41784 isotypus. Stenella buteae S. Misra, N. Srivast. & A. K. Srivast., sp. nov. (Figs 9–12) Infection spots amphigenous, primarily small, subcircular, 2–10 mm diam., later spreading, pale olivaceous to brown. Maculae amphigenae, primo sub circulares, ad 5 mm diam., deinde irregulariter extensae, atro brunneae. Coloniae hypophyllae, effusae, 7 6 8 5 New species of Stenella brunneae. Mycelium internum vel plerumque externum ; hyphae externae septatae, ramosae, tenuiter verruculosae, plus minusve hyalinae, 1–4 µm latae. Stromata superficialia, subevoluta, pseudoparenchymatosa, atro brunnea, 13–16 µm diam. Conidiophora superficialia, singularia, ex hyphis superficialibus lateriter et terminaliter vel 2–3 in fasciculo ex stomate superficialibus oriunda, semimicronematosa vel macronematosa, erecta, non ramosa, recta vel leniter flexuosa, persubtiliter verruculosa, brunnea vel atro brunnea, 4–30 µm longa et 2–5 µm lata. Cellulae conidiogenae polyblasticae, in conidiophoris incorporatae, terminales, sympodiales, cylindricae, cicatricati, cicatricibus incrassati. Conidia holoblastica, sicca, acropleurogenosa, simplicia vel catenata in catenis simplicibus formata, tenui tunicata, laevia, recta vel curvata, 5–12 transverse septata, pallide brunnea, cylindrica vel obclavata, apice rotundata, basi leniter attenuata, hilo incrassato, 64–157 µm longa, 1–5 µm lata. In foliis vivis Butea parviflora (Fabaceae), Rampur forest, Siddhartha Nagar, U.P., India, March 1991, A. K. Srivastava, GPU 1579 holotypus, HCIO 40818 isotypus. Infection spots amphigenous, primarily subcircular, up to 5 mm diam., later spreading irregularly, dark brown. Colonies hypophyllous, effuse, brown. Mycelium internal to mostly external ; external hyphae septate, branched, finely verruculose, almost hyaline, 1–4 µm wide. Stromata external, less developed, pseudoparenchymatous, dark brown, 13–16 µm diam. Conidiophores superficial, arising singly as lateral branches or apices of external hyphae or in fascicles of 2–3 from superficial stromata, semimicronematous to macronematous, fasciculate, erect, unbranched, straight to slightly flexuous, brown to dark brown, very finely verruculose, 4–30 µm long and 2–5 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells polyblastic, integrated, terminal, sympodial, cylindrical, cicatrized, scars thickened. Conidia holoblastic, dry, acropleurogenous, simple to catenate in unbranched chains, thin walled, smooth, straight to curved, 5–12 transversely septate, light brown, cylindrical to obclavate, apex rounded, base slightly attenuated, hilum thickened, 64–157 µm long and 1–5 µm wide. Stenella has not been reported earlier on the host species or genus. Among the Stenella spp. reported on other host genera of Fabaceae only S. moghaniae (S. Singh) Kamal & Naraiyan (1986) is comparable with the fungus in question due to similar structure and dimensions of conidiophores. Our fungus (Accepted 2 July 1996) 280 is, however, distinct in having much longer and smooth walled conidia. Authors thank Dr Kamal for critical comments and suggestions. Neeraj Srivastava is thankful to D. S. T., New Delhi for financial assistance. REFERENCES Chaudhary, R., Gupta, C. & Kamal (1991). New species of Heteroconium, Pseudocercospora and Stenella from India. Mycological Research 95, 1070–1073. Deighton, F. C. 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