Meliola ebeni, Hosagoudar & Archana, 2010

Hosagoudar, V. B. & Archana, G. R., 2010, Meliolaceae of Kerala, India - XXXI new species and a new variety, Journal of Threatened Taxa 2 (5), pp. 889-891 : 890-891

Meliola ebeni sp. nov.

( Fig. 3)

Material examined

10.ix.2006, on leaves of Diospyros ebenum Koenig (Ebenaceae) , TBGRI Campus, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, coll. G. R. Archana et al. HCIO 48167 (type), TBGT 2903 (isotype), (MycoBank # 518400).

Coloniae amphigenae, subdensae, ad 2mm diam., confluentes. Hyphae subrectae vel anfractuae, opposite vel irregulariter acuteque vel laxe ramosae, laxe vel arte

a - Appressorium; b - Phialide; c - Apical portion of the mycelial setae;

d - Ascospores

reticulatae, cellulae 12-32 x 4-8 µm. Appressoria opposita, alternata, unilateralis, antrorsa, subantrorsa vel retrorsa, recta vel curvula, 11-26 µm longa; cellulae basilares cylindraceae vel cuneatae, 3-8 µm longae; cellulae apicales oblongae, ovatae, cylindraceae, globosae, rectae vel varie curvulae, integrae vel angularis, 8-18 x 6-15 µm. Phialides appressoriis intermixtae, oppositae vel alternatae, ampulliformes, 16-24 x 6-8 µm. Setae myceliales simplices, rectae, ad apicem acutae, ad 490µm longae. Perithecia dispersa vel aggregata, ad 160µm diam.; ascosporae obovoideae, 4-septatae, leniter constrictus ad septatae, 38-45 x 12-16 µm.

Colonies amphigenous, subdense, up to 2mm in diameter, confluent. Hyphae substraight to crooked, branching opposite to irregular at acute to wide angles, loosely to closely reticulate, cells 12-32 x 4-8 µm. Appressoria opposite, alternate, unilateral, antrorse, subantrorse to retrorse, straight to curved, 11-26 µm long; stalk cells cylindrical to cuneate, 3-8 µm long; head cells oblong, ovate, cylindrical, globose, straight to variously curved, entire to angular, 8-18 x 6-15 µm. Phialides mixed with appressoria, opposite to alternate, ampulliform, 16- 24 x 6-8 µm. Mycelial setae, simple, straight, acute at the tip, up to 490µm long. Perithecia scattered to grouped, up to 160µm in diameter; ascospores obovoidal, 4-septate, slightly constricted at the septa, 38-45 x 12-16 µm.

Crooked mycelium with variously curved appressoria with cylindrical to oblong head cells distinguishes this species from rest of the Meliola species known on the members of the family Ebenaceae ( Hansford 1961; Hosagoudar et al. 1997; Hu et al. 1997, 1999; Hosagoudar 2008; Hosagoudar & Agarwal 2008).

a - Appressorium; b - Phialide; c - Apical portion of the mycelial setae;

d - Ascospores