Asterobolus: a new parasitic hyphomycete with a novel dispersal mechanism

摘要

The genusAsterobolusis proposed for an undescribed hyphomycete characterized by multicelled, star-shaped conidia forcibly discharged by a downfolding of the radiating appendages and rupture of the sporogenous cell.Asterobolus gaultheriaesp. nov. is the causal agent of a leaf spot ofGaultheria shallonPursh. The fungus also infects species ofVaccinium, Pteridium, Malus, andMenziesia. Sclerotia were observed only onGaultheriaand infections of other hosts were found only near infectedGaultheria. In addition to the star-shaped conidia, aGliocladium-like conidial stage was also observed in cultures of the fungus.