Pollen morphology, leaf surfaces, mycobiota diversity and leaf spots of three species of Zygophyllum growing along Cairo-Suez desert road, Eastern (Arabian) desert in Egypt

摘要

Three native species of Zygophyllum: Z. coccinum L., Z. decumbens L. and Z. simplex L. (Zygophylla-ceae) have been investigated morphologically, paly-nologically and mycologically. Twenty-two fungal species belonging to 11 genera were collected from leaf surfaces (11 genera and 22 species) and anthers/ pollen grains (7, 13) of Zygophyllum coccinum, Z. decumbens and Z. simplex on Czapek-Dox agar at 25 deg C. Fungal diversity of the two microhabitats is basically similar and the most prevalent fungi were Altemaria alternatalA. phragmospora, Cladospo-rium cladosporioideslC. herbarum and Ulocladium botrytis/U. consortiale. Altemaria alternata, Cladosporium cladospori-oides and C. herbarum-leaf spots were rarely recorded in the three studied plant species. Leaf lamina size and sculpture of the studied taxa almost seem to be the most reliable factors of the fungal biodiversity on the studied plant species. On the other hand, reticulate-micro reticulate pollen type is the only pollen type recorded in thepresent study which reflects that the very narrow range of spectrum of fungal biodiversity between the studied plant species.