Asterina thitei P.D. Natekar, M.R. Bhise & S.V. Kambhar, 2025

Natekar, Pratik D., Bhise, Mahendra R. & Kambhar, Sidanand V., 2025, Discovery of novel Asterinaceous black mildew fungi from coastal Maharashtra, India, Phytotaxa 711 (1), pp. 89-94 : 90-91

Asterina thitei P.D. Natekar, M.R. Bhise & S.V. Kambhar sp. nov. Fig. 1

MycoBank 853641

Etymology:— Named in honour of Dr. Anant Thite, a renowned retired mycology professor from Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

Colonies hypophyllous, scattered, dense, up to 1 mm in diameter, often confluent. Hyphae sub-straight to flexuous, irregularly branched at acute to wide angles, forming a closely reticulate network; hyphal cells measuring 11–17 × 3–4 µm. Appressoria numerous, scattered, occurring alternately or oppositely along the hyphae, 2-celled, measuring 9–16 × 2.5–7.5 µm; stalk cells cylindrical to occasionally curved, 5–7.5 × 2–3.5 µm; head cells irregularly angulose to lobate, 6.5–9.5 × 3.5–7.5 µm. Thyriothecia irregularly dehiscent, up to 108 µm in diameter. Asci globose, octosporous, 18–24 µm in diameter. Ascospores ellipsoidal to oblong, 1-septate, brown, 16.5–21 × 9.5–10.5 µm.

Distribution:— India (Maharashtra)

Material examined:— On living leaves of Jasminum malabaricum Wight ( Oleaceae ), Kharepatan, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra; 16°33’26”N 73°37’45”E, elev. 68 m, 14/12/2022, AMH –10673 (holotype).

Notes:— Hosagoudar(2012) described Asterina jasmine var. indica Hosag.&C.K.Biju on Jasminum bignoniaceum Wall. ex G. Don from Karnataka, and on Jasminum sp. from Kerala. Additionally, A. jasminicola H.S. Yates was reported on J. pubescens (Retz.) Willd. from West Bengal. The present collection, found on J. malabaricum Wight , does not conform to the diagnostic features of either of these previously described taxa. It differs notably in possessing hypophyllous, scattered colonies (approximately 1 mm in diameter), hyphal cells of differing dimensions, appressorial head cells that are irregularly angulose to lobate and larger. Thyriothecia are smaller in size ( Table 1). Based on these significant morphotaxonomic distinctions, the present specimen is proposed as a species new to science, and is reported here for the first time on this host.

Characters Asterina jasmine var. indica A. jasminicola A. thitei sp. nov.

Host Jasminum bignoniaceum , Jasminum pubescens Jasminum malabaricum

Jasminum sp.

Colony diam. (mm) Amphigenous, 1 Amphigenous, 2–6 coalesced Hypophyllous, 1

Hyphal cell 24–32 × 4–6 µm 4–5 µm long 11–17 × 3–4 µm

Appressoria 1-celled, 6–8 × 9–13, deeply 2-celled, 8–10 × 6.5–10, 2-celled, 9–16 × 2.5–7.5,

(µm) lobate angulose to lobate irregularly angulose to lobate

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Characters Asterina jasmine var. indica A. jasminicola A. thitei sp. nov.

Thyriothecia 200 150 108 diam. (µm)

Asci Up to 35 diam. 22–26 diam. 18–24 diam. (µm)

Ascospores 20–24 × 10–12, oblong 17–19 × 8–10, ellipsoidal to 16–21 × 9.5–10.5, ellipsoidal (µm) oblong to oblong

Figures

FIGURE 1. Asterina thitei A. Infected leaf, B. Mycelial colony.C.Asci. D, G.Ascospores.E.Thyriothecium with appressoriate mycelium. F. Ascus with ascospores. Illustrated by Pratik D. Natekar.