Handbook Part 2 - International Mycological Association

PS4PS3 - 0117
Australian Smut Fungi (Ustilaginomycetes), As Surprising And Diverse As The Continent Itself
K. Vánky, R.G. Shivas
1 Herbarium Ustilaginales Vánky (HUV), Tuebingen, Germany, 2 Queensland Department of Primary Industries and
Fisheries, Plant Pathology Herbarium, Indooroopilly, Queensland, Australia
About half of the 290 known species of Australian smut fungi are endemic. The great ecological and morphological
diversity of these endemic species is demonstrated by illustrating and considering some selected examples, including
Websdanea lyginiae (on Lyginia), as well as some of the 20 known Restiosporium species that parasitise members of
the ‘southern rushes’ (Restionaceae), which are represented in Australia by over 170 species. Two of the four known
species of Yelsemia, Y. arthropodii (on Arthropodium, Liliaceae) and Y. lowrieana (on Byblis, Byblidaceae) are also
endemic in Australia, as well as the unispecific Fulvisporium (on Stipa, Poaceae) and Pseudotracya (on Ottelia,
Hydrocharitaceae). The type species of the genus Heterotolyposporium, H. lepidospermae (on Lepidosperma,
Cyperaceae) is known only from Australia, as is the type species of the genus Entylomaster, E. typhonii (on Typhonium,
Araceae). Farysporium endortrichum (on Gahnia, Cyperaceae) is known only from Australia and New Zealand. The
diversity of the Australian smut fungi is further illustrated by consideration of endemic species in the genera Entorrhiza
(E. globigena, E. seminarii), Dermatosorus (D. schoenoplecti), Macalpinomyces (M. eriachnes), Moreaua (M.
gymnoschoenii), Urocystis (U. chorizandrae), Sporisorium (S. paraneurachnis), and Ustilago (U. xerochloae, U. triodiae,
and U. lituana).
PS4PS5 - 0217
The expanding realm of the Sebacinales: basidiomycetes involved in a uniquely wide spectrum of
mycorrhizal associations
M Weiß1, S Setaro1, M-A Selosse 2, F Oberwinkler 1
1 Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, 2 Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
Within the basidiomycetes, the vast majority of known mycorrhizal species are homobasidiomycetes. It was therefore
surprising that during the past years molecular and ultrastructural studies revealed a broad diversity of mycorrhizal
associations involving members of the recently described heterobasidiomycetous order Sebacinales. It became
evident that members of this order are involved in a wide spectrum of mycorrhizal types: ectomycorrhizas, orchid
mycorrhizas (with autotrophic, mixotrophic or myco-heterotrophic orchids), mycorrhizas involving ericalean hosts, and
also in associations with liverworts of the derived group of the Jungermanniales, which resemble mycorrhizas at the
cellular level (jungermannioid ‘mycorrhizas‘). A comparably broad diversity of mycorrhizal associations is known from
no other fungal group.
Sebacinales have recently also gained increasing interest because there is clear evidence from in vitro experiments
with Piriformospora indica, an anomorphic member of the Sebacinales, that the interaction of fungi of this group with
plant roots enhances growth, seed production and resistance against fungal pathogens in a phylogenetically wide
range of host plants.
Sebacinales are phylogenetically divided in two distinct subgroups (informally designated as subgroups A and B),
which correlates with the distribution of mycorrhizal types in which their members are involved. Ectomycorrhizal fungi
(and, correspondingly, mycobionts of mixotrophic and myco-heterotrophic orchids) have only been detected in
group A, whereas fungi involved in ericoid or cavendishioid mycorrhizas (a recently described mycorrhizal type found
in certain epiphytic or hemiepiphytic Ericaceae) or in associations with liverworts as well as mycobionts of autotrophic
orchids have only been found in group B. Basidiome-forming members are known only from group A. Teleomorphic
individuals of group B have all been assigned to the Sebacina vermifera species complex.
We give an overview over the present knowledge concerning morphology and phylogenetic placement of the
Sebacinales, present the results of new molecular phylogenetic analyses based on a comprehensive dataset of
sebacinalean nuclear DNA sequences coding for the large ribosomal subunit (nrLSU), which includes many
environmental sequences, and discuss conclusions from our molecular analysis related to ecology and evolution of
the Sebacinales.
PS4PS6 -0093
Molecular phylogeny of Verticillium fungicola reveals its affinity with the genus Lecanicillium
R. Zare, W. Gams
1 Dept. of Botany, Plant Pests & Diseases Research Institute and Dept. of Plant Pathology, Science and Research
Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, 2 Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Utrecht, Netherlands
Verticillium section Albo-erecta was characterised by well-differentiated, erect conidiophores with verticillate
arrangement of the phialides and mainly comprising fungicolous species. It was typified with V. fungicola (Gams &
van Zaayen 1982). A large number of isolates around this species have been studied morphologically and molecularly
(sequences of ITS regions and the small subunit ribosomal DNA). The isolates were also examined for their optimum
growth temperature at eight different temperatures with three-degree intervals. According to ITS sequences, V.
fungicola is close to the genus Lecanicillium W. Gams & Zare. Lecanicillium was characterized by having prostrate
conidiophores including mainly entomogenous and also fungicolous species formerly classified under Verticillium. The
value of temperature differences to separate the three varieties, fungicola, flavidum and aleophilum, is re-examined
and compared with molecular findings which suggests raising the varieties to species level. The three varieties are
indistinguishable based on their morphology, but they can sharply be separated based on maximum and optimum
temperatures in addition to the ITS region. Other species formerly accommodated in sect. Albo-erecta are unrelated
and require different generic classification.
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