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A phylogenetic study employing sequence data from the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, ITS2) and 5.8S gene, as well as the 18S rRNA gene of various Cladosporium-like hyphomycetes revealed Cladosporium s. lat. to be heterogeneous. The genus Cladosporium s. str. was shown to represent a sister clade to Mycosphaerella s. str., for which the teleomorph genus Davidiella is proposed. The morphology, phylogeny and taxonomy of the cladosporioid fungi are discussed on the basis of this phylogeny, which consists of several clades representing Cladosporium-like genera. Cladosporium is confined to Davidiella (Mycosphaerellaceae) anamorphs with coronate conidiogenous loci and conidial hila. Pseudocladosporium is confined to anamorphs of Caproventuria (Venturiaceae). Cladosporium-like anamorphs of the Venturia (conidia catenate) are referred to Fusicladium. Human-pathogenic Cladosporium species belong in Cladophialophora (Capronia, Herpotrichiellaceae) and Cladosporium fulvum is representative of the Mycosphaerella/Passalora clade (Mycosphaerellaceae). Cladosporium malorum proved to provide the correct epithet for Pseudocladosporium kellermanianum (syn. Phaeoramularia kellermaniana, Cladophialophora kellermaniana) as well as Cladosporium porophorum. Based on differences in conidiogenesis and the structure of the conidiogenous loci, further supported by molecular data, C. malorum is allocated to Alternaria.

Based on molecular and morphological studies, Leveillula guilanensis sp. nov. on Chondrilla juncea, L. lactucae-serriolae sp. nov. on Lactuca serriola, and L. mindii sp. nov. on Mindium laevigatum are described from Iran.

New collections of micromycetes from New Zealand are recorded, including several new species and a new variety of the genera Cercospora, Entylomella, Gonatophragmium, Pseudocercospora, Ramularia and Subramaniomyces as well as some new combinations and a new name. Based on a new generic concept of the Pseudocercospora/Cercostigmina complex, which is supported by new molecular examinations, all species of Cercostigmina are re-allocated to Pseudocercospora.

The hyphomycete Ovularia polliniae, formerly excluded from Ramularia and allied genera and tentatively considered as related to Beniowskia sphaeroidea, was recently collected on leaves of the grass Microstegium sp. in Taiwan. Based on studies with light and transmission electron microscopy, O. polliniae was redescribed. Using type specimens, the taxonomic status of both fungal species was reevaluated. In O. polliniae, the conidiophores emerge directly through the outer cell wall of the host epidermis. They are either sparsely branched at the base or simple and composed of verruculose intercalary and terminal conidiogenous cells that produce conidia through minute, slightly darkened scars. The conidia are solitary, one-celled, obovoid, hyaline, smooth, and often have a large vacuole. By the combination of these characteristics, this fungus differs from similar species of Beniowskia, Ramularia, and Ramulariopsis. The new genus Pleurovularia and the new combination Pleurovularia polliniae are proposed to accommodate this parasite on Microstegium.

A brief survey of the current systematics and taxonomy of powdery mildews (Erysiphales) is given with special focus on new characters used for taxonomic purposes as well as new approaches, methods and techniques. The structure of the family Erysiphaceae based on phylogenetic results is summarized, and the current, strongly increased number of powdery mildew taxa in a planned new monographic treatment of this fungal group is given and compared with the old monograph from 1987.

[EN] Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Cercosporella dolichandrae from Dolichandra unguiscati, Seiridium podocarpi from Podocarpus latifolius, Pseudocercospora parapseudarthriae from Pseudarthria hookeri, Neodevriesia coryneliae from Corynelia uberata on leaves of Afrocarpus falcatus, Ramichloridium eucleae from Euclea undulata and Stachybotrys aloeticola from Aloe sp. (SouthAfrica), as novel member of the Stachybotriaceae fam. nov. Several species were also described from Zambia, and these include Chaetomella zambiensis on unknown Fabaceae, Schizoparme pseudogranati from Terminalia stuhlmannii, Diaporthe isoberliniae from Isoberlinia angolensis, Peyronellaea combreti from Combretum mossambiciensis, Zasmidium rothmanniae and Phaeococcomyces rothmanniae from Rothmannia engleriana, Diaporthe vangueriae from Vangueria infausta and Diaporthe parapterocarpi from Pterocarpus brenanii. Novel species from the Netherlands include: Stagonospora trichophoricola, Keissleriella trichophoricola and Dinemasporium trichophoricola from Trichophorum cespitosum, Phaeosphaeria poae, Keissleriella poagena, Phaeosphaeria poagena, Parastagonospora poagena and Pyrenochaetopsis poae from Poa sp., Septoriella oudemansii from Phragmites australis and Dendryphion europaeum from Hedera helix (Germany) and Heracleum sphondylium (the Netherlands). Novel species from Australia include: Anungitea eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus leaf litter, Beltraniopsis neolitseae and Acrodontium neolitseae from Neolitsea australiensis, Beltraniella endiandrae from Endiandra introrsa, Phaeophleospora parsoniae from Parsonia straminea, Penicillifer martinii from Cynodon dactylon, Ochroconis macrozamiae from Macrozamia leaf litter, Triposporium cycadicola, Circinotrichum cycadis, Cladosporium cycadicola and Acrocalymma cycadis from Cycas spp. Furthermore, Vermiculariopsiella dichapetali is described from Dichapetalum rhodesicum (Botswana), Ophiognomonia acadiensis from Picea rubens (Canada), Setophoma vernoniae from Vernonia polyanthes and Penicillium restingae from soil (Brazil), Pseudolachnella guaviyunis from Myrcianthes pungens (Uruguay) and Pseudocercospora neriicola from Nerium oleander (Italy). Novelties from Spain include: Dendryphiella eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus globulus, Conioscypha minutispora from dead wood, Diplogelasinospora moalensis and Pseudoneurospora canariensis from soil and Inocybe lanatopurpurea from reforested woodland of Pinus spp. Novelties from France include: Kellermania triseptata from Agave angustifolia, Zetiasplozna acaciae from Acacia melanoxylon, Pyrenochaeta pinicola from Pinus sp. and Pseudonectria rusci from Ruscus aculeatus. New species from China include: Dematiocladium celtidicola from Celtis bungeana, Beltrania pseudorhombica, Chaetopsina beijingensis and Toxicocladosporium pini from Pinus spp. and Setophaeosphaeria badalingensis from Hemerocallis fulva. Novel genera of Ascomycetes include Alfaria from Cyperus esculentus (Spain), Rinaldiella from a contaminated human lesion (Georgia), Hyalocladosporiella from Tectona grandis (Brazil), Pseudoacremonium from Saccharum spontaneum and Melnikomyces from leaf litter (Vietnam), Annellosympodiella from Juniperus procera (Ethiopia), Neoceratosperma from Eucalyptus leaves (Thailand), Ramopenidiella from Cycas calcicola (Australia), Cephalotrichiella from air in the Netherlands, Neocamarosporium from Mesembryanthemum sp. and Acervuloseptoria from Ziziphus mucronata (South Africa) and Setophaeosphaeria from Hemerocallis fulva (China). Several novel combinations are also introduced, namely for Phaeosphaeria setosa as Setophaeosphaeria setosa, Phoma heteroderae as Peyronellaea heteroderae and Phyllosticta maydis as Peyronellaea maydis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa., We thank Dr Olivier Maurin, John and Sandra Burrows, for their help in identifying the host plants collected in southern Africa. Financial support for R. Cheewangkoon was provided by the Thailand Research Fund MRG5580163. Christian Lechat,Alain Gardiennet and Jacques Fournier gratefully acknowledge DrAmy Rossman for her invaluable scientific help and relevant suggestions in the description of Pseudonectria rusci. Allison K. Walker was supported by a National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Collaborative Research and Development Grant to J. David Miller and Keith A. Seifert, who also commented on an earlier draft of Ophiognomonia description. We thank the technical staff, A. van Iperen (cultures), M. Vermaas (photographic plates), and M. Starink-Willemse (DNAisolation, amplification and sequencing) for their invaluable assistance.

The North American Erysiphe flexuosa (Peck) U. Braun & S. Takamatsu ( Uncinula flexuosa Peck, Uncinuliella flexuosa (Peck) U. Braun) has been found in Germany on Aesculus hippocastanum L. and represents a new powdery mildew disease for Europe. This fungus is described, illustrated, and discussed.

The new species Cercosporella pergulariae sp. nov., Pseudocercospora catalpicola sp. nov., Sirosporium rhamnigenum sp. nov., and Spiropes desmodiicola sp. nov. are described and Cercospora commelinicola Chupp is validated. Cercostigmina curta (Syd.) comb, nov., Eriocercosporella vitis-heterophyllae (Henn.) comb, nov., Mycovellosiella lactucae (Henn.) comb, nov., M. trichostemmatis (Henn.) comb, nov., M. tylophorae (Hansf.) comb, nov., Passalora caespitosa (Ellis & Everh.) comb, nov., P. chionanthi (Ellis & Everh.) comb, nov., Prathigada condensata (Ellis & Kellerm.) comb, nov., Pseudocercospora carrii (Barthol.) comb, nov., P. glaucescens (G. Winter) comb, nov., P. pamelae-ellisiae (G.P. Agarwal & N.D. Sharma) comb, nov., Pseudophaeoramularia angolensis (T. Cavalho &O. Mendes) comb, nov., Sporidesmium seminale (Ellis & Everh.) comb, nov., and Stenella praelonga (Syd.) comb. nov. are introduced. Cercospora litseae Henn. is reduced to synonym with Mycovellosiella litseae Meenu et al., and a second collection of Cercosporella indica from Vietnam is recorded.

In the present paper, cercosporoid hyphomycetes known from New Caledonia, Vanuatu (New Hebrides), Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia are summarised and discussed, along with a few collections from Fiji and Samoa. New species Cercospora phaseolicola, Cladosporium nigrel‐loides, Phaeoramularia malpighiae, Pseudo‐cercospora alocasiae, P. aracearum, P. artocarpicola, P. barringtoniicola, P. brassicae, P. dioscoreae, P. musicola, P. pipturicola, P. polysciatispinnatae, P. scaevolae, and P. vanuatuensis, the new variety Passalora mucunae var. denticulata, and the new genus Scolecostigmina are described. The new combinations Mycovellosiella gliricidiae, M. nervisequens, Passalora arachidicola, P. colocasiae, P. mucunae, Pseudocercospora alphitoniae, P. morindicola, P. musae‐sapienti, P. pterocarpicola var. guzmanii, P. vignicola, P. vexillatae, Scolecostigmina confluens, S. mangiferae, and S. tirumalensis are made. The genus Oreophylla is reduced to synonymy with Passalora.

New and interesting collections of cercosporoid hyphomycetes from Brazil (State of Ceara) are reported in the present paper. Pseudocercospora eugeniicola sp. nov., P. krameriae sp. nov., P. hirtellae sp. nov., and P. thiloae sp. nov. are described, and Passalora davillae (A.S. Mull. & Chupp) comb. nov. and Pseudocercospora plumeriifolii (Bat. & Peres) comb. nov. are introduced.

The equilibria between liquid CaO-Al 2 O 3 -FeO n slags and Al-Ca-O-containing iron melts in contact with pure lime (CaO) and pure calcium aluminate (CaO.2Al 2 O 3 ) crucibles were investigated at 1600 °C. The iron mass content of the metal phase was varied between 0 and almost 100 %. The results show a strong influence of the miscibility gap in the system Fe-Al-Ca arising from the Fe-Ca binary system on the phase equilibria. By these investigations the conditions of solid alumina reduction by dissolved calcium to liquid calcium aluminate were determined.

The genus Cercospora contains numerous important plant pathogenic fungi from a diverse range of hosts. Most species of Cercospora are known only from their morphological characters in vivo. Although the genus contains more than 5 000 names, very few cultures and associated DNA sequence data are available. In this study, 360 Cercospora isolates, obtained from 161 host species, 49 host families and 39 countries, were used to compile a molecular phylogeny. Partial sequences were derived from the internal transcribed spacer regions and intervening 5.8S nrRNA, actin, calmodulin, histone H3 and translation elongation factor 1-alpha genes. The resulting phylogenetic clades were evaluated for application of existing species names and five novel species are introduced. Eleven species are epi-, lecto- or neotypified in this study. Although existing species names were available for several clades, it was not always possible to apply North American or European names to African or Asian strains and vice versa. Some species were found to be limited to a specific host genus, whereas others were isolated from a wide host range. No single locus was found to be the ideal DNA barcode gene for the genus, and species identification needs to be based on a combination of gene loci and morphological characters. Additional primers were developed to supplement those previously published for amplification of the loci used in this study. TAXONOMIC NOVELTIES: New species - Cercospora coniogrammes Crous & R.G. Shivas, Cercospora delaireae C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin, Cercospora euphorbiae-sieboldianae C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin, Cercospora pileicola C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin, Cercospora vignigena C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin. Typifications: epitypifications - Cercospora alchemillicola U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Cercospora althaeina Sacc., Cercospora armoraciae Sacc., Cercospora corchori Sawada, Cercospora mercurialis Pass., Cercospora olivascens Sacc., Cercospora violae Sacc.; neotypifications - Cercospora fagopyri N. Nakata & S. Takim., Cercospora sojina Hara.

Cercosporoid fungi include a large number of mostly plant pathogenic fungi with a wide geographic distribution, being usually associated with leaf spots on a broad range of plant hosts. Here we initiate a series of studies on Chinese cercosporoid fungi, focussing on the identification of some common, rare and new plant diseases caused by these leaf-spotting ascomycetes. The aim of the series is to resolve the taxonomy and DNA phylogeny of this important group of phytopathogens in China. In this study, nine isolates of cercosporoid fungi were collected from five host species. Partial nucleotide sequence data of four gene loci (ITS, LSU, TUB and tef1-α rDNA) were generated for all isolates. Based on morphological characters in vivo and in vitro and phylogenetic data, a new species, Pseudocercospora pauciseptata (on living leaves of Pyracantha fortuneana ), is introduced including a detailed description, illustration and comparison with similar species. In addition, Passalora circumscissa , Pseudocercospora cercidis-chinensis , P . lindericola , and P. prunicola are described, illustrated and phylogenetically characterized. Cerasus pseudocerasus represents a new host record for Passalora circumscissa in China, while Lindera reflexa is a new host for P . lindericola .

Phaeoramularia hachijoensis and Ph. kellermaniana are two closely related saprophytic hyphomycetes, morphologically as well as ecologically distinct from true phytopathogenic Phaeoramularia species. They are placed in Cladophialophora. C. brevicatenata spec. nov. is a new species close to C. kellermaniana. Cladophialophora is related to Parapleurotheciopsis, Polyscytalum, Retroconis, Septonema and Xylohypha. Ramularia, Phaeoramularia and allied genera are anamorphs of Mycosphaerella . The teleomorphs of C. hachijoensis (Matsushima) comb. nov. and C. brevicatenata spec. nov., formed in pure culture, belong, however, to Capronia (incl. Herpotrichiella ), viz. Herpotrichiella (Capronia) hytrioides Dugan, R. G. Roberts & Hanlin and Capronia hanliniana spec. nov., respectively.

Type collections of Cercospora byrsonimatis and Ramularia ligustrina have been re-examined. Cercospora byrsonimatis is transferred to Pseudocercospora while a second hyphomycete, found on the type material, is described as Ramalia byrsonimatis sp. nov. Ramularia ligustrina is redescribed and its status as a true member of Ramularia is confirmed.

The recently generated molecular phylogeny for the kingdom Fungi, on which a new classification scheme is based, still suffers from an under representation of numerous apparently asexual genera of microfungi. In an attempt to populate the Fungal Tree of Life, fresh samples of 10 obscure genera of hyphomycetes were collected. These fungi were subsequently established in culture, and subjected to DNA sequence analysis of the ITS and LSU nrRNA genes to resolve species and generic questions related to these obscure genera. Brycekendrickomyces (Herpotrichiellaceae) is introduced as a new genus similar to, but distinct from Haplographium and Lauriomyces. Chalastospora is shown to be a genus in the Pleosporales, with two new species, C. ellipsoidea and C. obclavata, to which Alternaria malorum is added as an additional taxon under its oldest epithet, C. gossypii. Cyphellophora eugeniae is newly described in Cyphellophora (Herpotrichiellaceae), and distinguished from other taxa in the genus. Dictyosporium is placed in the Pleosporales, with one new species, D. streliziae. The genus Edenia, which was recently introduced for a sterile endophytic fungus isolated in Mexico, is shown to be a hyphomycete (Pleosporales) forming a pyronellea-like synanamorph in culture. Thedgonia is shown not to represent an anamorph of Mycosphaerella, but to belong to the Helotiales. Trochophora, however, clustered basal to the Pseudocercospora complex in the Mycosphaerellaceae, as did Verrucisporota. Vonarxia, a rather forgotten genus of hyphomycetes, is shown to belong to the Herpotrichiellaceae and Xenostigmina is confirmed as synanamorph of Mycopappus, and is shown to be allied to Seifertia in the Pleosporales. Dichotomous keys are provided for species in the various genera treated. Furthermore, several families are shown to be polyphyletic within some orders, especially in the Capnodiales, Chaetothyriales and Pleosporales.

Powdery mildew on cherry bark oak (Quercus falcate var. pagodifolia) collected in Tennessee, USA, was determined to be Erysiphe abbreviata, a species confined to North America. The diagnostically important anamorph of this species is described for the first time. Sequence analyses of the rDNA ITS region and D1/D2 domains of the 28S rDNA were used to obtain phylogenetic data for and taxonomic conclusions about this species. The structure of the anamorph (Oidium subgen. Pseudoidium) and the molecular data support the placement of this species in Erysiphe emend. (including Microsphaera) as a species separate from the Eurasian Erysiphe alphitoides.

A morphologically distinct isolate of Cladosporium sphaerospermum from a North American patent collection, referenced as Cladosporium lignicola in the patent, was examined. Generic affinity was confirmed by scanning electron microscopic examination of conidiogenous loci and conidial hila. Species identity as C. sphaerospermum was indicated by DNA sequence data derived from actin and translation elongation factor 1-alpha genes, and the internal transcribed spacer region. The isolate broadens the morphological limits of C. sphaerospermum by production of obclavate, occasionally transversely septate conidia with subrostrate conidiogenous apices ('alternarioid' conidia), and by production of conidia larger than those in prior standard descriptions. Type material of C. lignicola was re-examined and compared with the North American fungus, from which it is morphologically distinct. The decision to reduce C. lignicola to synonymy under C. herbarum was confirmed.

Cladosporium chlorocephalum (= C. paeoniae) is a common, widespread leaf-spotting hyphomycete of peony (Paeonia spp.), characterised by having dimorphic conidiophores. During the season, one stage of this fungus causes distinct, necrotic leaf-blotch symptoms on living leaves of Paeonia spp. In late autumn, winter or after overwintering, a second morphologically distinct conidiophore type occurs on dead, blackish, rotting stems. Conspecificity of the two morphs, previously proposed on the basis of observations in culture, was supported by DNA sequence data from the ITS and LSU gene regions, using cultures obtained from leaf-blotch symptoms on living leaves, as well as from dead stems of Paeonia spp. Sequence data were identical, indicating a single species with two morphs. On account of its distinct conidiogenous loci and conidial hila, as well as its sequence-based phylogenetic position separate from the Davidiella/Cladosporium clade, the peony fungus has to be excluded from Cladosporium s. str., but still belongs to the Davidiellaceae (Capnodiales). The leaf-blotching (cladosporioid) morph of this fungus morphologically resembles species of Fusicladium, but differs in having dimorphic fruiting, and is phylogenetically distant from the Venturiaceae. The macronematous (periconioid) morph resembles Metulocladosporiella (Chaetothyriales), but lacks rhizoid conidiophore hyphae, and has 0-5-septate conidia. Hence, C. chlorocephalum is assigned to the new genus Dichocladosporium.Taxonomic novelties: Dichocladosporium K. Schub., U. Braun& Crous, gen. nov., Dichocladosporium chlorocephalum (Fresen.) K. Schub., U. Braun & Crous, comb. nov.

The genus Cladosporium is restricted to dematiaceous hyphomycetes with a coronate scar type, and Davidiella teleomorphs. In the present study numerous cladosporium-like taxa are treated, and allocated to different genera based on their morphology and DNA phylogeny derived from the LSU nrRNA gene. Several species are introduced in new genera such as Hyalodendriella, Ochrocladosporium, Rachicladosporium, Rhizocladosporium, Toxicocladosporium and Verrucocladosporium. A further new taxon is described in Devriesia (Teratosphaeriaceae). Furthermore, Cladosporium castellanii, the etiological agent of tinea nigra in humans, is confirmed as synonym of Stenella araguata, while the type species of Stenella is shown to be linked to the Teratosphaeriaceae (Capnodiales), and not the Mycosphaerellaceae as formerly presumed.Taxonomic novelties: Devriesia americana Crous & Dugan, sp. nov., Hyalodendriella Crous, gen. nov., Hyalodendriella betulae Crous sp. nov., Ochrocladosporium Crous & U. Braun, gen. nov., Ochrocladosporium elatum (Harz) Crous & U. Braun, comb. nov., Ochrocladosporium frigidarii Crous & U. Braun, sp. nov., Rachicladosporium Crous, U. Braun & Hill, gen. nov., Rachicladosporium luculiae Crous, U. Braun & Hill, sp. nov., Rhizocladosporium Crous & U. Braun, gen. nov., Rhizocladosporium argillaceum (Minoura) Crous & U. Braun, comb. nov., Toxicocladosporium Crous & U. Braun, gen. nov., Toxicocladosporium irritans Crous & U. Braun, sp. nov., Verrucocladosporium K. Schub., Aptroot & Crous, gen. nov., Verrucocladosporium dirinae K. Schub., Aptroot & Crous, sp. nov.

Passalora dodonaeae Crous & U. Braun is newly described from leaves of Dodonaea angustifolia L. from South Africa. Type material of Cercospora mitteriana Syd. has been re-examined and this species reduced to synonymy with Pseudocercospora mitteriana Goh & W.H. Hsieh. Pseudocercospora dodonaeae Boesew. is also discussed, based on the re-examination of type material.

Mycosphaerella punctiformis, the type species of the genus Mycosphaerella, is epitypified by material collected on Quercus robur in The Netherlands. The teleomorph is described in planta, and the Ramularia anamorph, for which the new name R. endophylla is proposed, and the Asteromella spermatial state are characterized in vitro. Sequence data of the nuclear ribosomal DNA are presented and analyzed together with other Mycosphaerella spp. with Ramularia and several other anamorphs. Several strains originating from Quercus, Acer and Tilia showed diverging ITS sequences, indicating that the M. punctiformis complex may comprise more than a single phylogenetic species, but this could not be confirmed by the analysis of our dataset. An endophytic phase is established for the first time in the life-cycle of M. punctiformis, as the species was repeatedly isolated from surface sterilized green healthy leaves of Quercus robur in summer at the epitype locality.

A new defoliating disease was observed on 20-year-old trees of Lecythis pisonis in Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The disease is characterized by forming one or more large zonate epiphyllous leaf spots with a light brown to white center, followed by two to three zones gradually varying from brown to red-brown. On the corresponding abaxial leaf surface, the spots are lighter with a profuse greenish gray coloration caused by the fungal colonies. In PDA culture, the fungus is characterized by a slow growth of the colonies with brown-violet pigmentation at the reverse. Inoculation tests carried out on healthy plants of L. pisonis confirmed the pathogenicity of this fungus. Periconiella lecythidis sp. nov., the causal agent of the zonate leaf spot disease of L. pisonis is described, illustrated, discussed and compared with the other species of the genus Periconiella. The intricate generic affinity within a complex of morphologically similar hyphomycete genera consisting of Metulocladosporiella, Parapericoniella, Penidiella and Periconiella is discussed in detail.

Current theory on transmission rates of plant pathogens predicts a strong influence of host richness on the degree of infection. In addition, identity effects, caused by the presence of particular species in a community, may also drive biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relationships, with “selection” or “sampling effects” being particularly important. We tested the effect of tree species richness and tree species identity effects on foliar fungal pathogens on four forest tree species of the temperate zone making use of the BIOTREE tree diversity experiment in Germany. We hypothesized that fungal species richness is positively and fungal pathogen load negatively related to tree species richness. In addition, we tested whether species number of foliar biotrophic fungi and pathogen load depend on tree community composition and on the presence or absence of particular disease-prone tree species. All foliar fungi were identified macro- and microscopically and subjected to statistical analyses at three hierarchical levels, at the plot level, the level of single tree species and the level of individual fungus species. There was a negative effect of tree richness on the pathogen load of common powdery mildew species. Moreover, we found strong tree species identity effects at the plot level as the presence of Quercus resulted in a high pathogen load. Thus, for the first time we experimentally showed that disease risk and pathogen transmission of foliar fungal pathogens in temperate forest tree ecosystems may depend on tree richness and on the presence of particular disease-prone species.

Trotz des starken Anstiegs der Erwerbsbeteiligung verheirateter Frauen in der Bundesrepublik fuhrt die Geburt von Kindern fur eine Vielzahl von Frauen zu einer vorubergehenden Unterbrechung ihrer Erwerbstatigkeit, so das zumindest Kleinkinder in aller Regel von der Mutter betreut werden (Klein & Braun 1995; vgl. Klein & Lauterbach idB). Auch in der ehemaligen DDR wurde von Frauen — wenngleich in geringerem, aber schon zu DDR-Zeiten steigendem Umfang -die Erwerbstatigkeit bei der Geburt eines Kindes unterbrochen. Vergleicht man jedoch den Umfang der Erwerbsbeteiligung zwischen den beiden deutschen Staaten vor der Vereinigung, so liegt aufgrund der wesentlich hoheren Erwerbstatigkeit von Frauen und Muttern in der ehemaligen DDR die Vermutung nahe, das dies zu einem wesentlichen Teil auch auf kurzere Erwerbspausen von Frauen nach der Geburt von Kindern und hohere Wiedereinstiegsraten zuruckzufuhren ist.

The main aspects concerning the role of parasitic micromycetes in phytocoenology as well as mycocoenology are discussed. Phytoparasitic fungi are important elements of definite phytocoenoses. Investigations on the composition of this fungal group in particular plant communities are of general interest on account of ecological and phytopathological reasons. These studies are classified as ‘phytocoenological mycofloristics’. Papers dealing with such problems are summarized.

In late 2007, a new disease was found in commercial cutflower fields of bells-of-Ireland (Molucella laevis L.) in Texcoco, Mexico. Four plantings surveyed during this time had 100% incidence. A few spots on cutflowers make them unmarketable. Symptoms consisted of gray-green spots on leaves, calyxes, and stems, which turned brown with age. Spots were initially circular to oval, delimited by major leaf veins, and were visible on both adaxial and abaxial sides of the leaves. A Cercospora species was consistently associated with the spots. The fungus was isolated on V8 agar medium. Three single-spore cultures were obtained from isolation cultures. Cultures were incubated at 24°C under near-UV light for 7 days. Pathogenicity was confirmed by spraying a conidial suspension (1 × 104 condia/ml) on leaves of 16 potted M. laevis plants, incubating the plants in a dew chamber for 48 h, and maintaining them in a greenhouse (20 to 24°C). Identical symptoms to those observed in the field appeared on all inoculated plants after 2 weeks. No symptoms developed on control plants treated with autoclaved distilled water. The pathogenicity test was repeated twice with similar results. The fungus produced erumpent stromata, which were dark brown, spherical to irregular, 10 to 26 μm diameter, and giving rise to fascicles of five to nine divergent conidiophores, which were clear brown, paler near the subtruncate apex, straight to curved, not branched, rarely geniculate with two to four septa, and 57 × 3.4 μm. The conidia were formed singly, hyaline, acicular, base truncate, tip acute, straight to curved with 11 to 19 septa, and 172 × 3.5 μm. Fungal DNA from single-spore cultures was obtained with a commercial extraction kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany), amplified with ITS5 and ITS4 primers, and sequenced. The sequence, deposited at the National Center for Biotechnology Information Database (GenBank Accession No. EU564808), aligned almost perfectly (99% identity) to the bells-of-Ireland isolates from California (GenBank Accession Nos. AY156918 and AY156919) and New Zealand (Accession No. DQ233321). A 176-bp species-specific fragment was amplified with CercoCal-apii primers but not with CercoCal-beta or CercoCal-sp primers. These results, coupled with the morphological characteristics (1) and pathogenicity test, confirm the identity of the fungus as Cercospora apii sensu lato (including C. molucellae) (2,3,4). Although C. apii sensu lato has been reported on other hosts in Mexico (1,2), to our knowledge, this is the first report of this disease on M. laevis plants in this country. References: (1) C. Chupp. A Monograph of the Fungus Cercospora. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1954. (2) P. W. Crous and U. Braun. CBS Biodiversity Series 1:1, 2003. (3) M. Groenewald et al. Phytopathology 95:951, 2005. (4) S. T Koike et al. Plant Dis. 87:203, 2003.

Berry rot caused byPseudocercospora cladosporioides is reported for the first time onOlea europaea in Australia.

Two new cercosporoid hyphomycetes from Vanuatu, Cercospora sphathulata and Pseudocercospora pometiae, are described and illustrated. Six new records of cercosporoid hyphomycetes that cause plant diseases from New Caledonia, Samoa and Vanuatu are given. Four new hosts of Cercospora apii s. lat. from the region are reported.

Two new fungi, Annellosympodia orbiculata and Scolecostigmina flagellariae, on Acacia ligulata and Flagellaria indica, respectively, from Australia are described and illustrated. The former species is placed in the new genus Annellosympodia, which is characterised by an unusual combination of features, viz. fasciculate conidiogenous cells (conidiophores reduced to conidiogenous cells), holoblastic conidiogenesis with sympodial, but rectilinear proliferation leaving annular structures and lateral conspicuous conidiogenous loci, and rhexolytic conidial secession. The generic placement of these two fungi is discussed.

This proposal is a supplement to Prop. 1536 (Braun, Ritschel & Schubert in Taxon 51: 557. 2002) to conserve the generic name Fusicladium Bonord. against Spilocaea Fr. (Hyphomycetes, anamorphs of the ascomycetous genus Venturia Sace and some allied genera of Venturiaceae E. M?ll. & Arx ex M. E. Barr). Braun & al. (I.e.) discussed the reasons for the proposal to conserve the well-known, larger (about 40 recognised species) genus Fusicladium, contain ing numerous economically important plant diseases, against the less known, smaller (only seven species) genus Spilocaea in detail. The earlier Prop. 1536 has been recom mended for support by the Committee for Fungi (Gams, Taxon 54: 520-522). Cycloconium Castagne has hardly been used since it was published, and was a largely forgotten name before Hughes (Canad. J. Bot. 31: 564. 1953) transferred C. oleagineum Castagne, the type of this generic name, to Spilocaea. In doing so, he reduced Cycloconium to syn onymy under Spilocaea. Since Fusicladium, described in 1851, is antedated by Cycloconium, introduced in 1845, the latter name threatens the use of Fusicladium nom. cons, prop. (incl. Pollaccia Bald. & Cif. and Spilocaea). Hence, it is recommended that the name Cycloconium be added to the list of names over which Fusicladium is conserved.

An annotated check list of Ramularia species in Australia, based on re-examinations of collections deposited at BRIp, DAR and VPRI, is presented. Twenty-eight species are reported in Australia, most of them on introduced host plants. The new species Cladosporium myrtacearum, Ramularia craspediicola and R. muehlenbeckiae are described. Collections of Cladosporium uredinicola, Neoramularia karelii, Passalora perfoliati and Pseudocercospora pongamiae -pinnatae, previously dep osited in Australian herbaria under ‘Rantularia sp.’, are newly recognised for Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology Society 2005

Several new species of cercosporoid fungi were isolated from leaf spots of various hosts, and are newly described. These include Pseudocercospora filipendulae-ulmariae, P. hebicola, P. melicyti, P. rhabdothamni, Pseudocercosporella persicariicola, P. spiraeigena, Pseudocladosporium matsushimae and Ramularia persicariicola nom. nov. (≡ R. rufomaculans var. longispora) from New Zealand. Furthermore, some additional cercosporoid fungi and plant diseases are also newly recorded from New Zealand and Fiji.

Several new foliicolous plant pathogens including Pseudocercospora beilschmiediae, P. coprosmae, P. dianellae, P. libertiae, P oleariae, P pomaderridis, Pseudocercosporella helenii, Ramularia coprosmae and Stenella aucklandica are described from New Zealand, and the new combination Pseudocercospora nogalesii is introduced. Furthermore, some additional cercosporoid leaf spot diseases that are new to New Zealand are recorded. The taxonomy of Cercospora on Limonium spp. is discussed and it is shown that two species are involved, viz., Cercospora apii s.lat. (= C. statices Pesante) and C. insulana (= C. statices Lobik).

Members of the ascomycetous genus Venturia Sacc. and some allied genera of Venturiaceae E. M11ll. & Arx ex M. E. Barr produced anamorphs that so far are classified in the hyphomycetous genera Fusicladium, Pollaccia Baldacci & Cif. and Spilocaea. Monographic studies in these genera, including light and scanning electron microscopic as well as molecular (PCR) examinations have recently been finished (Schubert, Taxonomische Revision der Gattung Fusicladium (Hyphomycetes, Venturia-Anamorphen), Diplom-Arbeit, Martin-Luther-Universitit Halle: 1-136. 2001; Ritschel, Taxonomische Revision der Gattungen Pollaccia und Spilocaea (Hyphomycetes, Venturia-Anamorphen), Diplom-Arbeit, Martin-Luther-Universitit Halle: 1-88. 2001). They suggest that the separation of these anamorphic genera of Venturia is not tenable since the conidiogenesis and structure of the conidiogenous loci are uniform. They are only discriminated by differences in the mode of proliferation of the conidiogenous cells, which are sympodial in Fusicladium and percurrent in Pollaccia and Spilocaea. Like the case with the anamorphs of Mycosphaerella Johanson [Mycosphaerellaceae Lindau] (Crous & al. in Stud. Mycol. 45: 107-121. 2000), this conidiogenous feature, in our opinion, is no longer suitable for the discrimination of the genera concerned. Recent molecular examinations clearly show that Venturia is a monophyletic unit that cannot be separated into smaller groups correlated with these anamorph genera. Thus, it is inevitable that these genera be merged. Spilocaea is the earliest legitimate name for the genus in its new expanded circumscription (Schubert, op. cit.). Most anamorphs of Venturia have been classified in Fusicladium, which comprises, according to our present monographic studies, about 40 recognised species, whereas Spilocaea, as previously defined, only comprises seven species. Numerous species of Venturia with Fusicladium anamorphs cause economically important plant diseases, e.g., V carpophila E. E. Fisher [anam. F carpophilum (Thiim.) Oudem.], V cerasi Aderh. [anam. F cerasi (Rabenh.) Erikss.] and V pyrina Aderh. [anam. F pyrorum (Lib.) Fuckel] (Deighton in Mycol. Pap. 112: 1-80. 1967. Barr in Canad. J. Bot. 46: 799-864. 1968. Ellis, Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes: 271-273. 1971. Ellis, More Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes: 237-240. 1976. Sivanesan in Biblioth. Mycol. 59: 1-139. 1977. Sivanesan, The Bitunicate Ascomycetes and their anamorphs: 604-623. 1984). Hughes (in Canad. J. Bot. 31: 565-573. 1953) reintroduced the name Spilocaea for Fusicladium-like hyphomycetes with percurrent conidiogenous cells. Before 1953, Venturia anamorphs were usually referred to as Fusicladium (e.g., Saccardo, Syll. Fung. 4: 345-347. 1886. Lindau, Pilze Deutschl., Fungi imperf.: 774-790. 1907. Vassiljevsky & Karakulin, Parazitnye nesovershennye griby I: 193-208. 1937), including Spilocaea pomi, the type of Spilocaea, which was transferred to Fusicladium by Lind (Danish Fungi: 521. 1913). Therefore, to avoid the introduction of 40 new combinations and to maintain the traditional use of this generic name, which includes numerous names of important plant diseases, we propose conservation of Fusicladium against Spilocaea.

The present paper continues the series on taxonomic problems of the powdery mildews. The following new descriptions and combinations are proposed: Erysiphe viciae-unijugae (Homma) U. Braun comb. nov., E. hiratae U. Braun sp. nov., E. hommae U. Braun sp. nov., E. sedi U. Braun sp. nov., E. pileae (Jac.) Bunkina ex U. Braun sp. nov., E. echinopis U. Braun sp. nov., Microsphaera nomurae U. Braun spec. nov., M. pseudoacaciae (Marcenko) U. Braun comb. nov., M. caryae U. Braun spec. nov., and M. jaczewskii U. Braun nom. nov. Taxonomy and nomenclature of Microsphaera on Viburnum are discussed. The European Microsphaera on Viburnum opulus L. and the North American forms are considered to belong to one species. Microsphaera sparsa Howe is the correct name. Microsphaera hedwigii Lev. on Viburnum lanata L. is kept as a separate species. Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt die Serie uber taxonomische Probleme der Mehltaupilze fort. Sie enthalt folgende Neubeschreibungen und Kombinationen: Erysiphe viciae-unijugae (Homma) U. Braun comb. nov., E. hiratae U. Braun sp. nov., E. hommae U. Braun sp. nov., E. sedi U. Braun sp. nov., E. pileae (Jac.) Bunkina ex U. Braun sp. nov., E. echinopis U. Braun sp. nov., Microsphaera nomurae U. Braun sp. nov., M. pseudoacaciae (Marcenko)U. Braun comb. nov., M. caryae U. Braun sp. nov. und M. jaczewskii U. Braun nom. nov. Taxonomie und Nomenklatur der Microsphaera-Arten auf Viburnum werden diskutiert. Microsphaera auf Viburnum opulus L. in Europa und die nordamerikanischen Formen werden als eine Art betrachtet. Der korrekte Name dafur ist Microsphaera sparsa Howe. Microsphaera hedwigii Lev. auf Viburnum lanata L. wird auf Rangstufe der Art beibehalten.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Art Erysiphe magnicellulata sp. nov. beschrieben und die Kombination Phyllactinia mali (Duby) comb. nov. aufgestellt. Im Rahmen einer nomenklatorischen Untersuchung der Sektionsgliederung der europaischen Erysiphaceen-Gattungen werden folgende Neubeschreibungen und Kombinationen vorgenommen: Erysiphe (DC.) Fr. sect. Golovinomyces sect. nov., E. sect. Blumeria (Golovin ex Speer) stat. nov., Sphaerotheca Lev. sect. Magnicellulatae sect. nov., Podosphaera Kunze sect. Tridactyla sect. nov., Microsphaera Lev. sect. Trichocladioidea sect. nov., M. sect. Arthrocladiella (Vassilkov) stat. nov. und Uncinula Lev. sect. Sawadaea (Miyabe in Sawada) stat. nov. In the present paper the new species Erysiphe magnicellulata sp. nov. is described and the combination Phyllactinia mali (Duby) comb. nov. is stated. In the result of a study about the nomenclature of the delimination of European mildew genera in sections the following new descriptions and combinations are established: Erysiphe (DC.) Fr. sect. Golovinomyces sect. nov., E. sect. Blumeria (Golovin ex Speer) stat. nov., Sphaerotheca Lev. sect. Magnicellulatae sect. nov., Podosphaera Kunze sect. Tridactyla sect. nov., Microsphaera Lev. sect. Trichocladioidea sect. nov., M. sect. Arthrocladiella (Vassilkov) stat. nov. and Uncinula Lev. sect. Sawadaea (Miyabe in Sawada) stat. nov.

Die vorliegende Arbeit fast unsere Kenntnisse uber die in der DDR nachgewiesenen Arten und Wirtspflanzen der Rostpilze zusammen. Bestimmungsschlussel und Abbildungen ermoglichen das Identifizieren der einzelnen Sippen. Einige taxonomische Anderungen werden vorgeschlagen: Melampsora euphorbiae var. euphorbiae-dulcis (Otth) stat. nov., Puccinia nitida var. major var. nov., P. violae var. sublaevis var. nov., P. angelicae var. athamanthae (Wallr.) comb. nov., P. dioicae var. opizii (Bus.) stat. nov., P. obscura var. luzulae-maximae (Diet.) stat. nov., P. schneideri var. ruebsaamenii (Magn.) stat. nov., Uromyces geranii var. kabatianus (Bus.) stat. nov. The present paper summarizes our knowledge about the species and host plants of the rust fungi that have been recorded from the GDR. The identification of the taxa, species and varieties, is possible by means of keys and illustrations. Some taxonomic changes are proposed: Melampsora euphorbiae var. euphorbiae-dulcis (Otth) stat. nov., Puccinia nitida var. major var. nov., P. violae var. sublaevis var. nov., P. angelicae var. athamanthae (Wallr.) comb. nov., P. dioicae var. opizii (Bus.) stat. nov., P. obscura var. luzulae-maximae (Diet.) stat. nov., P. schneideri var. ruebsaamenii (Magn.) stat. nov., Uromyces geranii var. kabatianus (Bus.) stat. nov.

Die bisher aus Europa bekannt gewordenen Anthracoidea-Arten werden zusammenfassend dargestellt. 30 Arten und 1 Varietat werden anerkannt. Anthracoidea irregularis (Liro ex) U. Braun & G. Hirsch sp. nov. wird beschrieben. Alle revidierten Belege werden zitiert. Es werden Bemerkungen zur Systematik und Floristik einzelner Arten gemacht. Weiterhin ist ein Schlussel zur Bestimmung der europaischen Anthracoidea-Arten sowie ein Register der Wirtspflanzen angefugt. A review about the European species of Anthracoidea is given. 30 species and 1 variety are recognized. Anthracoidea irregularis (Liro ex) U. Braun & G. Hirsch sp. nov. is described. All revised herbarium specimens are cited. Remarks about the systematic and floristic of some species are provided. A key of the genus and a list of the host plants is offered.