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Sphaerulina

Scientific Name: Sphaerulina

Family: Mycosphaerellaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Sphaerulina: A Genus of Fungi

Sphaerulina is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Mycosphaerellaceae.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Kingdom: Fungi
  • Family: Mycosphaerellaceae
  • Synonym: Micronutriella (in Czech, French, and German)

Distribution and Habitat

Species within the Sphaerulina genus have been found in various locations, including:

  • Argentina (Formosa, Tierra del Fuego)
  • Paraguay (Asuncin Parque Caballero)
  • Australia

Ecological Role

Many Sphaerulina species are plant pathogens, meaning they can cause diseases in plants. Specific examples include:

  • Sphaerulina oryzina: Infects rice, causing Cercospora leaf spot or narrow brown leaf spot.
  • Sphaerulina rehmiana: Infects roses.
  • Sphaerulina rubi: Infects caneberries (e.g., raspberries, blackberries), causing raspberry leaf spot.
  • Sphaerulina musiva: Causes leaf spot and stem canker, particularly impacting plantations of poplar and other species.
  • Sphaerulina tirolensis: Causes leaf spot on Rubus phoenicolasius.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Sphaerulina mimosae-pigrae: Occurs on green leaf pinnae.
  • After infection with Cercospora oryzae, linear leaf lesions develop which are 2-10 mm long and usually not more than 1-1.5 mm wide. The long axis is parallel to that of the leaf.

Specific Species

  • Sphaerulina codiicola
  • Sphaerulina rhododendricola: Named after the host genus Rhododendron.
  • Sphaerulina myriadea
  • Sphaerulina albispiculata
  • Sphaerulina pedicellata
  • Sphaerulina aechmeae
  • Sphaerulina fuegiana
  • Sphaerulina coffaeicola
  • Sphaerulina populicola

Interactions with other organisms

Some species within the genus interact directly with plants.

  • Sphaerulina aechmeae is associated with Aechmea polystachya.
  • Sphaerulina fuegiana is associated with Hierochloe antarctica.
  • Sphaerulina coffaeicola is associated with Coffea arabica.
  • Sphaerulina musiva - Populus pathosystem

Resources and Further Information

  • Index Fungorum
  • USDA ARS Fungal Database
  • European Nucleotide Archive (e.g., Sphaerulina musiva SO2202)
  • Discover Life
  • WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species)