A PLEOMORPHIC PARASITE OF CEREAL SEEDS, PYRENOPHORA SEMENIPERDA

Abstract

Pyrenophora semeniperda (Brittlebank & Adam) n. comb. (≡Pleosphaeria semeniperda Brittlebank & Adam) (=Pyrenophora horrida H. Sydow) is the ascogenous state of a fungus with three described conidial states. The pycnidial state was not named, but Podosporiella verticillata O'Gara and Bipolaris cyclops (Drechs.) Sprague had been proposed for, respectively, the synnematous and mononematous conditions of the species. The formation of synnemata was found to depend on culture substrate. Consequently, one name, Drechslera verticillata (O'Gara) n. comb., is proposed for the hyphomycetous state. The fungus is redescribed and illustrated from type and other specimens representing records from Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, and the United States of America.