A N E W S P E C I E S OF ' E D M U N D M A S O N I A ' S U B R A M . F R O M H Y D E R A B A D

by

DEv RAo & P. RAGHUVEER RA0

Dept. o/Botany, Vivek Vardhini College and Dept. o/Botany, Nizam College, Hyderabad-A. P. (India)

(with 1 fig.)

(23.XI.1963)

SUBRAMANIAN (1958) proposed a new genus Edmundmasonia, in honour of Mr. E. W. MASON, to accommodate a Dematiaceous, phaeo- phragmosporous fungus producing spores acrogenously and singly on primary or secondary phialides arising laterally on simple conidio- phores, but borne directly on them apically, with E. pulchra as type. In this communication a new species of the above fungus is described collected by the authors during their study of Hyphomycetes of Hyderabad.

Edmundmasonia bulbosa sp. nov.

Black pulverulent colonies are produced by this fungus on the substratum. Colonies consist of closely aggregated hyphae forming creeping, coremium like structures, from which conidiophores arise singly. Hyphae are dark brown, septate, branched, 3--5 # broad. Conidiophores are erect or bent or sometimes curved, 45--325 # long, 4--7.2 # broad at base, 2--5 ,a broad at apex, up to 10 septate, 7--16 # apart, branched, branches up to 90 ff long, 2--5 septate, septa up to 12/x apart. Branches and the main conidiophores are dark brown uniformly, cylindrical and thick wailed. Botuliform to obclavate phialides arise on the main axis and branches of conidio- phores. Conidia are produced singly and acrogenously on the phialides. Phialides are produced up to the third order. Pr imary phialides are thick walled and concolorous with the main axis, while subsequent phialides are light brown, comparatively thin walled. They are contin- uous, 3--11 # long, 2--4/~ broad at the base where they are widest and 1 - 2 # broad at apex. Secondary and tertiary phialides arise from the primary ones, forming simple or branched short chains. Conidia are clavate to oval, 1--3 septate, blackish brown to dark brown

A NEW EDMUNDMASONIA FROM HYDERABAD 243

with an obtuse, comparatively thick walled, guttulate, broadest and biggest apical cell measuring 4---t 2 # in length and 4--8.5 # in breadth. Conidia measure totally 14--28.8 # in length, 4--8.5 # in breadth at apex and up to 3 # at base. The basal cells of the conidia are charac- teristically thin walled light brown, cup shaped and bulbous, 2--5

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Edmundmasonia bulbosa. (from type material V.V.C.B.L. No. 349). 1. A branched conidiophore with phialides. 2---3. Par t of conidiophore showing conidial a t tach- ment. 4. Phialides with conidia. 5--6. Secondary and ter t iary phialides with eonidia.

7. Conidia.

long, 1.5--3 # broad. Conidia darker in the apical region and getting paler gradually towards their base. Usually except the basal cell others are guttulate.

The branched nature of conidiophores, conidia with character- istic thin walled cup shaped bulbous basal cell, make the present

16"

244 D. RAO (~ P. R. RA0

fungus distinct from the type E. pulchra. Hence this is described new as E. bulbosa, indicating the bulbous nature of the basal cells of conidia. Collected on dead stems of Bamboo from Hyderabad on 13--11-- '63. Coll. D. R. Herbarium hyderabadense V.V.C.B.L. No. 349.

Edmundmasonia bulbosa sp. nov.

Coloniae pulverulentes, nigrae. Hyphae brunneae, ramosae, septa- tae, 3--5 # latae, formae coremiae repentae. Conidioptlori surgentes e cellulis coremiae vel e cellulis hypharum repentium, usque i0 septati (septis 7 t l 6 # inter se distantibus), 45--325 # longi, 4--7.2 # lati ad basim, 2--5 # lati ad apicem, ramosae, ramuli, usque 90 # longi, 2--5 septati (septa usque 12 }, distantibus). Conidia producta acrogena et singulariter ad apicem cellulae terminalis conidiophori (quae partes phialidis agit) atque phialidibus terminibus et later- libus insidentia. Phiatidis formae et magnitudinis variae, unicellu- latae, productae secondariae vel tertiarae, insidentes phialidibus primariis latera]ibus in catenas, fusce brunneae, botuliformae vel obclavatae, 3--11 ~ longae, 2 -4 lu latae. Conidia fusee brunnea, clavata, apice levi rotundato, 1--3 septata, 1¢--28.8 # longa, latissima quidem 4--8.5 # ad cellulam apicalem. Cellula apicalis conidii caeteris largior, 4--12 # longa, 4--8.5 # tata. Cellula basalis conidii pallide, obconica, bulbosa, 2--5 # tonga, 1.5--3 # lata. In conidiis maturis cellula apicalis obscurissima atque crassissima, cellulae inferiores progressive pallidiores et paulo minus crassae, singulae cellulae conidiales gut tula ampta conspicua ornatae.

Typus lectus in ligno emortio Bambusinis sp. ad Hyderabad die 11 mensis novembris anni 1963 a D. R. et positus in herbario hyderabadensi sub numero V.V.C.B.L. 349.

Acknowledgements We are grateful to Prof. M. R. SUXENA, Dept. of Botany, 0smania

University and Dr. S. D. SATWALEI<AR, Principal, Vivek Vardhini College for facility and encouragement.

Reference

1. SUBRAMANIAN, C. V. (1958) H y p h o m y c e t e s Vt , "Two New Genera Edmundma- sonia a n d tye~,~garina", J. I n d i a n bot . Soc. 37 (3) : 401--404.