Erratomycetaceae, fam. nov., and validation of some names of smut fungi recently described from India

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Copyright ©2013 ■ MYCOBIOTA
MYCOBIOTA 1: 63–70 (2013) ISSN 1314-7129 (print)
doi: 10.12664/mycobiota.2013.01.07 ISSN 1314-7781 (online)
www.mycobiota.com
Erratomycetaceae, fam. nov., and validation of some
names of smut fungi recently described from India
Cvetomir M. Denchev* & Teodor T. Denchev
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., So a
1113, Bulgaria
Received 23 November 2012 / Accepted 9 January 2013 / Published 11 January 2013
Denchev, C.M. & Denchev, T.T. 2013. Erratomycetaceae, fam. nov., and validation of some names of smut
fungi recently described from India. – Mycobiota 1: 63–70. doi: 10.12664/mycobiota.2013.01.07
Abstract. A new family, Erratomycetaceae, is described as distinct from Tilletiaceae
based on host specialization, morphological features of the sori and spores, and results
of published molecular phylogenetic analyses. Eight invalidly published names of
Indian smut fungi are discussed. Four of these are considered to apply to distinct
species and their names are validated as Eballistra punensis, Anthracocystis kolhapurensis,
Sporisorium mahabaleshwarense, and Sporisorium lohagadense.  e remaining names are
recognized as synonyms of validly published names. A new name, Anthracocystis guoae,
is proposed to replace Sporisorium apludae-muticae L. Guo (non Anthracocystis apludae-
muticae (A.R. Patil et al.) McTaggart & R.G. Shivas).
Key words: Eballistra, Erratomyces, Erratomycetaceae, India, Melanotaenium, smut
fungi, Sporisorium, Tilletia
Introduction
As part of an ongoing revision of Asian smut fungi, we discuss the status of some Indian
species.
 e genus Erratomyces (Tilletiaceae) comprises  ve species restricted to hosts in Fabaceae:
E. patelii (Pavgi &  irum.) M. Piepenbr. & R. Bauer (distributed in Africa, Brazil, Central
America, the Caribbean, and India), E. ajmeriensis (J.C.S. Gupta) M. Piepenbr. & R. Bauer
(India), E. crotalariae (N.C. Joshi) M. Piepenbr. & R. Bauer (India), E. smithiae ( irum.
et al.) M. Piepenbr. & R. Bauer (India), and E. thirumalacharii (Pavgi) M. Piepenbr. & R.
Bauer (India) (Piepenbring & Bauer 1997; Vánky 2011).
*Corresponding author: e-mail: cmdenchev@yahoo.co.uk

64 , ..  , .. — Erratomycetaceae, . .
Species of Erratomyces are characterized by (i) sori in leaves, forming dark spots or
galls that do not rupture the epidermis; (ii) intercellular hyphae, septa with dolipores (with
a pore traversed by two membranous plates; without caps); (iii) single, pigmented spores
embedded in the host tissue, scattered in the intercellular spaces; and (iv) spore germination
resulting in holobasidia of Tilletia-type (Piepenbring & Bauer 1997; Vánky 2011).  ey
have Entyloma-like sori but di er in that Entyloma species have simple septal pores with
two membrane caps.  e genus Erratomyces was considered to be closely related to Tilletia
on the basis of morphology characters (large, pigmented spores, spore germination of
Tilletia-type, intercellular hyphae) and ultrastructure (dolipore without caps, traversed by
two membranous plates) (Piepenbring & Bauer 1997; Vánky 2011) and was placed in the
family Tilletiaceae (Piepenbring & Bauer 1997; Vánky 2002).
 ere are  ve other genera in the Tilletiaceae: Tilletia, Conidiosporomyces, Ingoldiomyces,
Neovossia, and Oberwinkleria, which have species that are specialized pathogens restricted
to ovaries of hosts in the Poaceae. Species of Erratomyces di er from the members of these
genera by host specialization on Fabaceae, and by spores embedded in the leaf mesophyll
without rupturing the epidermis. As an exception, a small group of Tilletia species also form
sori in leaves, but their mature sori rupture the epidermis, exposing a powdery spore mass.
 e need for a new family to accommodate Erratomyces, was supported by results from
molecular phylogenetic analyses (Castlebury et al. 2005).
We propose Erratomyces be removed from the Tilletiaceae and placed in a new family.
Recently, a new monograph of the smut fungi in India was published by Gandhe
(2011). Eight names of new species, described in that book, were not validly published
under the ICN. For those names, the necessary indication of the type was not given by
the word ‘typus’ or an equivalent (Art. 40.6). Moreover, seven of these new species were
described in an inappropriate genus. Four of the species in question are distinct and the
names are validly published here (Art. 33.1) to facilitate their citation in forthcoming
publication.
Material and methods
For examination of Erratomyces patelii under light microscope, spores from a dried specimen
were mounted in lactophenol solution on glass slides, gently heated to boiling point to
rehydrate the spores, and then cooled. Spore measurements are given in the form: min–max
[mean ± 1 standard deviation].
A new family for Erratomyces
A new family is proposed to accommodate Erratomyces, based on host specialization and
morphology of sori and spores, as well as on results of published molecular phylogenetic
analyses (Castlebury et al. 2005).

  () 65
Erratomycetaceae Denchev & T. Denchev, fam. nov.
IF 550107
Member of the order Tilletiales R. Bauer & Oberw.; having intercellular hyphae, septa
with dolipores without caps, traversed by two membranous plates, and the characters of the
genus Erratomyces. Sori in leaves of plants of Fabaceae forming dark spots or galls that do
not burst or rupture the epidermis. Spores single, pigmented, embedded in the host tissue.
Spore germination in holobasidia of Tilletia-type.
Type genus: Erratomyces M. Piepenbr. & R. Bauer, Mycologia 89: 930, 1997.
 e type species of Erratomyces is characterised as follows:
Erratomyces patelii (Pavgi &  irum.) M. Piepenbr. & R. Bauer, Mycologia 89: 933, 1997.
Figs –
Sori in leaves, forming polyangular spots, limited by leaf veins, 1.5–6(–9) mm long,
larger by fusion, dark reddish brown; not bursting or rupturing the epidermis. Spores single,
embedded in the leaf mesophyll, globose, subglobose or broadly ellipsoidal, sometimes
slightly irregular, (20–)21.5–31 × (17–)18.5–28 (26.2 ± 2.5 × 23.3 ± 2.1) µm (n = 100),
medium to dark reddish brown; wall consisting of two layers, as seen in LM, inner layer
evenly thickened, 0.8–1.8 µm thick, outer layer unevenly thickened, (1.8–)2.5–4.5(–6) µm
thick, darker than the inner, ornamented with coarse warts, tuberculum-like and conical-
like ornaments.
On Fabaceae: Phaseolus vulgaris L., Vigna spp.
Specimen examined — On Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper: INDIA, MADHYA PRADESH,
Chhapara inter Seoni et Lakhnadon, 22°22' N, 79°35' E, 30 Aug 1998, leg. N.D. Sharma,
det. K. Vánky (Vánky Ustilag. exsicc., no. 1052).
Validation of four names of smut fungi
1. Melanotaenium punense Gandhe (as ‘punensis’; 2011: 154, nom. inval., Art. 40.6).
Melanotaenium proper is restricted to species on host plants in dicotyledonous families
(Vánky 2002, 2011). All former species named in Melanotaenium on Poaceae were transferred
to Jamesdicksonia, Eballistra or Phragmotaenium (Bauer et al. 2001; Vánky 2002).
On the legend of Fig. 8 of Plate 2.7 (where the spore germination of Melanotaenium
punense was illustrated), Gandhe (2011) noted: ‘terminal basidiospores with secondary
blastospores’. Together with Fig. 132 of Plate 4.22 (Gandhe 2011), we can conclude that
the spores of M. punense germinate in holobasidia with gastroid (rather than ballistic)
basidiospores and apical budding of the basidiospores which is characteristic of Eballistra.
 e basidia, illustrated by Gandhe (2011), resemble those of E. brachiariae (Viégas) R.
Bauer et al.  e morphological features, as given in the original description, also seem
similar with those of E. brachiariae, which is found on Brachiaria distachya, B. piligera
(Urochloa piligera), B. plantaginea, Ottochloa nodosa, Panicum coloratum, Urochloa panicoides,
U. trichopus (Vánky 2011).  e genera Ottochloa, Urochloa, Brachiaria, and Panicum are

66 , ..  , .. — Erratomycetaceae, . .
members of tribe Paniceae. Melanotaenium punense was found on  emeda triandra, tribe
Sacchareae (syn. Andropogoneae). As no species of Eballistra has previously been reported on
 emeda (nor on a grass in the tribe Sacchareae), we consider that collection represents a
new species.
Eballistra punensis Denchev & T. Denchev, sp. nov.
IF 550108
Type on  emeda triandra Forssk. (Poaceae): INDIA, MAHARASHTRA STATE,
Pune, 15 September 1975, leg. R.V. Gandhe (holotype, AMH 9364).
Latin description by Gandhe in Ustilaginales of India: 154, 2011 (as Melanotaenium
punensis Gandhe); illustrations by Gandhe (op. c., Plate 2.7, Fig. 8 on p. 35, and Plate 4.22,
Figs 128–132 on p. 155).
2. Sorosporium kolhapurense Gandhe (as ‘kolhapurensis’; 2011: 197, nom. inval., Art.
40.6), Sorosporium mahabaleshwarense Gandhe (as ‘mahabaleshwarensis’; 2011: 199, nom.
inval., Art. 40.6), Sorosporium matheranense Gandhe (as ‘matheranensis’; 2011: 200, nom.
inval., Art. 40.6).
Sorosporium was restricted to one species, S. saponariae F. Rudolphi, on caryophyllaceous
plants (Vánky 1987, 1994). Later, Sorosporium was reduced to a synonym of  ecaphora,
which has species restricted to dicotyledonous plants (Vánky 2002, 2011).  e former
Sorosporium species on Poaceae were transferred to Sporisorium.  e proposal by Gandhe
(2011) to establish three new species of Sorosporium on Poaceae is an error. A new
taxonomic scheme of the Ustilago-Sporisorium-Macalpinomyces complex was recently
proposed by McTaggart et al. (2012) and the circumscriptions of the genera Sporisorium
and Anthracocystis were emended.
Sorosporium kolhapurense has characteristics of Anthracocystis: presence of  liform
columellae (comp. Gandhe 2011: 198, Fig. 189) and spore balls (with darker outer spores),
and absence of sterile cells.
Anthracocystis kolhapurensis Denchev & T. Denchev, sp. nov.
IF 550109
Type on Apluda mutica L. (Poaceae): INDIA, MAHARASHTRA STATE, Kolhapur,
7 October 1975, leg. S.D. Patil (holotype, AMH 9369).
Latin description by Gandhe in Ustilaginales of India: 197, 2011 (as Sorosporium
kolhapurensis Gandhe); illustrations by Gandhe (op. c., Plate 4.29, Figs 188–195 on p.
198).
Seven species of smut fungi are known on representatives of Apluda among which  ve
species are members of Sporisorium s. lat. (Vánky 1997b, 2009, 2011), namely:
1) Sporisorium apludae (Syd. & P. Syd.) L. Guo, Mycosystema 3: 76, 1990.
2) Anthracocystis guoae Denchev & T. Denchev, nom. nov.
IF 550110

  () 67
Fig. 1. Sori of Erratomyces patelii forming polyangular spots on leaves of Vigna mungo (Vánky
Ustilag. exsicc., no. 1052). Habit. Scale bar = 1 cm
Figs 2, 3. Spores of Erratomyces patelii on Vigna mungo (Vánky Ustilag. exsicc., no. 1052)
in LM. Scale bars = 10 µm

68 , ..  , .. — Erratomycetaceae, . .
Replacing Sporisorium apludae-muticae L. Guo, Mycotaxon 72: 390, 1999 (non
Anthracocystis apludae-muticae (A.R. Patil, T.M. Patil & M.S. Patil) McTaggart & R.G.
Shivas, Persoonia 29: 120, 2012). — Type on Apluda mutica L.: CHINA, GUANGXI,
Pingxiang, 6 Jan 1998, Guo L. 1622 (holotype, HMAS 77290).
3) Anthracocystis apludae-muticae (A.R. Patil, T.M. Patil & M.S. Patil) McTaggart & R.G.
Shivas, Persoonia 29: 120, 2012 (Syn. Sporisorium muticae Vánky & A.R. Patil)
4) Anthracocystis apludae (Mishra) McTaggart & R.G. Shivas, Persoonia 29: 119, 2012
(Syn. Sporisorium mishrae Vánky)
5) Anthracocystis apludae-aristatae (B.V. Patil &  irum.) McTaggart & R.G. Shivas,
Persoonia 29: 120, 2012.
 e sori of Anthracocystis kolhapurensis are localized in spikelets and di er from those
of A. guoae and A. apludae-muticae which destroy the whole raceme. Sporisorium apludae
di ers from A. kolhapurensis by having smaller spores (57 µm long) while those of the
latter are 89.5 µm long. Anthracocystis apludae di ers from A. kolhapurensis by the presence
of sori which are grouped in the spikelets into witches’ brooms. Anthracocystis apludae-
aristatae possesses spore balls in which the outer spores are larger (812(13) µm long)
than those of A. kolhapurensis, and are in addition prominently echinulate (with spines up
to 11.5 um high) compared to the verruculose ornamentation of A. kolhapurensis.
Sporisorium mahabaleshwarense Denchev & T. Denchev, sp. nov.
IF 550111
Type on Ischaemum impressum Hack. (Poaceae): INDIA, MAHARASHTRA STATE,
Mahabaleshwar, 12 October 1976, leg. R.V. Gandhe (holotype, AMH 9370).
Latin description by Gandhe in Ustilaginales of India: 199, 2011 (as Sorosporium
mahabaleshwarensis Gandhe).
Based on the original description, Sporisorium mahabaleshwarense destroys the whole
in orescence transforming it into a conspicuous, cylindrical, 24 cm long sorus, at  rst
hidden inside in the leaf sheath, and covered by a peridium.  e sori possess a central,
conspicuous columella, as long as the sorus, with ridges and furrows.  e spore balls are
irregular, loosely arranged; the spores are 1113.5 µm long (mean 12.4 µm), ‘spinulose’
at the free surface; the sterile cells are 14.520 µm long (Gandhe 2011).  irteen known
species of Sporisorium s. lat. infect Ischaemum.  ere are four species of Sporisorium s. lat.
that destroy the whole in orescence (Vánky 2009, 2011). Sporisorium mahabaleshwarense
can be distinguished from these species as follows.  e spores of S. ischaemi-anthephoroides
(S. Ito) Vánky & Kakish. are very short, 57 µm long.  e sori of Anthracocystis ischaemiana
(A.R. Patil et al.) McTaggart & R.G. Shivas (syn. S. ischaemianum) possess numerous
 liform columellae. Sporisorium  agellatum (Syd., P. Syd. & E.J. Butler) Vánky di ers by
having larger spores (1219 µm long).  e sori of S. ischaemi-rugosi (Mishra) Vánky possess
a stout, uniform columella, with a shortly bifurcate tip, that protrudes beyond the sorus,
while S. mahabaleshwarense has sori with a long, central,  agelliform columella with ridges
and furrows.

  () 69
Sorosporium matheranense Gandhe (as ‘matheranensis’), Ustilaginales of India: 200, 2011
(nom. inval.). — Type on Spodiopogon rhizophorus (Steud.) Pilg. (Poaceae), INDIA,
MAHARASHTRA STATE, Matheran, 5 November 1976, leg. S.D. Patil (AMH 9371).
Sorosporium matheranense (invalidly published in the Gandhe’s PhD thesis, 1978) was
reduced to a synonym of Sporisorium spodiopogonis (M.S. Patil) Vánky (Vánky 1997a).
3. Sphacelotheca lohagadensis Gandhe (2011: 204, nom. inval., Art. 40.6), Sphacelotheca
sinhagadensis Gandhe (2011: 207, nom. inval., Art. 40.6).
 ese smuts, found in in orescences of members of the Poaceae, do not belong to the
genus Sphacelotheca, species of which are restricted exclusively to Polygonaceae (see Langdon
& Fullerton 1978; Vánky 2002, 2011).  ey should be treated as species of Sporisorium if
required.
Sporisorium lohagadense Denchev & T. Denchev, sp. nov.
IF 550112
Type on Ischaemum tumidum Stapf (Poaceae): INDIA, MAHARASHTRA STATE,
Lohagad, 5 January 1975, leg. R.V. Gandhe (holotype, AMH 9372).
Latin description by Gandhe in Ustilaginales of India: 204 & 206, 2011 (as Sphacelotheca
lohagadensis Gandhe); illustrations by Gandhe (op. c., Plate 4.30, Figs 196–199 on p. 205).
Based on the original description, Sporisorium lohagadense destroys the whole
in orescence transforming it into a cylindrical, 35 cm long sorus, at  rst hidden inside
in the leaf sheath, covered by a peridium, with a central, branched columella, as long as
the sorus. Spores are single or ‘in clumps’; the spores are 89.5 µm long (mean 8.8 µm),
smooth to  nely verruculose; sterile cells are 9.510.5 µm long (Gandhe 2011).  ere
are four species of Sporisorium on Ischaemum that destroy the whole in orescence (Vánky
2009, 2011). In soral and spore characters, Sporisorium lohagadense bears some resemblance
to S. ischaemi-anthephoroides but possesses larger spores. Anthracocystis ischaemiana is
distinguished by its sori with numerous,  liform columellae. Sporisorium  agellatum and S.
ischaemi-rugosi di er by having larger spores. Sporisorium mahabaleshwarense di ers from S.
lohagadense by having larger spores and larger sterile cells.
Sphacelotheca sinhagadensis Gandhe, Ustilaginales of India: 207, 2011 (nom. inval.). — Type
on Coix lachryma-jobi L. (Poaceae), INDIA, MAHARASHTRA STATE, Pune, Sinhagad,
leg. R.V. Gandhe (AMH 9373; a specimen with two gatherings, from 1 December 1975,
and 5 November 1976).
Sphacelotheca sinhagadensis (invalidly published in the Gandhe’s PhD thesis, 1978) was
reduced to a synonym of Sporisorium lacrymae-jobi (Mundk.) Vánky (Vánky 1995).
4. Tilletia  scheri Gandhe (2011: 306, nom. inval., Art. 40.6; and later homonym, non
Tilletia  scheri P. Karst., 1884) on Panicum psilopodium Trin.
Based on the original description, T.  scheri infects only some ovaries of the
in orescence, and forms sori 0.52.0 mm long.  e spores are 2326 µm long (mean 24.6
µm), reticulate, with ‘reticulations ... 1.63.2 µm broad’, ‘epispore rim ... 1.63.2 µm in

70 , ..  , .. — Erratomycetaceae, . .
thickness’ (according to Gandhe 2011: 308).  ere are three species of Tilletia on Panicum
with such soral characteristics and reticulate spores.  e spores of T. mexicana Vánky are
larger, 2529 µm long. Whether T.  scheri is distinct from T. courtetiana Har. & Pat. or T.
narasimhanii  irum. & Safeeulla needs further study.
5. Ustilago tripogonis Gandhe (2011: 365, nom. inval., Art. 40.6) on Tripogon lisboae Stapf
and T. jacquemontii Stapf.
 is species requires re-examination; it is possibly a synonym of Macalpinomyces
tripogonis (M.S. Patil) Vánky, although in the protologue sterile cells were not mentioned.
Acknowledgements.  e authors thank Dr Paul Kirk and the reviewers of the manuscript
for their helpful and constructive comments.
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