Three New Foliicolous Ascomycetes from Andaman Islands, India

Abstract

Three new foliicolous fungal taxa from Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal have been described and illustrated herewith. Meliola dysoxyli-andamanensis, as new species and Asterina miliusae var. andamanica and Meliola memecyli var. andamanica as new varieties are included in this article.

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Bio Bulletin (ISSN NO. (Print): 2454-7913 (Online): 2454-7921)
Bio Bulletin (ISSN NO. (Print): 2454-7913 (Online): 2454-7921) Vol.3 (1): 2017
http://www.biobulletin.com/abstract.php
Three New Foliicolous Ascomycetes from Andaman
Islands, India
A. Sabeena , H. Biju, C. K. Biju, and Sam P. Mathew
Corresponding author: Sam P. Mathew
ABSTRACT: Three new foliicolous fungal taxa from Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal have been described
and illustrated herewith. Meliola dysoxyli-andamanensis, as new species and Asterina miliusae var.
andamanica and Meliola memecylii var. andamanica as new varieties are included in this article.
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http://www.biobulletin.com/pdf/8-BB-238-SAM%20P.%20MATHEW.pdf

Bio Bulletin (2017), Vol. 3(1): 74-79,Sabeena, Biju, Thomas, Biju and Mathew 74
ISSN NO. (Print): 2454-7913
ISSN NO. (Online): 2454-7921
Three new Foliicolous Ascomycetes from Andaman Islands, India
A. Sabeena*, H. Biju*, Jacob Thomas**, C. K. Biju*and Sam P. Mathew*
*Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute,
Palode 695 562, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, INDIA
**Department of Botany, Marthoma College, Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, INDIA
(Corresponding author: Sam P. Mathew, sampmatthew@gmail.com)
(Published by Research Trend, Website: www.biobulletin.com)
(Received 02 January 2017; Accepted 09 March 2017)
ABSTRACT: Three new foliicolous fungal taxa from Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal have been
described and illustrated herewith. Meliola dysoxyli-andamanensis, as new species and Asterina
miliusae var. andamanica and Meliola memecylii var. andamanica as new varieties are included in this
article.
Keywords: Andaman Islands, foliicolous fungi, new taxa.
INTRODUCTION
The Andaman Islands, located between the
latitudes 6° 45'’ to 13° 41'’ N and the longitudes
92° 12’’ to 94° 16’' E, comprises around 325
islands and rock outcrops (islets) which cover an
approximate land mass of 6,408 sq km in the Bay
of Bengal. These islands are mostly uninhabited
and over 86% of the total area has been covered
with pristine low land tropical rain forests
(Anonymous, 2009). Geologically, this insular
region is considered as the emergent peaks of a
submerged mountain range in continuation with
the Arakan-Yoma Mountains of the Myanmar to
the Moluccas Island of the Indonesian group. It
undoubtedly indicates that the floristic components
of Andaman-Nicobar Islands is ‘continental’ in
origin and evolved to the present status from a
totally balanced continental bio-system through
evolution over millions of years. Therefore the
present bio-system of the Andaman-Nicobar
Islands can be referred to as a ‘sub continental
bio-system’. According to an official estimation, the
insular vegetation is known to host about 2645
taxa under 237 families and 1077 genera
belonging to Angiosperms, Gymnosperms,
Pteridophytes and Bryophytes (Pandey & Diwakar,
2008). Interestingly, it is found that considerable
floristic evaluation on higher groups of insular
plants have been carried out in Andaman-Nicobar
Islands by the Botanical Survey of India and other
agencies; nevertheless, the lower groups co-
existing with higher group of taxa, especially the
micro fungi are rarely known or rather little known
until the recent investigation carried out by us
(Hosagoudar & Mathew, 2000; Hosagoudar et al,
2014). The present investigation added over 100
micro-fungal taxa to the lesser known insular
fungal flora of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and
the investigation is in progress.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Infected plant parts such as leaves and stems
were collected in polythene bags along with
flowering/fruiting twigs of the host plant species for
confirming the identity. Separate field numbers
were given to each collections and primary field
information on infection pattern, locality, altitude,
type of vegetation, date of collection, place of
collection, plant association, other special
information regarding host plant, etc. were also
being recorded in the field book during plant
explorations. All plant materials were processed
by using standard protocol of dry method with
herbarium press and blotting papers for a period of
15 days.
Bio Bulletin 3(1): 74-79(2017)
(Published by Research Trend, Website: www.biobulletin.com)

Bio Bulletin (2017), Vol. 3(1): 74-79,Sabeena, Biju, Thomas, Biju and Mathew 75
The laboratory research and analysis were carried
out with nail polish technique (Hosagoudar and
Kapoor, 1985) for ectophytic fungi to accomplish in
situ studies and also with micro sections for innate
fungi. All herbarium specimens have been
deposited at JNTBGRI Herbarium (TBGT),
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. One duplicate set of
all specimens were also been deposited at BSI
Herbarium (PBL), Andaman-Nicobar Circle, Port
Blair.
RESULTS
1. Asterina miliusae Hosag & C. K. Biju var.
andamanica var. nov.
MycoBank No.: MB 815555
Diagnostic characters: Colonies amphigenous,
scattered, dense, up to 5mm in diameter. Hyphae
straight to substraight, branching opposite to
irregular at acute to wide angles, loosely to closely
reticulate, cells 20-25 × 5-8 μm.
Fig. 1. Asterina miliusae Hosag. &C. K. Biju var. andamanica var.nov.
a. Appressoriate mycelium, b. Thyriothecium, c. Ascus, d. Ascospores

Bio Bulletin (2017), Vol. 3(1): 74-79,Sabeena, Biju, Thomas, Biju and Mathew 76
Appressoria opposite, less than 10% alternate,
unicellular, ovate, taper and broadly rounded
towards apex, oblong, entire, 8-13 × 4-5 μm.
Thyriothecia scattered orbicular, up to 310 μm in
diameter, stellately dehisced at the center, margin
crenate; asci ovate to globose, octosporous, up to
38-40 × 28-30 μm in diameter; ascospores
conglobate, uniseptate, constricted at the septum,
28-33 × 13-15 μm, wall smooth to slightly
echinulate.
Remarks: The new taxon is closely allied to
Asterina miliusae Hosag. & C.K. Biju (2004: 177)
in having conglobate and equal sized ascospores.
However, it differs in having more than 90%
opposite and entire appressoria, larger
thyriothecia.
Etymology: The new taxon is named after the
insular locality of its occurrence, the Andaman
Islands.
Specimen examined: SOUTH ANDAMAN. Shoal
Bay, on leaves of Goniothalamus macranthus
(Kurz 1872: 291) Boerlage (1899:137)
(Annonaceae), 8 December 2012, V. B.
Hosagoudar & al 6814 (holotype TBGT!).
2. Meliola dysoxyli-andamanensis sp. nov.
MycoBank No.: MB 815552
Diagnostic characters: Colonies amphigenous,
dense, scattered, up to 5 mm in diameter,
confluent. Hyphae straight to alternate, branching
opposite to alternate at acute to wide angles,
loosely to closely reticulate, cells 30-45 × 5-10 µm.
Appressoria alternate to unilateral, antrorse to
subantrorse, straight to curved, 27-32 µm long;
stalk cells cylindrical to cuneate, 10-12 µm long;
head cells straight to curved, ovate to oblong,
entire, rarely angular, 17-22 × 12-15 µm. Phialides
mixed with appressoria, opposite to alternate,
ampulliform, 20-32 × 5-10 µm. Mycelial setae
numerous, scattered, simple, straight, acute at the
tip, up to 350 µm long.
Fig. 2. Meliola dysoxyli-andamanensis sp. nov.
a. Appressoriate mycelium, b. Phialides, c. Mycelial setae, d. ascospores.

Bio Bulletin (2017), Vol. 3(1): 74-79,Sabeena, Biju, Thomas, Biju and Mathew 77
Perithecia scattered, globose, up to 190 µm in
diam.; ascospores oblong, 4-septate, constricted
at the septa, 47-52 × 18-20 µm, wall smooth.
Remarks: The new species is allied to Meliola
dysoxyli-malabarici Hosag. & Kamar., (2002: 749)
but differs in having only alternate and unilateral
appressoria, entire to angular head cells, shorter
mycelial setae and larger ascospores. The Beeli
formula of current species is 3111.5222 whereas
in Meliola dysoxyli-malabarici it is 3113.3224.
Etymology: The new taxon is named after its
endemic host plant species, Dysoxylum
andamanicum King (1895: 49).
Specimen examined: SOUTH ANDAMAN. Wright
Myo, on leaves of Dysoxylum andamanicam King
(1895: 49) (Meliaceae), 8 December 2012, V.B.
Hosagoudar & al 6861 (holotype TBGT!).
3. Meliola memecylii Syd. & P. Syd. var.
andamanica var. nov.
MycoBank No.: MB 815556
Diagnostic characters: Colonies epiphyllous, thin
up to 2 mm in diameter. Hyphae straight to
substraight, branching opposite to alternate at
acute to wide angles, loosely to closely reticulate,
cells 20-25 × 7-8 µm. Appressoria alternate to
unilateral, straight to curved, antrorse subantrorse
to retrorse, 17-22 µm; stalk cells cylindrical to
cuneate, 5-7 µm long; head cells ovate to oblong,
clavate, entire, 12-17 × 10-12 µm. Phialides mixed
with appressoria, alternate, ampulliform, 17-22 ×
5-6 µm. Mycelial setae scattered, straight, simple,
acute, dentate to furcate up to 700 µm long.
Fig. 3. Meliola memecylii Syd. & P. Syd. var. andamanica var. nov.
a. Appressoriate mycelium, b. Phialides, c. Mycelial setae, d. Ascospores.

Bio Bulletin (2017), Vol. 3(1): 74-79,Sabeena, Biju, Thomas, Biju and Mathew 78
Perithecia scattered, globose up to 180 µm in
diameter, ascospores obovoidal, 4 septate, mainly
constricted at the septa 40-45 × 15-20 µm, wall
smooth.
Remarks: The new taxon is closely allied to
Meliola memecyli Sydow & Sydow (1917: 189) in
having alternate appressoria, phialides mixed with
appressoria and simple setae (Hosagoudar 1996);
but the new variety differs from Meliola memecyli
Sydow & Sydow in lacking opposite appressoria
and having shorter mycelial setae and smaller
ascospores. The Beeli formula of current species
is 31⅔1.4223 whereas in Meliola memecyli it is
31⅓3.5334.
Etymology: The new taxon is named after the
insular locality of its occurrence, the Andaman
Islands.
Specimen examined: SOUTH ANDAMAN. Ferrar
Gunj, on leaves of Memecylon edule Roxburgh
(1795: 59) (Melastomaceae), 4 December 2012,
V.B. Hosagoudar & al 6812 (holotype TBGT! ).

Bio Bulletin (2017), Vol. 3(1): 74-79,Sabeena, Biju, Thomas, Biju and Mathew 79
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Paramjit Singh,
Director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata; Dr. C.
Murugan, Head, Dr. T.A.M. Jagadeesh Ram and
Dr. Lalji Singh, Senior Scientists, Botanical Survey
of India, Andaman and Nicobar Circle, Port Blair,
and Forest Officials, Andaman and Nicobar
administration for their logistic supports during
field explorations in Andaman Islands. We are also
thankful to Dr. P.G. Latha, Director, JNTBGRI for
constant encouragement and Mrs. Divya Babu for
the preparation of line drawings. Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India,
also duly acknowledged for the financial
assistance for the programme.
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