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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #292661

Title: Taiwanascus samuelsii sp. nov., an addition to Niessliaceae from the Western Ghats, Kerala, India

Author
item RAJESHKUMAR, KUNHIRAMAN - Agharkar Research Institute
item Rossman, Amy

Submitted to: IMA Fungus
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2013
Publication Date: 4/14/2013
Citation: Rajeshkumar, K.C., Rossman, A.Y. 2013. Taiwanascus samuelsii sp. nov., an addition to Niessliaceae from the Western Ghats, Kerala, India. IMA Fungus. 4(1):1-4.

Interpretive Summary: Fungi are extremely diverse with many species yet to be discovered. Knowledge of fungi is essential for preserving their biodiversity as well as determining their role in the environment as plant pathogens or recycling plant nutrients. In this paper a new species is described and illustrated that occurs on the plant that produces cashew nuts in India. Although this species occurs in dead branches, it belongs to a group of fungi that includes a number of plant pathogenic species. This research will be used to identify fungi on this economically important plant host.

Technical Abstract: A new species of Taiwanascus, T. samuelsii, was collected from southern parts of Western Ghats on dead branches of Anacardium occidentale and is described. The new cleistothecial ascomycete is different from the type and only species in Taiwanascus, T. tetrasporus, in cleistothecial size, setae, and ascospore characteristics.