Mycobiology  2022;50(2):150-154

doi:10.1080/12298093.2022.2054527

Revisiting Rhytisma lonicericola: Morphological Characterization and Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis

Bok-Nam JUNG 1 ; Ji-Hyun PARK ; Hyeon-Dong SHIN

Affiliations

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Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Rhytisma lonicericola was identified as a tar spot fungus on Lonicera sp. in 1902, and has since been recorded on several species of Lonicera in China, Japan, and Korea. Most of the previous records of R. lonicericola have been based on a list of disease occurrences in the absence of any formal morphological identification or molecular analyses. Using six newly obtained specimens collected in the past 2 years, we confirmed the tar spot fungus found on L. japonica in Korea as R. lonicericola based on morphological examinations and molecular phylogenetic analyses. This fungus was distinguished from R. xylostei, another tar spot fungus on Lonicera, by ascospore size and geographical distributions. We present detailed mycological information and, for the first time, DNA sequence data useful for the identification of R. lonicericola.