Abstract
A description is provided for Leptosphaeria doliolum. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. DISEASE: Although the fungus appears on dry stems of its hosts, which are mainly herbaceous, it is not known to cause any pathological symptoms. HOSTS: Plurivorous; recorded hosts include: Achillea, Ambrosia, Anaphalis, Angelica, Apocynum, Aralia, Arctium, Asclepias, Asparagus, Aster, Bauhinia, Brassica, Clematis, Cirsium, Curcuma, Daucus, Erigeron, Eupatorium, Ficus, Foeniculum, Helianthus, Heracleum, Hieracium, Lactuca, Lathyrus, Lavandula, Pastinaca, Phytolacca, Poa, Polymnia, Potentilla, Rubus, Salvia, Senecio, Smilax, Solanum, Solidago, Sonchus, Spiraea, Thymus, Urtica and Vernonia. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: AFRICA: Sierra Leone. NORTH AMERICA: Canada (Alberta, British Colombia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec), USA (Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, Washington). ASIA: Armenia, Bhutan, Brunei, China (Hunan, Yunnan), India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Pakistan, Russia (Far East, Siberia), Taiwan (CHEN & HSIEH, 1994), Uzbekistan. AUSTRALASIA: Australia. EUROPE: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark (Faeroe Islands), Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia (European), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. TRANSMISSION: Conidia and ascospores are dispersed by wind and rain-splash; the fungus presumably overwinters on dead host tissue and the ascospores are dispersed in the next favourable season.