The Anamorphs of Grovesiella Abieticola

ABSTRACT

An ascomycete associated with the recently described coelomycete Pitostroma abietinum on dead twigs of Abies alba in Poland was identified as Grovesiella abieticola. Two characteristics of the G. abieticola from Poland differed from those of collections from North America. The ascospores of G. abieticola collected in North America were wider [(3.2-)3.5-4.2(-4.8) μm] than those from Europe [2.2-3.5(-4) μm], and the European populations do not produce cankers while the North American populations do. Single ascospore isolates of G. abieticola and single conidia isolates of P. abietinum produced identical colony morphologies and in single ascospore isolates the Pitostroma-state was formed in addition to the microconidial state. Thus, P. abietinum is the macroconidial state of G. abieticola. A description of the morphology of the micro- and macroconidial state of G. abieticola in culture is given.

Key Words:

• anamorph-teleomorph connection
• Grovesiella abieticola
• macroconidial state
• microconidial state
• morphology
• Pitostroma abietinum