Rust fungi causing galls, witches' brooms, and other abnormal plant growths in northwestern Argentina

Abstract

Conspicuous galls and witches' brooms frequently are symptoms of rust infections on plant hosts in the ecologically diverse northwestern region of Argentina. These symptoms are caused by systemic or locally systemic spermogonial-aecial infections, although uredinial and telial infections also might be involved. Sixteen species of rust fungi are treated in this paper, most of which cause a plant response that results in enlarged growth. Ypsilospora tucumanensis J.R. Hern. & J.F. Hennen on Inga edulis is described as a species new to science. Puccinia cordiae Arthur is cited as a new record for Argentina. These rusts also are included: Chaconia ingae, Gerwasia imperialis, Kuehneola loeseneriana, Prospodium appendiculatum, Prospodium elegans, Prospodium perornatum, Puccinia bougainvilleae, Puccinia pampeana, Ravenelia argentinica, Ravenelia hieronymi, Ravenelia papillosa, Ravenelia spegazziniana, Uromyces cestri and Uropyxis rickiana. For some of the scientific names, lectotype specimens have been designated.

• morphology
• nomenclature
• South America
• Uredinales
• Ypsilospora

Sincere thanks to Amy Y. Rossman for her continued support and encouragement. Thanks to Erin McCray for accessing BPI collections and other herbarium-related help, and to the curators of LPS, B and PUR for the loan of specimens. Thank you to Rosamaria Lopez-Franco for help in preparing several of the SEM photomicrographs (Figs. 18, 19, 22–24, 76). The first author would like to thank his wife, Mary E. Palm Hernández, for her assistance and motivation.