REPORTING A NEW SPECIES OF CAREX RUST IN IRAN

Members of Cyperacea family are among the common host species of rust fungi. To our knowledge, till now seven Puccinia species have been recorded on cyperaceous plants in Iran. Of these, four species were known on Carex. In present report, other rust species are reported on Carex orbicularis subsp. kotschyana (Boiss. & Hohenacker) Kukkonen. This report is based on infected specimen collected from Central Alborz. The studied specimen had the following features: Uredinia hypophyllous, arranged in row, minute, ellipsoid or oblong, light brown, on chlorotic stripes; urediniospores subglobose, ellipsoid or obovoid, 22.5-30(-32.5) x 20-27.5 µm, walls yellowish brown, echinulate, 1.5-2.5 µm thick, germ pores 3-4 equatorial. Telia hypophyllous, oblong, on short chlorotic stripes, semi-compact blackish brown; teliospores mostly clavate rounded or truncate at apex, rarely acuminate, constricted at septum, narrow at the base, 37.5-60 x 15-22.5 µm, walls light chestnut brown, 1.5-2.5 µm thick at sides, 6-12.5 µm at the apex; pedicels persistent, about the same length as spores (Fig 1). These features were not compatible with previously reported rust species on Carex spp., from Iran (ABBASI, M. et al. 2000. Rostaniha 1: 23-41). However, the characteristics were well fitted with description of Puccinia urticata F. Kern, written by Zwetko (ZWETKO, P. 1993. Bibliotheca Mycologica 153, 222 p). This is the first report of P. urticata from Iran. Moreover, C. orbicularis subsp. kotschyana is a new host for this fungus.
Material examined On Carex orbicularis subsp. kotschyana, Central Alborz, Karaj-Chalus road, 1 km N of Kandevan pass, 2380 m, 17.Aug.1993, M. Abbasi, J. Fatehi and O. Foitzik (IRAN 15212 F), II+III.