Phyllosticta Capitalensis, P. helicteres, P. sterculiae and other Phyllosticta Species from Sterculiaceae

Phyllosticta as an important plant pathogenic genus associated with plants as endophytes, pathogens or saprobes. Phyllosticta sterculiae occurs on Sterculia foetida (Sterculiaceae) in the Philippines, where it causes a leaf blight. The holotype of P. sterculiae is redescribed and compared with a Phyllosticta species collected on Sterculia monosperma in Thailand. P. sterculiae has oblong to obovoid ascospores whereas the fungus from Thailand has ellipsoidal ascospores that are swollen in the middle and possess polar appendages. The comparison between other Phyllosticta species on Sterculiaceae revealed Phyllosticta species from Thailand collection is different in ascospores dimention. Furthermore, the anamorph in culture compare to the Thailand collections with Phyllosticta melochiae from Indonesia on host subtrate posseses similar character. The BLAST result showed that the Thailand species is belonging Phyllosticta capitalensis. The need of epitypification for all the Phyllosticta spp. occurs in Sterculiaceae is needed here to clarify the species name. The Thailand fungus is described, illustrated and discussed. International Journal of Agricultural Technology, Vol. 10, No. 1. Hal. 133-146 ISSN 1686-9141