Australia, Queensland, Beaudesert, from leaf spot on Chloris gayana, 9 Jan. 1974, J.L. Alcorn (holotype BRIP 10972, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 4 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous black. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth to branched, septate, up to 3 µm in width. Conidiophores branched, erect, straight to flexuous, geniculate towards apex, brown, paler towards apex, smooth, septate, up to 110 µm long, 4 µm wide; basal cell swollen and darker than the other cells, up to 6 µm diam. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, sympodial, pale brown, smooth, with darkened scars. Conidia fusiform, straight to slightly curved, rounded at the apex, (14–) 26–29 (–34) × (5–) 6.5–7.5 (–9) µm, brown to dark brown, 3–7 (mostly 5)-distoseptate; hila conspicuous, slightly protuberant, thickened and darkened, 1−1.5 µm wide.

Figure 2. 

Curvularia beasleyi (BRIP 10972): A colony on PDAB–C conidiophores and conidia D conidia. Curvularia beerburrumensis (BRIP 12942) E colony on PDAF chlamydospores G conidiophore H–I conidia. Curvularia boeremae (IMI 164633) J colony on PDAK conidiophores L conidia. Curvularia coatesiae (BRIP 24261) M colony on PDAN conidiophores O conidia. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, E, J, M); all others – 10 µm.

In recognition of Dr Dean R. Beasley, an Australian plant pathologist, for his dedication and numerous innovative contributions to the curation and promotion of the Queensland Plant Pathology Herbarium (BRIP).

Australia, Queensland, Atherton, from leaf spot on Leersia hexandra, 1 May 1987, J.L. Alcorn, BRIP 15854 (includes culture).

Curvularia beasleyi is placed in the same clade as C. dactyloctenii, C. hawaiiensis and C. nodosa (Fig. 1). Curvularia dactyloctenii and C. hawaiiensis have been recorded in Australia (Sivanesan 1987, Tan et al. 2014), but the recently described C. nodosa has only been reported from Thailand (Marin-Felix et al. 2017b). Curvularia beasleyi is distinguished in two loci from the ex-type cultures of C. dactyloctenii (99% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α), C. hawaiiensis (98% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α) and C. nodosa (99% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α). The conidia of C. beasleyi are longer than those of C. nodosa (12–25 µm, Marin-Felix et al. 2017b) and shorter than those of C. dactyloctenii (32–55 µm, Sivanesan 1987). Curvularia beasleyi is morphologically similar to C. hawaiiensis, however the later species has never been recorded on Leersia (Farr and Rossman 2018).

Curvularia beasleyi is only known from Queensland on two unrelated grasses, the introduced host Chloris gayana and the native Leersia hexandra. There are many Curvularia species reported as associated with Chloris spp. (C. australiensis, C. australis, C. hawaiiensis, C. lunata, C. nodosa, C. pallescens, C. tsudae, C. variabilis, C. verruculosa) (Sivanesan 1987, Deng et al. 2014, Manamgoda et al. 2014, Marin-Felix et al. 2017b) and Leersia spp. (C. australiensis, C. geniculata, and C. heteropogonicola) (DAF Biological Collections 2018, Farr and Rossman 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2018), although not all of the reports have been verified by molecular phylogenetic analyses.

Australia, Queensland, Beerburrum, from blackened inflorescence of Eragrostis bahiensis, 24 May 1979, J.L. Alcorn (holotype BRIP 12942, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 2 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbrillate, olivaceous black. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth to asperulate, branched, septate, 3−4 µm in width; chlamydospores intercalary in chains, 4–9 µm, smooth, thick-walled. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, geniculate towards apex, subhyaline to pale brown, smooth, septate, up to 500 µm long, 5−6 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia fusiform to subcylindrical or clavate, straight to slightly curved, rounded at the apex, (40–) 51–56 (–71) × (10–) 12–13 (–14) µm, subhyaline to pale yellowish-brown, 2–4 (mostly 3)-distoseptate; hila mostly inconspicuous or minutely thickened and darkened.

Named after the town Beerburrum, where the holotype was collected.

Australia, Queensland, Beerburrum, New South Wales, Yetman, blackened inflorescence of Eragrostis sororia, 12 May 1977, J.L. Alcorn, BRIP 12555 (includes culture).

Curvularia beerburrumensis is phylogenetically sister to C. australis and C. ovariicola (Fig. 1), which have both been recorded in Australia on Eragrostis (Sivanesan 1987, Tan et al. 2014). Curvularia beerburrumensis is distinguished from the ex-type culture of C. australis in three loci (98% in ITS, 96% in gapdh and 98% in tef1α). Furthermore, C. beerburrumensis has larger conidia than C. australis (25−48 × 9.0−12.5 µm, Sivanesan 1987). Curvularia beerburrumensis differs from the ex-type culture of C. ovariicola in three loci (99% in ITS, 99% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α). Curvularia beerburrumensis has longer conidiophores than C. ovariicola (up to 325 µm, Sivanesan 1987). Curvularia beerburrumensis also produced chlamydospores in culture, which are not known for C. australis and C. ovariicola.

Curvularia beerburrumensis is only known from inflorescences of the invasive South American grass Eragrostis bahiensis, as well as the Australian native E. sororia (Simon and Alfonso 2011). Other Curvularia associated with Eragrostis include C. australis, C. clavata, C. crustacea, C. ellisii, C. eragrostidis, C. geniculata, C. kusanoi, C. lunata, C. miyakei, C. nodulosa, C. ovariicola, C. perotidis, C. protuberata, C. ravenelii and C. verrucosa, (Sivanesan 1987, Farr and Rossman 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2018), although many of these reports are yet to be verified by molecular phylogenetic analyses.

Drechslera boeremae A.S. Patil & V.G. Rao, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 42: 129 (1976).

Colonies on PDA approx. 3 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous green to citrine, velutinous with aerial mycelium. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth to asperulate, branched, septate, 2–3 µm in width. Conidiophores straight to flexuous, slightly geniculate towards apex, uniformly subhyaline to pale brown, smooth, septate, up to 110 µm long, 4 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia broadly ellipsoidal to oval, brown to dark brown, smooth, (42–) 46–52 (–55) × (17–) 20–23 (–25) µm, brown to dark brown, 4–6-distoseptate, hila protuberant, thickened and darkened, 2–3 µm wide.

India, Poona, from leaves of Portulaca oleracea, 28 Apr. 1970, A.S. Patil (holotype IMI 164633, includes ex-type culture), (isotype BRIP 13934, includes ex-type culture).

Multilocus phylogenetic analyses placed the ex-type culture of D. boeremae within the clade that includes C. lunata, the type species of the genus (Fig. 1). Curvularia boeremae differs from C. neoindica in one locus (98% identities in gapdh). Furthermore, C. boeremae has shorter conidia than C. neoindica (27–65 µm, Manamgoda et al. 2014). Sivanesan’s (1987) synonymy of Drechslera boeremae with Bipolaris indica was based on similar conidial morphology and is not supported by the phylogenetic analyses in this study.

Curvularia boeremae is only known from the type specimen on P. oleraceae and has not been recorded in Australia. Curvularia portulacae is the only other species recorded on P. oleraceae (Farr and Rossman 2018). Curvularia boeremae is morphologically distinct from C. portulacae, which has comparatively long, cylindrical conidia (average 110 × 13 µm, Rader 1948).

Australia, Queensland, Eudlo, from rotted fruit of Litchi chinensis, 28 Jan. 1992, L.M. Coates (holotype BRIP 24261, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA 6–7 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, floccose, olivaceous black at the centre, olivaceous to grey olivaceous towards the edge, margin fimbriate. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth to asperulate, septate, up to 3 µm in width. Conidiophores erect, flexuous, geniculate in the top half, uniformly brown, sometimes pale towards apex, septate, up to 190 µm long, 4 µm wide; basal cell sometimes swollen, up to 8 µm diam. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown, mono- or polytretic, with darkened nodes. Conidia ellipsoidal to obovoid, asymmetrical, sometimes the third cell from base is unequally enlarged, intermediate cells dark brown and usually verruculose, end cells paler and less ornamented than central cells, (20–) 23–26 (–30) × (7–) 8–9 (–10) µm, 3-distoseptate; hila protuberant, thickened and darkened, 1–2 µm wide.

Named after Dr Lindel (Lindy) M. Coates, an Australian plant pathologist in recognition of her contributions to the study of post-harvest fruit pathology.

Australia, New South Wales, Alstonville, isolated from the air in a mango orchard, 11 Mar. 1991, G.I. Johnson, BRIP 24170 (includes culture).

Curvularia coatesiae is morphologically similar and phylogenetically related to a reference culture of C. borreriae and the ex-type culture of C. pallescens (Fig. 1). Curvularia coatesiae differs from the ex-type culture of C. pallescens in three loci: ITS position 439 (T); gapdh positions 219 (C), 287 (C); tef1α positions 43 (C), 257 (C), 259 (C). Although C. borreriae and C. pallescens have been recorded in Australia, these have not been verified by molecular phylogenetic analyses and there have been no additional records beyond the 1980s (Sivanesan 1987, Shivas 1989). Other species recorded from L. chinensis are C. geniculata, C. hawaiiensis, C. lunata and C. pallescens (DAF Biological Collections 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2018), although not all the reports have been verified by molecular phylogenetic analyses.

Australia, Queensland, Brisbane, from leaf spot on Crinum zeylanicum, 11 Oct. 1976, R.C. Colbran (holotype BRIP 13066, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 5 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous black, aerial mycelium white. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth, septate, up to 3 µm in width. Conidiophores erect, flexuous, geniculate, uniformly pale brown to brown, smooth, septate, up to 145 µm long, 4–6 µm wide, basal cell sometimes swollen, up to 8 µm diam. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia fusiform to subcylindrical with rounded apex and obconical at the base, brown, end cells pale, (54–) 83–92 (–110) × (13–) 14–16 (–17) µm, brown to dark brown, 6–9-distoseptate; hila slightly protuberant, thickened and darkened, 1–2 µm wide.

Figure 3. 

Curvularia colbranii (BRIP 13066): A colony on PDAB conidiophore C–D conidia. Curvularia eragrosticola (BRIP 12538) E colony on PDAF conidiophore G chlamydosphores H conidia. Curvularia kenpeggii (BRIP 14530) I colony on PDAJ conidiophores and conidium K conidia. Curvularia lamingtonensis (BRIP 12259) L colony on PDAM conidiophore O conidia. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, E, I, L); all others – 10 µm.

Named after Dr Robert (Bob) Chester Colbran (1926–2010), an Australian nematologist and Director of the Plant Pathology Branch, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, in recognition of his significant contributions to Australian plant pathology.

Curvularia colbranii is sister to C. boeremae, C. lamingtonensis (see this paper), C. neoindica and C. portulacae, although separated by a considerable genetic distance (Fig. 1). Curvularia colbranii has fusiform to subcylindrical conidia that are distinct from the ellipsoidal to oval conidia of C. boeremae (42–55 × 17–25 µm, this study) and C. neoindica (27–65 × 17–27 µm, Manamgoda et al. 2014) and longer than those of C. lamingtonensis (45–76 × 11–14 µm, this study). Curvularia colbranii has conidia that are 6–9-distoseptate, while C. portulacae has conidia reported as 3–15 celled (Rader 1948).

Only one other species, C. trifolii, has been reported on Crinum sp. (Shaw 1984), but this record has not been verified by phylogenetic analyses. Curvularia colbranii is morphologically distinct from C. trifolii, which has curved conidia.

Australia, New South Wales, Yetman, from inflorescence on Eragrostis pilosa, 12 May 1977, J.L. Alcorn (holotype BRIP 12538, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 2 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, dark olive with white patches, velutinous with some aerial mycelium. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth, branched, septate, 4−5 µm wide; chlamydospores abundant, subglobose to ellipsoidal or irregular, terminal and intercalary, 5−20 µm diam. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, slightly geniculate, pale brown to brown, paler towards apex smooth, septate, up to 145 µm long, 4−5 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, sympodial, pale brown to brown, smooth, with darkened scars. Conidia hemi-ellipsoidal, curved, asymmetrical, brown to dark brown, end cells slightly paler, (25–) 26–30 (–34) × (9–) 13–15 (–19) µm, 3-distoseptate with a faint narrow median septum; hila non-protuberant, minutely thickened and darkened.

Named after Eragrostis, the grass genus from which this fungus was isolated.

Curvularia eragrosticola is phylogenetically close to C. papendorfii and C. sporobolicola (see this paper) (Fig. 1). Curvularia eragrosticola is distinguished in three loci from the ex-type culture of C. papendorfii (97% in ITS, 92% in gapdh and 98% in tef1α) and C. sporobolicola (98% in ITS, 92% in gapdh and 98% in tef1α). Curvularia eragrosticola has conidia that are smaller than C. papendorfii (30–50 × 17–30 µm, Sivanesan 1987) and C. sporobolicola (34–45 × 14–23 µm, this study).

Curvularia eragrosticola is only known from the type specimen on Eragrostis pilosa, which is native to Eurasia and Africa and is considered a troublesome weed in Australia (Simon and Alfonso 2011). Neither C. papendorfii nor C. sporobolicola have been reported on Eragrostis. Other Curvularia spp. associated with Eragrostis are listed in the notes for C. beerburrumensis.

Australia, Queensland, from mouldy grain of Triticum aestivum, 26 Oct. 1984, J.L. Alcorn (holotype BRIP 14530, includes ex-type culture), (isotype IMI 290719).

Colonies on PDA 3–4 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, floccose and olivaceous black at the centre with white patches, velutinous with some aerial mycelium. Hyphae hyaline, asperulate, branched, septate, 4−5 µm in width. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, slightly geniculate in the upper part, pale brown to brown, sometimes paler towards the apex, verrucose, septate, up to 360 µm long, 4−5 µm wide, basal cell sometimes swollen, up to 8 µm. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia ellipsoidal to clavate to obovoid, asymmetrical, third cell from the base is unequally enlarged, brown, end cells paler, verruculose, (31–) 35–39 (–42) × (10–) 13–14 (–15) µm, 3-distoseptate, hila protuberant, thickened and darkened, 1–2 µm wide.

Named after Dr Kenneth G. Pegg AM (member of the Order of Australia), in celebration of his 60 years of dedication to plant pathology in Australia and to thank him for his generous mentorship.

Curvularia kenpeggii is only known from the holotype specimen and is genetically distinct from all other Curvularia species (Fig. 1). Curvularia kenpeggii is basal to a clade comprised of C. australis, C. beerburrumensis, C. crustacea, C. miyakei, C. ovariicola, C. ravenelii and C. ryleyi. These species are mostly reported as pathogens of Eragrostis and Sporobolus spp. and not known to be associated with wheat (Triticum aestivum). Curvularia species associated with T. aestivum in Australia are C. brachyspora, C. harveyi, C. hawaiiensis, C. lunata, C. perotidis, C. ramosa and C. spicifera, (Shivas 1989, Farr and Rossman 2018), although not all the reports have been verified by molecular phylogenetic analyses.

Australia, Queensland, Lamington National Park, from Microlaena stipoides, 09 May 1977, J.L. Alcorn (holotype BRIP 12259, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA cover the whole plate after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous green, velutinous with some aerial mycelium. Hyphae hyaline, branched, septate, 4 µm in width. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, geniculate towards apex, pale brown to dark brown on wheat straw agar, septate, up to 160 µm long, 3−4 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, sympodial, pale brown to brown, smooth, with darkened scars. Conidia ellipsoidal to fusiform, straight, pale brown, (45–) 59–66 (–76) × (11–) 11.5–13 (–14) µm, 4–11-distoseptate with inconspicuous transverse septa, hila protuberant, thickened and darkened, 1–2 µm wide.

Named after the locality, Lamington National Park, where the holotype was collected.

Curvularia lamingtonensis is phylogenetically closely related to C. boeremae and C. neoindica. Curvularia lamingtonensis is distinguished from the ex-type culture of C. boeremae in two loci (96% in ITS and 98% in gapdh) and from the ex-type culture of C. neoindica in three loci (95% in ITS, 98% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α). Curvularia lamingtonensis has longer and straighter conidia than C. boeremae and C. neoindica, both of which have broad, ellipsoidal conidia (42–55 × 20–23 µm, and 27–65 × 17–27 µm, respectively). Curvularia lamingtonensis is only known from the type specimen on Microlaena stipoides. This is the first record of a Curvularia species associated with Microlaena.

Australia, Victoria, Hopetoun, from Cynodon transvaalensis, Apr. 1979, M. Mebalds (holotype BRIP 12900, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 5 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous black with white patches, velutinous with some aerial mycelium. Hyphae hyaline to subhyaline, smooth to asperulate, septate, 3–4 µm wide. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, sometimes slightly geniculate towards apex, branched, uniformly brown, paler at apex, smooth to asperulate, septate, up to 180 µm long, 4–5 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, subhyaline to pale brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia ellipsoidal to obovoid, sometimes straight to slightly curved, rounded at the apex, (22–) 25–28 (–30) × (7–) 8–9 (–10) µm, pale brown to brown, 3-distoseptate, hila protuberant, thickened and darkened, 1–2 µm wide.

Figure 4. 

Curvularia mebaldsii (BRIP 12900): A colony on PDAB conidiophores and conidium C conidia. Curvularia petersonii (BRIP 14642) D colony on PDAE–F conidiophores and conidium G conidia. Curvularia platzii (BRIP 27703b) H colony on PDAI conidiophores J–K conidia. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, D, H); all others – 10 µm.

Named after the collector, Martin Mebalds, in recognition of his contributions to Australian plant pathology and biosecurity.

Australia, New South Wales, Tweed Heads, from necrotic leaf on Cynodon dactylon × transvaalensis, 10 Jun. 1983, G. Thomas, BRIP 13983 (includes culture).

The multilocus phylogenetic analyses showed that C. mebaldsii was sister to C. tsudae, although separated by a considerable genetic distance (Fig. 1). Curvularia mebaldsii is distinguished from the ex-type culture of C. tsudae in three loci (98% in ITS, 97% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α). Morphologically, C. mebaldsii cannot be reliably separated from C. tsudae.

Curvularia mebaldsii is known from two specimens on Cynodon spp. Several Curvularia species have been associated with Cynodon, including C. aeria, C. australiensis, C. brachyspora, C. clavata, C. fallax, C. geniculata, C. hawaiiensis, C. inaequalis, C. lunata, C. pallescens, C. ramosa, C. senegalensis, C. spicata, C. spicifera and C. verruculosa (DAF Biological Collections 2018, Farr and Rossman 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2018), although these records have not been verified by phylogenetic analyses.

Australia, Northern Territory, Daly Waters, from leaf spot on Dactyloctenium aegyptium, 20 Mar. 1985, R.A. Peterson (holotype BRIP 14642, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 5 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, olivaceous black, velutinous with some aerial mycelium, margin fimbriate. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth to asperulate, septate, up to 3 µm in width. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, rarely branched, slightly geniculate, uniformly brown, sometimes pale brown at apex, smooth, septate, up to 110 µm long, 4 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia obovoid to ellipsoidal, straight to slightly curved, (15–) 17–19 (–21) × (5–) 5.5–6 (–7) µm, brown, end cells pale, 3-distoseptate, hila non-protuberant, thickened and darkened.

Named after Ron A. Peterson, an Australian plant pathologist, in recognition of his contributions to tropical plant pathology.

The multilocus phylogenetic analyses placed C. petersonii sister to C. americana and C. verruculosa, although separated by a considerable genetic distance (Fig. 1). Both C. americana and C. verruculosa have been found in Australia (DAF Biological Collections 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2018). Curvularia petersonii is distinguished from the ex-type culture of C. americana in two loci (94% in ITS and 92% in gapdh) and from a reference culture of C. verruculosa in three loci (92% in ITS, 92% in gapdh and 98% in tef1α). Curvularia petersonii has smaller conidia than C. americana (13–28 × 7–15 µm, Madrid et al. 2014) and C. verruculosa (20–40 × 12–17 µm, Sivanesan 1987).

Curvularia petersonii is only known from a single specimen on Dactyloctenium aegyptium in the Northern Territory. Many Curvularia species have been associated with Dactyloctenium, including C. clavata, C. dactyloctenicola, C. dactyloctenii, C. eragrostidis, C. lunata, C. neergaardii, C. pallescens and C. verruculosa (Sivanesan 1987, Manamgoda et al. 2014, Farr and Rossman 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2018, Marin-Felix et al. 2017b), although these records have not been verified by phylogenetic analyses.

Australia, Queensland, Warwick, from leaf spot on Cenchrus clandestinus, 24 Jan. 2001, G.J. Platz (holotype BRIP 27703b, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 2 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface dark olivaceous green. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth, septate, up to 3 µm wide. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, geniculate towards apex, uniformly brown, sometimes pale brown towards apex, septate, up to 75 µm long, 5–6 µm wide, swollen at base, 8–10 µm. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia fusiform to narrowly clavate, brown, end cells sometimes paler, (65–) 94–105 (–115) × (11–) 12.5–13.5 (–14) µm, 9–13-distoseptate; hila non-protuberant, thickened and darkened.

Named after Gregory (Greg) J. Platz, in recognition of his contributions to Australian cereal plant pathology for the past 30 years, as well as his prowess as an international and Queensland rugby league footballer.

The multilocus phylogenetic analyses indicated C. platzii was sister to C. hominis, C. meuhlenbeckiae and C. pisi (Fig. 1). Curvularia platzii is distinguished in one locus from the ex-type culture of C. hominis (97% in tef1α) and in two loci from the reference culture of C. meuhlenbeckiae (99% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α) and the ex-type culture of C. pisi (98% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α). Curvularia platzii differs from C. hominis, C. meuhlenbeckiae and C. pisi, which have much shorter asymmetrical conidia with fewer septa (Madrid et al. 2014, Marin-Felix et al. 2017a).

Curvularia platzii is only known from the holotype. The host, Cenchrus clandestinus (syn. Pennisetum clandestinus), is a perennial grass with a worldwide distribution (Simon and Alfonso 2011). Other Curvularia species associated with C. clandestinus are C. lunata, C. nodulosa and C. trifolii (Farr and Rossman 2018, Herbarium Catalogue 2017), although these records have not been verified by phylogenetic analyses.

Australia, Queensland, Brisbane, isolated from air, 22 Jun. 1963, R.G. Rees (holotype BRIP 4358, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 6−7 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, greenish-grey, velutinous with some aerial mycelium, margin fimbriate. Hyphae hyaline, branched, septate, 3−4 µm in width. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, slightly geniculate towards apex, pale brown to brown, sometimes paler towards the apex, septate, up to 200 µm long, 4−5 µm wide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia ellipsoidal to obclavate, straight, third cell from pore swollen, brown, end cells paler, smooth, (28–) 31–35 (–39) × (10–) 12–13 (–14) µm, mostly 3 septate; hila inconspicuous, sometimes darkened.

Figure 5. 

Curvularia reesii (BRIP 4358): A colony on PDAB conidiophore C conidia. Curvularia sporobolicola (BRIP 23040b) D colony on PDAE conidiophores F conidia. Curvularia warraberensis (BRIP 14817) G colony on PDAH conidiophore I conidia. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, D, G); all others – 10 µm.

Named after Dr Robert (Bob) G. Rees, an Australian plant pathologist, in recognition of his extensive contributions to cereal pathology.

The multilocus phylogenetic analyses indicated C. reesii was sister to C. oryzae and C. tuberculata. Curvularia reesii is distinguished in two loci from the ex-type cultures of C. oryzae (98% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α) and C. tuberculata (96% in gapdh and 99% in tef1α). Morphologically, C. reesii has conidia similar in size to C. oryzae (24–40 × 12–22 µm, Sivanesan 1987) and C. tuberculata (23–52 × 13–20 µm, Sivanesan 1987). The isolate of C. reesii examined in this study had become sterile.

Australia, Queensland, Musselbrook Reserve, leaf of Sporobolus australasicus, 2 May 1995, J.L. Alcorn (holotype BRIP 23040b, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA approx. 6 cm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous black, velutinous. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth, branched, septate, 3 µm wide. Conidiophores erect, straight to flexuous, geniculate, pale yellowish-brown, septate, up to 55 µm long, 4−5 µm wide, basal cell swollen, 6−10 µm diam. Conidiogenous cells cylindrical, slightly flared at the apex, integrated, sympodial, pale brown, smooth, with darkened and thickened scars. Conidia hemi-ellipsoidal, curved, 4-distoseptate with a faint narrow median septum, (34–) 37–41 (–45) × (14–) 17–20 (–23) µm, brown to dark brown, end cells rounded and paler, hila non-protuberant, sometimes darkened.

Named after Sporobolus, the grass genus from which it was isolated.

Based on multilocus phylogenetic analyses, C. sporobolicola clustered sister to C. papendorfii, which are both sister to C. eragrosticola (Fig. 1). Curvularia sporobolicola is distinguished in three loci from the ex-type cultures of C. papendorfii (99% in ITS, 96% in gapdh and 98% in tef1α) and C. eragrosticola (98% in ITS, 92% in gapdh and 98% in tef1α). These three species are similar in having dark brown, hemi-ellipsoidal, curved, conidia, which makes identification by morphology difficult. The conidia of C. sporobolicola tend to be wider than those of C. eragrosticola (25–35 × 9–19 µm, this study) and C. papendorfii (30–50 × 9–19 µm, Sivanesan 1987).

Curvularia sporobolicola is only known from the type specimen on S. australasicus, which is a native Australian grass with a broad distribution in the tropics and subtropics (Simon and Alfonso 2011). Other Curvularia species associated with Sporobolus include C. australis, C. crustacea, C. eragrostidis, C. geniculata, C. lunata, C. ovariicola, C. pallescens, C. ravenelii and C. ryleyi (Sivanesan 1987, Farr and Rossman 2018), although this is the first Curvularia species associated with S. australasicus.

Australia, Queensland, Torres Strait, Warraber Island, from leaf spot on Dactyloctenium aegyptium, 2 Jun. 1985, R.A. Peterson (holotype BRIP 14817, includes ex-type culture).

Colonies on PDA 6–7 mm diam. after 7 d at 25 °C, surface funiculose, margin fimbriate, olivaceous green, velutinous with some aerial mycelium. Hyphae subhyaline, smooth, septate, up to 3 µm wide. Conidiophores erect, flexuous, geniculate towards apex, uniformly pale brown to brown, septate, up to 360 µm long, 4–5 µm wide, basal cell sometimes swollen, 6–8 µm diam. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, with sympodial proliferation, pale brown to brown, smooth, mono- or polytretic, with darkened scars. Conidia ellipsoidal, curved, the third cell from base swollen, end cells paler, smooth, (20–) 23–26 (–28) × (8–) 9.5–11 µm, pale brown to brown, 3-distoseptate, hila conspicuous, sometimes slightly protuberant, thickened and darkened.

Named after the locality, Warraber Island in the Torres Straits, where the specimen was collected.

Multilocus phylogenetic analyses placed C. warraberensis sister to C. caricae-papayae and C. prasadii (Fig. 1). Curvularia warraberensis differs from the ex-type culture of C. caricae-papayae in gapdh positions 40 (C), 102 (C), 230 (A), 233 (C) and 321 (A) and from the ex-type culture of C. prasadii in two loci, gapdh positions 102 (C), 131 (C), 230 (A), 233 (C), 321 (A) and tef1α positions 214 (C), 337 (C), 542 (A), 543 (C), 685 (C). These three species belong to the lunata-clade sensu Madrid et al. (2014), which also includes C. aeria, C. brachyspora, C. chlamydospora, C. lunata and C. pseudolunata. All the species in the lunata-clade sensu Madrid et al. (2014) have 4-celled conidia in which the third cell from the base is often swollen (unequally sided and larger) and darker than the other cells. Curvularia warraberensis has longer conidiophores than C. caricae-papayae (up to 100 µm long, Srivastava and Bilgrami 1963) and longer conidia than C. caricae-papayae (12.8–18.0 × 6–8 µm) and C. prasadii (12.8–18.0 × 6–8 µm, Mathur and Mathur 1959).

Curvularia warraberensis is only known from the holotype. Curvularia species associated with Dactyloctenium are listed in the notes for C. petersonii.