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Genetic diversity was studied in populations of the soil fungus Sordaria fimicola at climate-contrasting environments using 132 AFLP markers. Six populations were tested from opposing slopes at ‘Evolution Canyon’ in Nahal Oren, Israel: three (upper, middle, and lower) from the harsher, drier south facing slope and the parallel three from the lusher, milder north facing slope. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that more genetic diversity among populations of S. fimicola was derived from between slopes than from within slopes; and F-statistics analysis suggested low estimations of inter-slope gene flow. In addition, clustering analysis (UPGMA) clearly grouped the six wild populations according to their appropriate slopes. These findings suggest that migration of S. fimicola between the two slopes of ‘Evolution Canyon’ is relatively small and some isolation barriers between opposing populations probably exist.

Records of 46 lichen species and 5 species of lichenicolous fungi in Bulgaria are presented, of which 13, Agonimia tristicula, Candelariella lutella, C. plumbea, Intralichen christiansenii, Lichenostigma elongata, Lichinella nigritella, Marchandiomyces corallinus, Muellerella pygmaea var. athallina, Rinodina pityrea, Sarcopyrenia gibba var. geisleri, Scoliciosporum sarothamni, Staurothele ambrosiana, and Xanthoria nowakii are new to Bulgaria and several others are new to the Rhodopes and Black Sea coast.

The four recognised smut fungi of Araceae are studied. A new genus and species, Entylomaster typhonii, are described and illustrated on Typhonium brownii from Australia. A new combination proposed is Entylomaster dietelianus on Ambrosina bassii from Italy.

Smut fungi of Restionaceae s. lat. were studied. They are classified into two genera, Restiosporium and Websdanea. Problems of species delimitation in these smuts are discussed. In addition to the nine known smut fungi, thirteen new species are described and illustrated: Restiosporium anarthriae, R. apodasmiae, R. chaetanthi, R. desmocladii, R. eurychordae, R. flexuosum, R. hypolaenae, R. lepyrodiae, R. pallentis, R. patei, R. proliferum, R. spathacei, and R. sphacelatum.

Aquatic fungi and fungus-like organisms, growing on nuts of seven birch species (Betula gracilis, B. humilis, B. lutea, B. nana, B. papyrifera, B. pubescens and B. verrucosa) found in the water of three limnologically and trophically different water bodies (spring, river and pond), were investigated. The total of 63 species, including 23 fungus-like organisms and 40 fungal species were found on the nuts of the investigated birches. The most common species were Karlingia rosea, Nowakowskiella macrospora, Achlya americana, Aphanomyces laevis, Saprolegnia ferax, Acrodictys bambusicola, Angulospora aquatica, Arbusculina fragmentans, Canalisporium caribense, Heliscus lugdunensis, Pithomyces obscuriseptatus, Tetracladium marchalianum and Tripospermum camelopardus ). Most of the species were observed on the nuts of Betula verrucosa (49 species) and the fewest on the nuts of Betula nana (42). In Cypisek spring, the number of fungal species and fungus-like organisms on the nuts was closely associated with the concentration of chlorides.However, in Supraśl River and Dojlidy pond it was associated with the sulphates concentration (in both cases negative correlation).

Twenty-nine lichen species on gypsum soil and crystalline gypsum and five species on plant debris influenced by gypsum in Turkey have been investigated. Six species, Acarospora nodulosa, Acarospora placodiiformis, Aspicilia lacunosa, Caloplaca thuringiaca, Fulgensia desertorum and Lecidea circinarioides are new to Turkey, some records considerably extending their known distribution. Species/area curves show the localities and the lichen species as highly endangered, with on average 4 localities accounting for 50 % of the detected number of species; 29 species in 10 localities correspond to 75.5 % of the statistical optimum of ca 37 species expected in an endless number of plots. In order to account for 90 % of the species, 34 localities need to be investigated. Not only should more localities be searched for and studies, but some of those already investigated need to be protected.

An annotated list of Caloplaca species occurring in Bulgaria, mainly the Rhodopes, Black Sea coast, and Pirin Mountains, is provided. Based on our collections, 50 taxa are listed, of which 17 are reported for the first time from the country: Caloplaca adriatica, C. albolutescens, C. cerinella, C. chrysodeta, C. crenulatella, C. erodens, C. flavocitrina, C. aff. furax, C. fuscoatroides, C. hungarica, C. inconnexa var. inconnexa, C. inconnexa var. nesodes, C. marmorata, C. obscurella, C. polycarpa, C. tiroliensis, and C. xerica. C. aff. furax is probably an undescribed taxon resembling the Mediterranean C. furax, but differing in particular characters.

The current status of former Ustilago species on dicotyledonous plants, recently treated as members of the Microbotryaceae, is discussed. Almaraz et al. (2002) pointed out that the genus Microbotryum is restricted to the anthericolous smuts on Caryophyllaceae, based on the sequence analysis of ITS rDNA. They concluded that Sphacelotheca and ovariicolous Microbotryum species on Caryophyllaceae, or at least, Microbotryum duriaeanum, are generically distinct from Microbotryum s. str. These results, on the one hand, alter the taxonomic scheme of the Microbotryaceae and, on the other, reestablish the genus name Bauhinus, reduced by some recent authors to a synonym of Microbotryum, as a correct name. Twenty-six new combinations in Bauhinus are proposed: B. ahmadianus, B. anomalus, B. calandriniicola, B. calyptratae, B. cilinodis, B. coronatus, B. dehiscens, B. dumosus, B. filamenticola, B. lewisiae, B. longisetus, B. ocrearum, B. paucireticulatus, B. perfoliatae, B. picaceus, B. polygoni-alati, B. prostratus, B. radians, B. scabiosae, B. shastensis, B. silybi, B. stewartii, B. tenuisporus, B. tovarae, B. tuberculiformis, and B. tumeformis. A new genus, Haradaea, is described to accommodate the seed-destroying species of Ustilago on Caryophyllaceae. It unites seven species: H. alsineae, H. arenariae-bryophyllae, H. duriaeana, H. holostei, H. jehudana, H. moenchiae-manticae, and H. nivalis.

Mycena juniperina (Mycena section Supinea) which was described by Aronsen was collected in Turkey on bark of Juniperus excelsa. It is characterized by small pileus, globose and amyloid spores.

The first official Red List of fungi in Bulgaria is presented where the current IUCN Red List categories are put into practice. It includes 215 species of ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, as follows: 37 Critically Endangered (CR), 105 Endangered (EN), 40 Vulnerable (VU), 14 Near Threatened (NT), and 19 Data Deficient (DD).

Cladosporium cladosporioides was investigated for the production of lipase and toxic metabolites under varied conditions. Shea butter and groundnut oil promoted lipase elaboration. As the species ages in broth, lipase production increases and a considerable growth accompanied the lowering of pH to 4.0. Also some antifungal metabolites were produced, although they did not have any effect on Mucor hiemalis and Aspergillus flavus. Active charcoal was an effective adsorbent of the antimicrobial secreted into the broth.

Llimoniella caloplacae S. Kondr. & Khodosovtsev sp. nova growing on Caloplaca borysthenica Khodosovtsev & S. Kondr. sp. nova from naked loess and mosses in the Festuco-Limonetea plant communities of the southern part of Ukraine are described, illustrated, and compared with allied taxa.

A list of lichens from Serbia is presented, comprising species new to Serbia or have been recorded once or a few times only; a few lichenicolous fungi are also included. The list is based on investigations of material in the lichen collection of the Belgrade Natural History Museum, together with that collected by the authors. In all, 54 species of lichens and eight lichenicolous fungi are reported from Serbia for the first time. The lichen genera Brodoa, Cornicularia, Hypocenomyce, Pycnora, Pyrenocollema, Rhizoplaca, Schaereria, and Solenopsora, and the lichenicolous genera Abrothallus, Carbonea, Cercidospora, Lichenodiplis, Muellerella, Scutula, and Vouauxiella are new to Serbia. Additional localities are given for 97 lichen species, for which only a few localities have been published.

Eight new smut fungi, collected in Thailand, are described: Macalpinomyces siamensis on Coelorachis striata, Sporisorium clandestinum on Aristida setacea, S. pseudosorghi on Pseudosorghum fasciculare, S. trispicatae on Eulalia trispicata, Tilletia chiangmaiensis on Arundinella bengalensis, T. filisora on Pennisetum setosum, T. lageniformis on Hyparrhenia rufa, and Yelsemia droserae on Drosera burmanni and on D. indica (from Australia).

A new genus, Anomalomyces, is proposed to accommodate a peculiar, new smut fungus, A. panici, collected in Australia, on Panicum trachyrhachis. The new species shares some characteristics of both Sporisorium and Macalpinomyces, but is also unique in possessing two types of sterile cells. Anomalomyces is compared morphologically to the genera Ustilago, Sporisorium, and Macalpinomyces. Its relation to these genera is shown also by molecular analyses of ITS and LSU rDNA sequences. The problems of generic delimitation in this large group of smut fungi are discussed.

During field studies two interesting species were recorded for the first time from Bulgaria, namely Pluteus aurantiorugosus (on chestnut wood in Belasitsa Mt near the border with Greece) and Suillus lakei, an allien species, associated with Pseudotsuga menziesii in the western part of Stara Planina Mts. Another unrecorded in this country bolete, Boletus cisalpinus, was recognized on previously misidentified specimen from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Descriptions of both species are provided upon the Bulgarian samples.

A critical revision of all available, previously collected in Israel specimens of Golovinomyces species and respective reference data was made. In addition, extensive herbarium materials were collected here by authors. As a result, species composition of ten species from the genus Golovinomyces was established. Three of the species, namely, G. cynoglossi, G. echinopis, and G. verbasci, were recorded for the first time for Israel. Also, incorrect identification of Neoerysiphe cumminsiana as Erysiphe cichoracearum on Filago eriocephala, Hedypnois cretica, Lagoseris sancta, Phagnalon rupestre, Picris amalecitana, P. galilaea, Rhagadiolus stellatus, Senecio vernalis, Thrincia tuberosa, and Tolpis virgata was revealed.

The authors investigated aquatic fungi and chromistan organisms growing on the dead specimens of 11 species of free-floating plants in the water from three limnological and trophical different water bodies (spring, river and pond). On the specimens investigated plants in the water of water bodies of north-eastern Poland they identified 129 species including 57 chromistan organisms and 72 fungus species. The most common taxa were Aphanomyces laevis, Thraustotheca clavata, Pythium inflatum, P. rostratum, Anguillospora filiformis, A. pseudolongissima, Angulospora aquatica, Heliscus submersus, Lemonniera aquatica, Pithomyces obscuriseptatus, Tetracladium marchalianum, Tricellula aquatica. Most fungus species were observed on the specimens of Utricularia minor, U. vulgaris (each 36) and Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (34), fewest on Lemna gibba (22), Aldrowanda vesiculosa and Lemna minor (each 23). The most taxa were growing in the water from River Supraśl (64), the fewest in the water from Spring Jaroszówka (55). A number of chromistan organisms and fungus species (2 and 11 respectively) appeared new to Polish waters.

A taxonomic revision of Melampsora on Populus in Bulgaria was carried out. The study yielded distributions of M. allii-populina, M. populnea (f. sp. laricis, f. sp. magnusiana, f. sp. pinitorqua, and f. sp. rostrupii) and M. larici-populina on 20 host species of Allium, Mercurialis, Pinus, and Populus, representing a total of 28 rust/host combinations. Three species of Populus are recorded as new hosts for Bulgaria. The morphological characteristics and distribution of these rust fungi are reported.

The genus Testicularia is studied. In addition to the two known species, Testicularia cyperi and Testicularia minor, a new species, Testicularia africana is described on Rhynchospora corymbosa from Guinea.

The present paper is based on macrofungal specimens collected from Muğla City, in years of 2004-2005. As a result of field and laboratory studies, seven new records are presented. These are Hebeloma syrjense, H. sordescens, Pluteus robertii, Psilocybe cubensis, P. subviscida var. velata, Stropharia luteonitens, and Mycena rorida.

The present study reports on specimens of macrofungi collected in different localities of Hasandağı Mountain and Göreme District, in the period 1999-2001. The field and laboratory studies resulted in the identification of 66 taxa, belonging to two classes and 22 families. Among them, eight taxa belong to Ascomycota and 62 to Basidiomycota. Moreover, two taxa, Peziza moravecii and Coprinus leiocephalus, are recorded for the first time for the Turkish mycota.

The known data on the diversity of the Diaporthales in Bulgaria are summarized and briefly discussed. For each taxon, the distribution throughout the country along with the literature sources referring to it and the herbarium acronym of the kept specimens are given. The information about the anamorphs of some diaporthalean species is also included. The species distribution by floristic regions is presented in a table.

A list of 586 species lichenized fungi of Serbia is presented, which summarizes all records since 1859 and provides a comprehensive bibliography of sources containing Serbian records. Synonyms mainly at the species level, relevant for the Serbian records are included.

A new combination of Microbotryum afromontanum on Cerastium afromontanum in Haradaea is proposed.