Articles by Taxonomic Novelty

Bauerago (with B. abstrusa on Juncus as the type species) is a small genus in the Microbotryales. Its species infect plants belonging to three, monocotyledonous families, Commelinaceae (Commelina and Tinantia), Juncaceae (Juncus and Luzula), and Cyperaceae (Cyperus). There are four Bauerago species on hosts in the Commelinaceae (three species on Commelina and one on Tinantia). Bauerago commelinae on Commelina communis was studied by molecular and morphological methods. Phylogenetic analyses using rDNA (ITS, LSU, and SSU) sequences indicate that B. commelinae does not cluster with other species of Bauerago on Juncaceae. For accommodation of this smut fungus in the Microbotryaceae, a new genus, Kalmanago, is introduced, with four new combinations: Kalmanago commelinae (Kom.) Denchev et al., K. combensis (Vánky) T. Denchev et al., K. boliviana (M. Piepenbr.) T. Denchev et al., and K. tinantiae (J.C. Lindq.) T. Denchev et al. A lectotype is designated for K. commelinae.