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The checklist of the smut fungi of Africa and adjacent islands contains 427 species in 47 genera, arranged alphabetically. A short description of each genus is provided. For each species the author(s), place of publication, type(s), nomenclatural and taxonomic synonyms are given, as well as the host plant family, host plant genus (genera), and general distribution are mentioned. For each species the African host plants and the countries from where they are known are enumerated. A chapter of doubtful, excluded or invalidly published taxa is compiled. A list of selected literature is completing the paper. The checklist reflects the great, but incompletely known biodiversity of Africa.

This paper is a call for new research on European rust fungi, initiated by the participants of the EURED (European Uredinales Initiative) meeting, a satellite workshop of the 9^th International Mycological Congress in Edinburgh 2010.

Anthracoidea eburneae on Carex eburnea from Canada is described and illustrated.

Oncopodium lidiae sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the cortex of Fumana procumbens (Cistaceae) collected in Hungary. This species has been collected several times and from different localities in Hungary exclusively from dry twigs of Fumana procumbens. A key of Oncopodium species is presented.

During an ongoing investigation of Iran’s lichen biota we explored two valleys in the Binaloud Mountains (west of Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan province). As a result, we report 57 species, including 18 species new to the province.

Seven new species, Anthracoidea breweri on Carex breweri and C. subnigricans from USA, Anthracoidea griseae on Carex grisea from USA, Farysia echinulata on Carex fischeri from Kenya, Tilletia avenastri on Avenastrum turgidulum from Lesotho, Urocystis anemonae-narcissiflorae on Anemone narcissiflora from Canada, Ustanciosporium venezuelanum on Rhynchospora sp. from Venezuela, and Ustilago buchloëformis on Bouteloua repens from Mexico are described and illustrated.

This work provides new information about five interesting and uncommon hypogeous fungi from Greece – Balsamia vulgaris, Geopora clausa, Hydnocystis piligera, Sclerogaster compactus and Wakefieldia macrospora. Descriptions of the five species are included based upon Greek collections, accompanied by colour macro- and microphotographs, and molecular data of four of them. On the basis of molecular results, the genus Wakefieldia seems to be closely related to Hebeloma in the Hymenogastraceae, while Geopora clausa appears to be related to Geopora in the Pyronemataceae.

Agrocybe pediades is a rather widespread species mentioned in many Russian regional check-lists. However, there is no agreement among different authors concerning the volume of this species. Some of them recognize single polymorphic species A. pediades with several intraspecies groups. In this case Agrocybe arenicola, A. semiorbicularis and A. subpediades are accepted as synonyms of A. pediades. Under another above-listed species are considered as a group of close but separate taxa. In this research the representatives of A. pediades species complex collected in different parts of Russia have been studied using both molecular and morphological techniques. The analysis of nrITS1-5.8-ITS2 regions has revealed one large well supported clade consisting of specimens labeled before this study as Agrocybe arenicola, A. pediades, A. semiorbicularis and A. subpediades. This clade was characterized by the absence of the reliable morphological differences between included collections. The obtained results correspond to the wide species concept of A. pediades. Several small subclades have been also revealed inside the main clade. Most of them were inconstant with low bootstrap support in NJ, MP and ML analyses. They were shown to belong presumably to A. pediades var. pediades. One subclade recovered in all analyses with high bootstrap support was characterized by some distinct morphological features and was considered afterwards as a new variety of A. pediades – var. bispora. Therefore, all known so far Russian collections belong to A. pediades var. pediades and A. pediades var. bispora.

Six new records of the unusual ascomycete Perrotia flammea (Helotiales, Hyaloscyphaceae) from Greece are presented, along with a detailed description based on dried material, taxonomic notes, line drawings and a colour plate.

A new genus of smut fungi, Tubisorus, is proposed for Sorosporium pachycarpum on Mnesithea rottboellioides, Poaceae.

Two new species of Moreaua are described from endemic species of Cyperaceae (sedges) in Western Australia. Moreaua actinoschoeni occurs on Actinoschoenus sp. in the far north, and M. chrysitricis occurs on Chrysitrix distigmatosa in the mid west. These are the first smut fungi to be found on these two genera of sedges. Moreaua chrysitricis is the third smut fungus to have been found on a sedge in the subfamily Mapanioideae.

A new genus of smut fungi, Bambusiomyces is proposed for Ustilago shiraiana on host plants in the tribe Bambuseae of Poaceae.

An historical account is given of the smut fungus genus Pericladium and its species, parasitic on members of Grewia (Malvaceae). The genus is characterised and descriptions of its three recognised species, P. grewiae, P. piperis and P. tiliacearum are given, along with their synonyms, host plant range and geographic distribution. A key to the species of Pericladium is presented. Arguments are enumerated for the necessity of description of a new family, Pericladiaceae, to accommodate Pericladium within the Ustilaginales.

Anthracoidea melanostachyae on Carex melanostachya from Iran is described and illustrated.

Twenty species of ascomycetous and anamorphic fungi from twenty genera are reported for the first time from Mt. Strandzha in Bulgaria.

Thirty eight species from eighteen genera of ascomycetous and anamorphic fungi are reported for the first time from Mt. Strandzha in Turkey.

Endophytic fungi were isolated from leaf and bark tissues of Ficus religiosa and F. benghalensis (Moraceae) in a tropical forest in southern India. Five hundred leaf and bark segments from each plant species were collected. Endophytic fungi were more numerous from leaf segments than bark. In this study, hyphomycetes were the most dominant group followed by coelomycetes, ascomycetes, zygomycetes, and sterile fungi. Leaf and bark tissues of F. religiosa had more endophytic fungi than F. benghalensis. Some endophytic fungi were common to both hosts, and few appeared to be host specific.

Curvularia lunata on Grewia optiva is recorded from India. Occurrence of Xylaria longipes is reported from Bulgaria.