Abstract
Cintractiella is an unusual genus of smut fungi containing two described species that produce sori as adventitious gall-like spikelets on members of tribe Hypolytreae (subfam. Mapanioideae, Cyperaceae). In September 200, during a botanical expedition on the volcanic island of Kosrae located in the eastern Caroline Islands and within the Federated States of Micronesia, a specimen of Mapaniapacifica was collected displaying Cintractiella-like sori in adventitious spikelets on the host leaves. Sori were hypophyllous, occurring in groups of spikelets composed of olivaceous-brown scale-like leaves, 1–1.5 mm wide and up to 6 mm long. Microscopic comparison with the protologue and drawings of the type material of C.lamii show several differences in teliospore and sori characters between it and the newly collected material on Mapania. To our knowledge, this represents only the second known collection of any member of Cintractiella on vegetative organs of Hypolytreae and a third species for this genus and the only known smut species infecting Mapania, herein described as Cintractiellakosraensissp. nov.
Highlights
There are strong correlations between the classification of smut fungi and the systematics of their host plants
In addition to differences in host plant and distribution, C. diplasiae differs from C. lamii in producing sori in the host inflorescences, rather than on the leaves
C. kosraensis is the only smut species known to infect a species of Mapania
Summary
There are strong correlations between the classification of smut fungi and the systematics of their host plants. Cintractiella Boedijn, with only two known species, is an example of a smut genus that appears to be restricted to Cyperaceae, in this case wholly within the tribe Hypolytreae. Cintractiella lamii Boedijn, the type species of the genus, is only known from the locus classicus from Indonesia. Boedijn (1937) investigated the material thoroughly and described it as a new smut fungus in a new genus. The type specimen was collected from Brazil and the species is known from Venezuela on the same host species (Vánky 2003). In September 2009, an unusual smut fungus producing spikelets on the leaves of Mapania pacifica (Hosok.) T.Koyama (Hypolytreae) was discovered on the island of Kosrae within the Federated States of Micronesia, described as a third species of Cintractiella, C. kosraensis sp. C. kosraensis is the only smut species known to infect a species of Mapania
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