Phyllactinia taurica

Phyllactinia taurica
Phyllactinia taurica sensu lato on Capparis in Italy.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Leotiomycetes
Order:	Helotiales
Family:	Erysiphaceae
Genus:	Phyllactinia
Species:	P. taurica
Binomial name
Phyllactinia taurica (Lév.) M. Bradshaw, Khodap. & U. Braun, 2025
Synonyms
List Leveillula taurica(Lév.) G. Arnaud, 1921 Erysiphe tauricaLév., 1842 Oidopsis taurica(Lév.) E.S. Salmon, 1906 Erysiphe peganiSorokin, 1889 Leveillula boraginacearumGolovin, 1956 Leveillula capparidacearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula crucifearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula cucurbitarumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula papaveracearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula pedaliacearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula rosacearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula saxifragacearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula solanacearumGolvin, 1956 Leveillula thymeleacearumGolvin, 1956 Oidopsis siculaScal., 1902 Ovulariopsis sicula(Scal.) Cif. & Camera, 1962 Acrosporium gossypiiSumstine, 1913 Oidium gossypii(Sumstine) Sacc., 1931 Ovulariopsis gossypiiWakef., 1920 Oidopsis gossypii(Wakef.) Raych, 1950 Oidopsis papaverisSawada, 1933 Oidopsis acladumFerraris, 1937 Oidopsis acroclada(Ferraris) Cif. & Corte, 1957 Oidopsis liniMundkur. & Thirum., 1951 Oidopsis impatientisGolovin, 1956 Ovulariopsis impatientis(Golovin) Cif. & Camera, 1962 Ovularia indicaRamachandra Rao, 1968 Oidopsis solaniN. Ahmad, A.K. Sarbhoy, Kamal & D.K. Agarwal, 2006

Phyllactinia taurica is a species complex of powdery mildews in the family Erysiphaceae. It is found across the world, where it affects a vast array of different plant families. Phyllactinia taurica is one of the most polyphagous powdery mildew species in the world, although attempts have been made to split it in the past and it may be a complex of many cryptic species on different hosts.

Description

The fungus forms superficial, sometimes quite dense mycelium on both sides of the leaves, stems and inflorescences of its host. The host range of Phyllactinia taurica is incredibly broad and includes genera in Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Capparaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Papaveraceae, Passifloraceae, Pedaliaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Saxifragaceae, Solanaceae, Thymeleaceae and Zygophyllaceae. Phyllactinia tauricasensu lato is known on an even wider range of hosts, but the taxonomic affinity of most records is unclear. ^[1] Many hosts of P. taurica are grown as crops. ^[2]

Taxonomy

The fungus was formally described in 1842 by Léveillé with the basionym Erysiphe taurica. The species was transferred to the current genus Phyllactinia in 2025 by Bradshaw et al. The genus of its previous taxonomic placement, Leveillula (named after Léveillé) is now considered conspecific with Phyllactinia . ^[3]

Environment

Phyllactinia taurica is found in most places where its hosts are found, but like many species in Phyllactinia sect. Leveillula, it is especially widespread in warmer and arid regions of the world. Species in the section are adapted to xerophytic conditions, exemplified by the ability of their conidia to germinate rapidly and at any relative humidity. ^[1]

References

1. Braun, Uwe; Cook, Roger T. A. (2012). Taxonomic manual of the Erysiphales (powdery mildews). CBS biodiversity series. Utrecht: CBS-KNAW fungal biodiversity centre. ISBN   978-90-70351-89-2.
2. Massire, Anne; Cussonneau, Flavie; Elbelt, Sonia; Constant, Carole; Bardin, Marc; Moury, Benoît; Lefebvre, Véronique (2025). "Powdery Mildew Caused by Leveillula taurica (Synonym: Phyllactinia taurica): A Global Challenge for Pepper Production". Molecular Plant Pathology. 26 (7). doi:10.1111/mpp.70128. ISSN   1364-3703. PMC   12290946 . PMID   40709757.
3. Bradshaw, Michael; Braun, Uwe; Khodaparast, Seyed Akbar; Mitchell, James K.; Crouch, Uma; Thomas, Jacklyn; Darsaraei, Hamideh; Pfister, Donald H. (4 July 2025). "Phylogeny and taxonomy of the genera of Erysiphaceae, part 7: Phyllactinieae" . Mycologia. 117 (4): 640–700. doi:10.1080/00275514.2025.2476375. ISSN   0027-5514. PMID   40258175.