First report of Colletotrichum dracaenophilum on Dracaena sanderiana

In March 2011، anthracnose symptoms were observed on stems of Dracaena sanderiana as imported ornamental plant in Gorgan، Golestan province (NE Iran). According to the Farr et al. (2006) the pathogenic fungus were identified as Colletotrichum dracaenophilum D. F. Farr & M. E. Palm. Morphology of the species isolated from host plant tissue is: Acervuli (Fig. 1A) have been arranged concentrically on the stem، formation as tiny black spot، 300–380 µm، septate setae (Fig. 1B)، sparse، scattered in hymenium، black، 180–295 × 3. 75–6. 25 µm، straight to slightly curved، becoming narrowed and hyaline at rounded apex، 4–11 septate. Conidiophores (Fig. 1C) were dark brown to hyaline and originated from hymenium; conidiogenous cells are phialidic، hyaline، cylindrical، ovoid، 11–32 (–20. 75) × (–6. 13) 4–8 µm; conidiogenesis is entroblastic. Conidia (Fig. 1D) are hyaline، unicellular، cylindrical to ovoid، straight or slightly curved، guttulate، 21–31 (–26. 62) × (–6. 5) 5–8 µm. The cirrus (cirrhus) colour of conidia was yellowish orange. Colony on the PDA was white and became pale pink in the center of colony. The fungus growth was 7 cm during seven days at 25o C. Colletotrichum dracaenophilum has been reported from tropical region such as Cyprus (Georghiou & Papadopoulos 1957)، China and Kenya (Nattrass 1961) and United States (Parris 1959) and this is the first report of this species for mycoflora of Iran.