FIRST REPORT OF THE GENUS CHEIROSPORA (COELOMYCETES) IN IRAN

During visit beech forests of Mazandaran province in May and June of 2010-2011, some infected twigs of Fagus sylvatica with signs of fungal infection were collected. Laboratory analysis revealed acervular fruiting bodies on infected twigs. Acervulus up to 500 μm in diameter and forming a black spot on main and secondary twigs. Conidia erumpent, form black masses over the acervulus. Conidia are spherical, brown to olive, with acropetal branched cells enclosed in a gelatinous sheath. Complex conidia are 12.5- 22.5 ×25-45 μm, composed of sphaerical cells which are 1.25- 3.75× 2.5- 7.5 μm. Conidiophores hyaline, up to 150 μm, septate, straight and cylindrical. The above morphological features fit well with the earlier descriptions of Cheirospora botryospora (Mont.) Berk. & Broome (Sutton 1980, The Coelomycetes). The species has been previously reported on Cornus alba, Hedera helix, Fagus gandifolia and Quercus rubra (Sutton 1980). This is the first report of the fungus from Iran.