Plant Parasites of Europe

leafminers, galls and fungi

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli (Desmazières) Ito, 1935

on Calystegia, Convolvulus

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli: galled seeds of Calystegia sepium

Calystegia sepium, England, Berks, VC 22 © Malcolm Storey, bioImages

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli: galled anthers of Calystegia silvatica

Calystegia silvatica, England, Berks, VC 22 © Malcolm Storey, bioImages. This is the anamorphic stage of the infection, when conidia are formed.

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

Calystegia sepium, Belgium, prov. Flemish Brabant, Zichem, de Demerbroeken © Carina Van Steenwinkel: galled seed, opened

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli: spore balls

spore balls

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli: spore balls

detail

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

Calystegia sepium, Belgium, prov. Limbourg, Wellen, Broekbeemd, 5.vii.2022 © Carina Van Steenwinkel: section through a young infected ovary

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

detail

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

spores

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

opened flower with anther infected by the anamorphic stage

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

detail

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

spores of the anamorphic stage

Thecaphora seminis-convolvuli on Calystegia sepium

detail

gall

flowers small, anthers swollen; contents of one or more seeds in the capsule is transformed into a granular-powdery reddish brown mass of spores.

host plants

Convolvulaceae, narrowly oligophagous

Calystegia sepium, silvatica, soldanella; Convolvulus arvensis.

synonyms

“Thecaphora passeriniana (Cocc.) Cif.”: Brandenburger.

notes

Malcolm writes on his site: “This smut may be found either by searching for flowers with swollen anthers, or by bursting the ripe capsules with your fingers, from late August onwards and looking for dark dusty seeds. Beware that the large ripe seeds are black and when half-ripe they can look as though they are covered in dust, but a true infection will produce copious spore dust from large lesions on the seeds. Infected host flowers stay open into the evening after uninfected flowers have closed for the night.”

references

Ainsworth & Sampson (1950a), Brandenburger (1985a: 514), Buhr (1964b), Dauphin & Aniotsbehere (1997a), Jage, Klenke, Kruse ao (2016a), Klenke (2002a), Klenke & Scholler (2015a), Kruse (2019a), Kruse & Jage (2014a), Kruse, Kummer, Shivas & Thines (2018c), Redfern & Shirley (2011a), Savchenko & Heluta (2012a), Scholz & Scholz (2013a, Tomasi (2012a, 2014a), Vanderweyen & Fraiture (2014a), Vánky (1994a, 2012a), Vánky, Lutz & Bauer (2008b), Woods, Chater, Smith ao (2018a).

Last modified 23.iv.2023