Epichloë melicicola explained

Epichloë melicicola is a systemic and seed-transmissible endophyte of Melica dendroides (syn. Melica decumbens) and Melica racemosa, grasses endemic to southern Africa. It was described as a Neotyphodium species in 2002^[1] but transferred to the genus Epichloë in 2014.^[2]

The two host plant species are locally called "dronkgras" because they can cause staggers in grazing livestock.^[3] Similar staggers symptoms are associated with several other grasses worldwide when they possess certain symbiotic Neotyphodium species that produce indole-diterpene alkaloids such as lolitrems.^[4]

Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that E. melicicola is an interspecific hybrid, and that its closest relatives are the teleomorphic (sexual) species, Epichloë festucae, and the anamorphic (asexual) species, Epichloë aotearoae.^[1]

Notes and References

1. Moon CD, Miles CO, Jarlfors U, Schardl CL . 2002. The evolutionary origins of three new Neotyphodium endophyte species from grasses indigenous to the Southern Hemisphere. Mycologia. 21156542. 94. 694–711. 10.2307/3761720. 3761720. 4. Mycological Society of America.
2. Leuchtmann . A. . Bacon . C. W. . Schardl . C. L. . White . J. F. . Tadych . M. . Nomenclatural realignment of Neotyphodium species with genus Epichloë . Mycologia . 106 . 2 . 2014 . 202–215 . 0027-5514 . 10.3852/13-251 . 24459125 . 25222557 . 2016-02-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307124043/http://www.epa.govt.nz/search-databases/HSNO%20Application%20Register%20Documents/APP201774_Leuchtmann%20et%20al%202014.pdf . 2016-03-07 . dead .
3. Gibbs-Russell GE, Ellis RP . 1982. The genus Melica L. (Poaceae) in Southern Africa. Bothalia. 14. 37–44. 1. 10.4102/abc.v14i1.1133. free.
4. Gallagher RT, Hawkes AD, Steyn PS, Vleggaar R . 1984. Tremorgenic neurotoxins from perennial ryegrass causing ryegrass staggers disorder of livestock: structure elucidation of lolitrem B. Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications. 1984. 9. 614–616. 10.1039/c39840000614.