Yongxiang Liu, Zuoyi Liu, and Sopone Wongkaew

pp. 17 - 22

Abstract

Growth of Shiraia bambusicola was observed in the wild during its developing process, and its morphological
characteristics and relationships with bamboo tissue were observed by light microscopy and SEM. The fungal stromata were
found only on top stalks of the previous year branches. Parasitic relationship of the fungus with the bamboo could not be
indicated from the morphological evidence. The fungus grew around the interspace of bamboo leaf sheaths, showed the
tissue specificity on leaf sheath of several bamboo genera. A possible life cycle of S. bambusicola was proposed and discussed. The fungus was confirmed to have bitunicate asci with pseudoparaphyses thus should be placed in the Pleoporales
order and not in the Dothidiales. Asexual and sexual developments of S. bambusicola were observed and for the first time
four stages of ascus and ascospore development were described. The four stages consisted of ascus primordium formation,
ascus elongation, young ascospore formation, and ascospore maturation.