LOPHODERMIUM Chevall. Rhytismataceae. 13 Ukrainian species on grasses, conifers, broadleaved trees etc. Several other species of Lophodermium, known from other parts of Europe, but not yet recorded from Ukraine, may be worth looking for. These include: Lophodermium caricinum (on leaves and stems of Carex), Lophodermium culmigenum (on leaves and stems of various Gramineae), Lophodermium festucae (on leaves and stems of various Gramineae), Lophodermium gramineum (on leaves and stems of various Gramineae), Lophodermium herbarum (on leaves of Convallaria.), Lophodermium intermissum (on leaves of Andromeda), Lophodermium laricinum (on needles of Larix), Lophodermium melaleucum (on leaves of Vaccinium), Lophodermium oxycocci (on leaves of Vaccinium), Lophodermium sphaerioides (on leaves of Ledum), Lophodermium typhinum (on leaves of Typha).

1	on conifers	2
	not on conifers	13
2 (1)	on Pinus	3
	not on Pinus	11
3 (2)	on needles	4
	on cones	9
4 (3)	on secondary needles	5
	on primary needles	8
5 (4)	on 5-needles pines	Lophodermium pinastri
	on 2- to 3-needle pines	6
6 (5)	thin black zone lines present	Lophodermium pinastri
	thin black zone lines absent	7
7 (6)	ascomata totally beneath the needle epidermis	Lophodermium seditiosum
	ascomata beneath only the cuticle in the area around the split	Lophodermium conigenum
8 (4)	thin black zone lines present, ascomata often with reddish lips	Lophodermium pinastri
	thin black zone lines absent, ascomata usually with green or bluish lips	Lophodermium seditiosum
9 (3)	thin black zone lines present, ascomata often with reddish lips	Lophodermium pinastri
	not with this combination of characters	10
10 (9)	cone surface not blackened, ascomata often with bluish lips	Lophodermium seditiosum
	cone surface often blackened, ascomata often with greenish lips	Lophodermium conigenum
11 (2)	on needles of Juniperus	Lophodermium juniperinum
	not on this genus	12
12 (11)	on needles of Picea	Lophodermium abietis
	on needles of Abies	Lophodermium piceae
13 (1)	on dicots	14
	on monocots	18
14 (13)	on leaves and petioles of Sorbus	Lophodermium aucupariae
	not on this genus	15
15 (14)	on leaves of Crataegus	Lophodermium foliicola
	not on this genus	16
16 (15)	on leaves and petioles of Quercus	Lophodermium petiolicola
	not on this genus	17
17 (16)	on stems of Paeonia	Lophodermium paeoniae
	on leaves of Vaccinium	Lophodermium maculare
18 (13)	on Molinia	Lophodermium apiculatum
	on other grasses, particularly Phragmites	Lophodermium arundinaceum

Lophodermium abietis Rostr. [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 15 records since 15 July 1994; often common and sometimes very abundant; probably widespread throughout Ukraine, perhaps occurring almost wherever Picea spp. grow, though sometimes apparently inexplicably absent from apparently suitable stands; less abundant on alkaline soils and perhaps where air pollution is greater. Months. June, July. Regions. Khmelnytskyi, Zakarpatska. Habitat. Inhabits living needles of Picea abies as a symptomless endophyte; fruits on pale areas of dead needles, often at first still attached to the tree, later fallen in the litter, much less frequently still attached to thinnings or other trash; always fruiting within 12 months of the death of the needle. Notes. This species is frequently referred to in the literature as Lophodermium piceae, the type specimen of which is, unfortunately, of a different fungus on needles of Abies. Worldwide. Widespread and common in Europe and North America on various species of Picea. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium apiculatum (Wormsk. ex Fr.) Duby Status. Native; 1 record on 24 May 1948. Months. May. Regions. Zhytomyr. Habitat. On leaves of Molinia sp. Notes. Perhaps the most poorly-known and poorly-documented species of this order in Ukraine. Johnston (1996) pointed out that identification of members of the Rhytismatales on grasses purely on the basis of grass species is not reliable, and suggested that use of this name is best avoided. Worldwide. On leaves of grasses, Europe. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium arundinaceum (Schrad.) Chevall. [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 11 records since 16 July 1925. Months. May, June, July, September. Regions. Cherkassy, Crimea, Kiev, Lviv, Zaporyzhzhia. Habitat. On dead stems of Agropyron sp., Koeleria cristata, Phragmites australis, Setaria Pal. sp. and Triticum aestivum. Notes. With Lophodermium apiculatum, this fungus is one of only two Lophodermium species recorded on grasses in Ukraine; these fungi have long been acknowledged to be difficult, and existing records should be treated with caution; other Lophodermium species also undoubtedly exist on grasses in Ukraine; the recent and excellent work by Johnston (1996) on Lophodermium species on monocotyledonous plants, which incidentally accepts only specimens occurring on Phragmites spp. as Lophodermium arundinaceum, will doubtless stimulate new collecting of these little-recorded fungi. Worldwide. Widespread and sometimes abundant on dead stems of grasses in Europe, North America and north Africa. References. Johnston (1996) [description]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Morochovskii, Zerova, Lavitskaya & Smitskaya (1969) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium aucupariae (Schleich.) Darker, Canadian Journal of Botany 45: 1430, 1967 Status. Native; 1 record in July 1994. Months. July. Regions. Zakarpatska. Habitat. Sorbus aucuparia; fruiting on dead fallen petioles and pale, brittle areas of dead fallen leaflets. Notes. Most easily found in late spring under trees growing among rocks or next to drystone walls where the fallen petioles and leaflets can accumulate; very occasionally encountered on wind-blown petioles and leaflets on open moorland sometimes more than 1 km from the nearest tree; this fungus appears not to have been recorded previously from Ukraine. I am indebted to my friend Eugene Yurchenko for sending me the material on which this record is based. Worldwide. On dead petioles and leaves of Rosaceae, particularly Sorbus; widespread and locally abundant in Europe and North America.

Lophodermium conigenum (Brunaud) Hilitzer [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 2 records since 22 March 1949. Months. March, June. Regions. Crimea, Kirovohrad. Habitat. On secondary needles of Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris subsp. kochiana; inhabiting living needles as a symptomless endophyte; fruiting on often paler areas of dead needles, most often those on branches prematurely killed as a result of thinning, snowbreak, ring-barking or other similar damage, less often in the litter; occasionally found on dead needles or dead portions of living needles killed by other factors and still attached to living twigs; always fruiting within 12 months of needle death. Notes. In Britain, also found on the apophyses of dead fallen female cones, though apparently less frequent in this habitat, and one exceptional record on bare wood of Pinus; ascocarps of Lophodermium conigenum colonized by the basidiomycete Pseudostypella translucens have occasionally been observed in other parts of Europe, particularly after rain when the basidiomycete is swollen and more obvious, and it would be worthwhile to search for this fungus in Ukraine. Worldwide. Widespread in Europe on native and some introduced pines, but not present at all potential sites; some records from North America where it may possibly be native, and a small number of records as an introduction to Africa, Australasia and South America. References. Minter & Millar (1978a) [description]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium foliicola (Fr.) P.F. Cannon & Minter [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 8 records since 16 April 1903; local, occurring in moderate numbers at scattered locations. Months. April, June, August. Regions. Crimea, Kiev, Lviv. Habitat. On dead fallen leaves of Crataegus sp., Pyrus communis and Rosaceae gen. indet. Notes. Fruits on dead fallen leaves under Crataegus where they can accumulate over winter; low bushes surrounded by Urtica and Rubus fruticosus agg. are among the most likely places to find it, though its distribution is patchy, as confirmed by many unsuccessful searches: only one out of, say, ten similar apparently suitable and adjacent bushes may harbour it; probably less local than records suggest, as the conditions in which it is found deter less dedicated observers; there seem to be no recent descriptions of this species. Worldwide. Widespread but local throughout Europe on dead fallen leaves of various members of the Rosaceae, but particularly Crataegus. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Morochovskii, Zerova, Lavitskaya & Smitskaya (1969) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium juniperinum (Fr.) De Not. [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 21 records since 1916; generally common and sometimes abundant in Ukraine almost everywhere Juniperus communis occurs; its distribution includes mountain habitats up to 1800m above sea level. Months. April, May, June, July. Regions. Chernihiv, Crimea, Kiev, Kirovohrad, Zakarpatska. Habitat. On dead attached needles of Juniperus communis, Juniperus communis subsp. nana, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus pygmaea, Juniperus sabina, Juniperus sibirica, Juniperus virginiana var. glauca, Juniperus sp. Notes. Inhabits living needles as a symptomless endophyte; fruits on dead needles, almost always attached to dead attached twigs deep within the bush canopy, occasionally found on fallen needles. Always fruiting within 12 months of needle death. Worldwide. On Cupressaceae, particularly Juniperus spp.; widespread and often abundant throughout Europe and North America; some records from South America where also probably native; introduced to Australasia. References. Cannon & Minter (1984c) [description]; Garbowski (1923) [Ukrainian records]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Morochovskii, Zerova, Lavitskaya & Smitskaya (1969) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium maculare (Fr.) De Not., Giornale Botanico Italiano 2: 45, 1847. Status. Native; 1 record on 19 July 1994. Months. July. Regions. Zakarpatska. Habitat. On dead fallen leaves of Vaccinium uliginosum. Notes. The initial report of Lophodermium melaleucum (Fr.) De Not. from Ukraine (Minter & Dudka, 1996) was based on an incorrect identification; the specimen giving rise to that report was identified as Lophodermium melaleucum because the ascomata had the yellowish lips characteristic of that species and almost never seen in other species of Lophodermium on Vaccinium; subsequent examination of the ascomatal upper walls in vertical sections has shown, however, that this specimen should be identified as Lophodermium maculare; Lophodermium maculare is thus newly reported from Ukraine, and Lophodermium melaleucum is removed from the Ukraine list; Lophodermium maculare has a uniformly darkened upper ascomatal wall, whereas in Lophodermium melaleucum the upper ascomatal wall has a paler inner region on either side, just back from the split. Worldwide. Widespread but infrequently recorded on leaves of various Vaccinium spp. in Europe. References. Eriksson (1970) [description, illustration]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium paeoniae Rehm Status. Native; 6 records since 12 April 1916; not rare in the mountains near Yalta. Months. April, May, June. Regions. Crimea. Habitat. On dead stems of Paeonia corallina var. triternata, Paeonia daurica and Paeonia tenuifolia. Notes. The only member of the Rhytismatales known on this plant genus; ascomata may be found in spring on previous year's stems of native Paeonia species at altitudes between about 600 m and 1300 m. Worldwide. On dead stems of Paeonia spp., locally common in parts of Europe and Asia. References. Garbowski (1923) [Ukrainian records]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium petiolicola Fuckel Status. Native; 9 records since 15 May 1902; apparently rather uncommon in Ukraine compared with other parts of Europe. Months. April, May, July. Regions. Crimea, Zakarpatska. Habitat. On dead fallen leaves and petioles of Quercus petraea and Quercus sp. Notes. The only species of Lophodermium known from leaves of Quercus in Ukraine; distinguished from Coccomyces dentatus and Coccomyces coronatus which have circular ascomata opening by several radial splits; Hypoderma ilicinum De Not, not yet recorded from Ukraine, has 3-septate ascospores up to 3.5 mm wide, whereas those of Lophodermium petiolicola are narrower and aseptate. Worldwide. Widespread and locally abundant on leaves and petioles of Castanea and Quercus spp. in Europe. References. Garbowski (1923) [Ukrainian records]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Morochovskii, Zerova, Lavitskaya & Smitskaya (1969) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium piceae (Fuckel) Höhn. [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 2 records since 20 July 1994. Months. June, July. Regions. Zakarpatska. Habitat. On dead fallen needles of Abies alba. Notes. This species is usually not distinguished from the much more common fungus on Picea, which is treated here as Lophodermium abietis; Lophodermium piceae, the type specimen of which is on needles of Abies, has larger asci and ascospores, and paler ascomata than those of Lophodermium abietis, and its ascomata open by more than one split quite frequently, whereas ascomata of Lophodermium abietis almost always open by a single split. Worldwide. On dead fallen needles of Abies spp., widespread but infrequent in Europe, North America and parts of Asia. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium pinastri (Schrad.) Chevall. [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 76 records since 8 May 1926; generally common, sometimes very abundant, particularly where Pinus is growing on acid soils, even as isolated trees; less abundant on alkaline soils and, possibly, where there is air pollution; probably occurs throughout Ukraine (up to 1800m above sea level). Months. April, May, June, July, October. Regions. Crimea, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, Kiev, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Zakarpatska, Zhytomyr. Habitat. Pinus mugo, Pinus nigra, Pinus nigra var. pallasiana, Pinus stankewiczii, Pinus strobus, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus sylvestris var. kochiana, Pinus sp.; on needles; a record on Larix sibirica may be an incorrect identification of Lophodermium laricinum; often recorded in association with other fungi, including Cyclaneusma minus, Cyclaneusma niveum and Naemacyclus fimbriatus. Notes. On secondary needles of Pinus; most frequently 2- and 3-needle species, occasionally on secondary needles of 5-needle species introduced from other parts of Europe or North America; inhabiting living needles of all ages as a symptomless endophyte; usually fruiting in the litter where it is the commonest Lophodermium on Pinus, sometimes on older needles attached to thinnings and other trash, or on dead needles or dead portions of living needles killed by other factors and still attached to living twigs; always fruiting within 12 months of needle death; in parts of Europe (but no records yet from Ukraine), less frequently observed, perhaps less common on apophyses of dead fallen female cones of Pinus sylvestris; known to occur on primary needles (probably mainly cotyledonary) of Pinus sylvestris; 1 genuine British record on dead needles of Picea; only three fungi commonly produce black zone lines within dead fallen needles of Pinus, and of these Lophodermium pinastri is usually by far the most abundant; ascomata of Lophodermium pinastri are known occasionally to be colonized by the basidiomycete Pseudostypella translucens, but this association has not yet been recorded from Ukraine. Worldwide. Widespread and usually abundant on needles and occasionally cones of Pinus throughout Europe, western Asia and north Africa; many records from North America where it may be native in some parts; many records from Australasia and South America as an introduction. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Minter & Millar (1978b) [description]; Morochovskii, Zerova, Lavitskaya & Smitskaya (1969) [Ukrainian records].

Lophodermium seditiosum Minter, Staley & Millar [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 2 records since 16 April 1934; probably generally common throughout Ukraine, though less abundant and less widespread than Lophodermium pinastri. Months. April, July. Regions. Kiev, Zakarpatska. Habitat. Pinus sylvestris, Pinus sp.; on secondary needles. Notes. On secondary needles of 2- and 3-needle Pinus. Inhabiting living needles of all ages as a symptomless endophyte; fruiting on thinnings and other trash, or in the litter, but rarely dominant in either habitat; also known from dead needles or dead portions of living needles killed by other factors and still attached to living twigs; always fruiting within 12 months of needle death; in parts of Europe (but no records yet from Ukraine), less frequently observed, and possibly less common on the apophyses of dead fallen female cones of Pinus sylvestris, though it is probably the most abundant Lophodermium in this habitat; known to occur on primary needles (probably mainly not the cotyledon needles) of Pinus sylvestris; can cause a serious needlecast of young trees in nurseries and plantations; many earlier records of this species in reference collections and in the literature are misidentified as Lophodermium pinastri; ascomata of Lophodermium seditiosum colonized by the basidiomycete Pseudostypella translucens are occasionally encountered in parts of Europe (but no records yet from Ukraine), but less frequently than for Lophodermium conigenum. Worldwide. Widespread and common throughout Europe on needles and occasionally cones of various species of Pinus; other records from Africa and North America probably mainly as an introduction. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Minter & Millar (1978c) [description].