New records and data on rust fungi (Pucciniales, Basidiomycota) in Benin Author Tabe, Affoussatou Author Aime, M. Catherine Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA Author Yorou, Nourou Soulemane Author Piepenbring, Meike Mycology Working Group, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Faculty of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Biologicum, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany text Phytotaxa 2022 2022-05-31 548 2 127 145 journal article 226877 10.11646/phytotaxa.548.2.1 6fc2b600-368f-47ec-a177-d95aa703f288 1179-3163 6597593 Puccinia thaliae Dietel, Hedwigia 38: 250 (1899) Figure 10 FIGURE 10. Puccinia thaliae Dietel on Canna indica (TA419). A Hypophyllous uredinia B urediniospores drawn in optical sections except one spore. Scale bar: 10 µm. Uredinia amphigenous, more abundant on the adaxial side, scattered, yellow orange, erumpent, subepidermal, associated with chlorotic yellow-orange spots, spots dark brown in severe infections. Urediniospores ellipsoidal to broadly ellipsoidal or pyriform, rarely globose, (27–)30–39(–45) × (15–)19–25(–28) µm (n = 30), pale yellow to hyaline, spore wall 2–3 µm thick, echinulate, germ pores not visible. Telia not observed. A 28S rDNA sequence of P. thaliae from a specimen from Benin shares 100% (890/892) sequence identity with previously published sequences of P. thaliae (e.g. JX206994 , Padamsee & McKenzie 2012 ). Host and distribution in Benin : —Uredinia on Canna indica L. ( Cannaceae ), Southern Benin. Specimen examined: — Uredinia on Canna indica : BENIN . Atlantique : Allada , Atogon , Niaouli CRA-Sud, elev. 24 m , 6°39’ N , 2°09’ E , 8 May 2019 , A . Tabé , TA419 ( UNIPAR ), GenBank Acc. no. LSU : OL 437036 . Host species:—Primary host species: Canna coccinea Mill. , C. compacta Roscoe , C. edulis Ker Gawl. , C. generalis L.H. Bailey , C. glauca L., C. indica , C. patens (Aiton) Roscoe , Canna sp. ; Cannaceae . Calathea sp. , Ctenanthe sp. , Ischnosiphon arouma (Aublet) Körn. , I. leucophaeus (Poepp. & Endl.) Körn. , I. simplex Huber , Ischnosiphon sp. , Maranta arundinacea L., Maranta sp. , Thalia dealbata Fraser ( Hennen et al . 2005 ) , Stromanthe tonckat (Aubl.) Eichler ( Nelson 2013 ) ; Marantaceae . Secondary host species: not known ( Hennen et al . 2005 ). Distribution: —Africa [ Uganda ( Gjaerum et al. 2003 ), Nigeria ( Eboh 1986 ), Southern Africa ( Van Jaarsveld et al. 2007 ), Benin (this study)], Asia, Central America, Europe, North America, Oceania, Southern America, Caribbean (Farr & Rossman 2020). Comments :—The size of the urediniospores is rather variable according to data in diverse publications ( Eboh 1986 , Hennen et al . 2005 , Cedas de Jesus et al . 2018 ). The size of the urediniospores of the present specimen is similar to sizes reported by Padamsee & McKenzie [2012 ; (23–)26–36(–43) × 17–23(–27) μm] and Nelson [2013 ; 28–40 × 20–25 μm]. Puccinia thaliae is reported here for the first time for Benin .