First Report of Phragmidium violaceum Infecting Himalaya and Evergreen Blackberries in North America

L.)] growing in the wild (Fig. 1). In April 2005, rust-like symptoms were observed on affected plants in the field and samples were collected for laboratory diagnosis. Foliar symptoms on recent plant growth included circular purplish leaf spots 1.5 to 2 mm in diameter on the adaxial leaf surface, usually with yellow to tan centers, and hypophyllous yellowish-orange aecia and uredinia on the abaxial surface. Aeciospores were globose or ellipsoid, 25 to 30 microns in diameter, with hyaline walls 1 to 2 microns thick and echinulate with spines 2.5 microns thick by 1.5 microns high. Uredinia were similar in appearance to aecia, but slightly smaller (1 to 2 mm in diameter) on average (Fig. 2). Urediniospores were similar in size and appearance to aeciospores, but more broadly ellipsoid and with slightly thicker walls (2.5 microns). Paraphyses observed in aecia and uredinia (Fig. 3) were hyaline, clavate-capitate, incurved, and 53 to 75 microns by 8 to 25 microns in size. Telia were observed on older infected leaves from the previous year. The telia were similar to uredinia, but were black instead of yellowish-orange and slightly smaller (1 to 1.5 mm in diameter). Teliospores were cylindrical, 3- to 5-celled (Fig. 4), not or slightly constricted at the septa, and rounded at the apex with a rounded hyaline papilla 3 to 9 microns long by 5 to 8 microns wide. Three-celled teliospores excluding the papilla were 50 to 58 microns long by 30 to 33 microns wide, four-celled teliospores were 65 to 72 microns long by 30 to 31 microns wide, and five-celled teliospores were 90 to 93 microns long by 28 to 29 microns wide. Teliospore walls were dark brown, heavily warted, and 5 to 6 microns thick. Pedicels were hyaline, 68 to 103 microns long by 8 to 10 microns thick at the neck and swollen below to 13 to 20 microns. Based on morphological characteristics, the rust fungus most closely resembled