Melampsora allii-fragilis f. sp. galanthi-fragilis reported for first time to cause rust on Galanthus plicatus in Latvia

In Europe, Melampsora allii-fragilis f. sp. galanthi-fragilis (syn. Melampsora galanthi-fragilis) has been reported on leaves of snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) in Romania (Savulescu, 1953; Bagyanarayana, 2005) and on Galanthus plicatus in Ukraine (Gutsevich, 1952). The GBIF Database has additional records of this fungus on G. nivalis from Austria, Czech Republic and France but the USDA SMML Specimens Database has also records from Hungary and Poland. According to this database, the established distribution area of M. allii-fragilis f. sp. galanthi-fragilis is ‘Central Europe’. Melampsora allii-fragilis f. sp. galanthi-fragilis belongs to the heteroecious rust fungi that require two hosts to c…