Neotyphodium melicicola

Neotyphodium melicicola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Ascomycetes
Subclass:	Sordariomycetes
Order:	Hypocreales
Family:	Clavicipitaceae
Genus:	Neotyphodium
Species:	N. melicicola
Binomial name
Neotyphodium melicicola C.D. Moon & Schardl

Neotyphodium melicicola is a systemic and seed-transmissible symbiont of Melica decumbens and Melica racemosa, grasses endemic to southern Africa.^[1]. These species are called 'dronkgras' because they can cause staggers in grazing livestock.^[2] Similar staggers symptoms are associated with several other grasses worldwide when they possess certain symbiotic Neotyphodium species that produce indole-diterpene alkaloids such as lolitrems.^[3] Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that N. melicicola is an interspecific hybrid, and that its closest relatives are the teleomorphic (sexual) species, Epichloë festucae, and the anamorphic (asexual) species, Neotyphodium aotearoae.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Moon CD, Miles CO, Jarlfors U, Schardl CL. (2002). "The evolutionary origins of three new Neotyphodium endophyte species from grasses indigenous to the Southern Hemisphere". Mycologia (Mycological Society of America) 94 (4): 694–711. doi:10.2307/3761720. JSTOR 3761720. PMID 21156542. 
2. ^ Gibbs-Russell GE, Ellis RP. (1982). "The genus Melica L. (Poaceae) in Southern Africa". Bothalia 14: 37–44. 
3. ^ Gallagher RT, Hawkes AD, Steyn PS, Vleggaar R. (1984). "Tremorgenic neurotoxins from perennial ryegrass causing ryegrass staggers disorder of livestock: structure elucidation of lolitrem B". Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications 1984 (9): 614–616. doi:10.1039/c39840000614.