Gymnosporangium

Table of contents

1 Placement 2 Synonyms and common names 3 References 4 Text 5 Children

Placement

Kingdom Fungi

Division Basidiomycota

Class Gastromycetes

Order Uredinales

Family Pucciniaceae

Genus Gymnosporangium

Synonyms and common names

Cedar-apple rust
Juniper-hawthorn rust

References

http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=192047
as of 2002-06-22
http://plantpath.unl.edu/peartree/homer/disease.skp/Hort/Trees/ApCdRust.html
as of 2002-06-22

Text

This is a fungus which infects alternately members of the genus Juniperus and members of the subfamily Maloideae. Because of it, apple and pear growers have to chop down any cedars in the area.

In Juniperus, the fungus forms a ball about 3 cm in diameter which produces a set of orange tentacles. These are the spore tubes. The spores are released and travel on the wind until they hit an apple, pear, or hawthorn tree.

On the pear tree, the fungus produces yellowish depressions on the leaves. It also infects the fruit, which grows whitish tubes like snakes on Medusa. These are the spore tubes. The spores must then go to a juniper or cedar to complete the life cycle.

Children

• G. globosum (juniper-hawthorn rust)
• G. juniperi-virginianae (cedar-apple rust)
• G. sabinae (juniper-pear rust)
• G. clavipes (cedar-quince rust)