''Cladosporium'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

including some of the most common indoor and outdoor

mold A mold () or mould () is one of the structures that certain fungus, fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of Spore#Fungi, spores containing Secondary metabolite#Fungal secondary metabolites, fungal ...

s. Some species are endophytes or plant pathogens, while others parasitize fungi.

Description

Species produce olive-green to brown or black colonies, and have dark-pigmented

conidia A conidium ( ; : conidia), sometimes termed an asexual chlamydospore or chlamydoconidium (: chlamydoconidia), is an asexual, non- motile spore of a fungus. The word ''conidium'' comes from the Ancient Greek word for dust, ('). They are also ...

that are formed in simple or branching chains. Many species of ''Cladosporium'' are commonly found on living and dead plant material. Including Sunflowers. The spores are wind-dispersed and they are often extremely abundant in outdoor air. Indoors ''Cladosporium'' species may grow on surfaces when moisture is present. '' Cladosporium fulvum'', cause of tomato leaf mould, has been an important genetic model, in that the genetics of host resistance are understood. In the 1960s, it was estimated that the genus ''Cladosporium'' contained around 500 plant-pathogenic and saprotrophic species, but this number has since been increased to over 772 species. The genus is very closely related to black yeasts in the order

Dothideales Dothideales are an order (biology), order of bitunicate fungi consisting mainly of saprobic or plant parasitic species. Description Taxa in this order are characterized by the absence of a hamathecium (defined as hyphae or other tissues betwee ...

. ''Cladosporium'' species are often highly osmotolerant, growing easily on media containing 10% glucose or 12–17% NaCl. They are rarely grown on media containing 24% NaCl or 50% glucose and never isolated from medium with 32% NaCl or greater. Most species have very fragile

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...

chains, making it extremely difficult to prepare a mount for microscopic observation in which the conidial chains are preserved intact.

Health effects

''Cladosporium'' species are present in the human mycobiome but are rarely

pathogen In biology, a pathogen (, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of"), in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a Germ theory of d ...

ic to humans. They have been reported to cause infections of the skin and toenails as well as sinuses and lungs, with more common symptoms including nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes. The airborne spores of ''Cladosporium'' species are significant allergens, and in large amounts they can severely affect people with asthma and other respiratory diseases. ''Cladosporium'' species produce no major mycotoxins of concern, but do produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with odours. ''Cladosporium'' is not associated with anaphylaxis.

Hyperparasitism on rusts

Several ''Cladosporium'' species are known to be

hyperparasitic A hyperparasite, also known as a metaparasite, is a parasite whose host, often an insect, is also a parasite, often specifically a parasitoid. Hyperparasites are found mainly among the wasp-waisted Apocrita within the Hymenoptera, and in two ...

to rust fungi.

Species

*'' C. acaciicola'' *'' C. acalyphae'' *'' C. adianticola'' *'' C. aecidiicola'' *'' C. agoseridis'' *'' C. albiziae'' *'' C. algarum'' *'' C. allicinum'' *'' C. allii'' *'' C. allii-porri'' *'' C. alliicola'' *'' C. alneum'' *'' C. alopecuri'' *'' C. alternicoloratum'' *'' C. angustisporum'' *'' C. antarcticum'' *'' C. antillanum'' *'' C. aphidis'' *'' C. apicale'' *'' C. aristolochiae'' *'' C. aromaticum'' *'' C. arthoniae'' *'' C. arthrinioides'' *'' C. arthropodii'' *'' C. asperistipitatum'' *'' C. asperulatum'' *'' C. atriellum'' *'' C. atroseptum'' *'' C. auriculae'' *'' C. australiense'' *'' C. baccae'' *'' C. balladynae'' *'' C. banaticum'' *'' C. basi-inflatum'' *'' C. bauhiniana'' *'' C. boenninghauseniae'' *'' C. borassi'' *'' C. bosciae'' *'' C. brachormium'' *'' C. brachyelytri'' *'' C. brassicae'' *'' C. brassicicola'' *'' C. brevicatenulatum'' *'' C. brevipes'' *'' C. breviramosum'' *'' C. brunneoatrum'' *'' C. brunneolum'' *'' C. brunneum'' *'' C. buchananiae'' *'' C. buteicola'' *'' C. butyri'' *'' C. caraganae'' *'' C. carpesii'' *'' C. caryigenum'' *'' C. cassiae-surathensis'' *'' C. castellanii'' *'' C. chalastosporoides'' *'' C. chamaeropis'' *'' C. cheonis'' *'' C. chlamydeum'' *'' C. chrysanthemi'' *'' C. chrysophylli'' *'' C. chubutense'' *'' C. circaea'' *'' C. citri'' *'' C. cladosporioides'' *'' C. colocasiae'' *'' C. colocasiicola'' *'' C. colombiae'' *'' C. confusum'' *'' C. coralloides'' *'' C. coryphae'' *'' C. cucumerinum'' *'' C. cycadacearum'' *'' C. cyrtomii'' *'' C. desmodicola'' *'' C. dianellicola'' *'' C. diaphanum'' *'' C. digitalicola'' *'' C. dominicanum'' *'' C. dracaenatum'' *'' C. edgeworthiae'' *'' C. elegans'' *'' C. elsinoes'' *'' C. epimyces'' *'' C. epiphyllum'' *'' C. erianthi'' *'' C. eriolobi'' *'' C. exasperatum'' *'' C. exile'' *'' C. exobasidii'' *'' C. extorre'' *'' C. ferox'' *'' C. festucae'' *'' C. flabelliforme'' *'' C. foliorum'' *'' C. forsythiae'' *'' C. fraxinicola'' *'' C. fuligineum'' *'' C. fumagineum'' *'' C. funiculosum'' *'' C. fusiforme'' *'' C. galii'' *'' C. gallicola'' *'' C. gamsianum'' *'' C. geniculatum'' *'' C. gerwasiae'' *'' C. globisporum'' *'' C. glochidionis'' *'' C. gloeosporioides'' *'' C. gossypiicola'' *'' C. grevilleae'' *'' C. grumosum'' *'' C. gynoxidicola'' *'' C. halotolerans'' *'' C. haplophylli'' *'' C. harknessii'' *'' C. heleophilum'' *'' C. helicosporum'' *'' C. heliotropii'' *'' C. herbaroides'' *'' C. herbarum'' *'' C. heterophragmatis'' *'' C. heuglinianum'' *'' C. hillianum'' *'' C. hordei'' *'' C. humile'' *'' C. hydrangeae'' *'' C. indicum'' *'' C. indigoferae'' *'' C. inopinum'' *'' C. inversicolor'' *'' C. iranicum'' *'' C. jacarandicola'' *'' C. juglandinum'' *'' C. kapildharens'' *'' C. lacroixii'' *'' C. ladinum'' *'' C. langeronii'' *'' C. laxicapitulatum'' *'' C. leguminicola'' *'' C. leprosum'' *'' C. licheniphilum'' *'' C. linicola'' *'' C. liriodendri'' *'' C. lonicericola'' *'' C. lophodermii'' *'' C. lupiniphilum'' *'' C. machili'' *'' C. macrocarpum'' *'' C. magnusianum'' *'' C. malvacearum'' *'' C. manoutchehrii'' *'' C. melospermae'' *'' C. metaplexis'' *'' C. milii'' *'' C. mimulicola'' *'' C. minourae'' *'' C. molle'' *'' C. murorum'' *'' C. musae'' *'' C. myriosporum'' *'' C. myrtacearum'' *'' C. myrticola'' *'' C. neocheiropteridis'' *'' C. neottopteridis'' *'' C. neriicola'' *'' C. nigrelloides'' *'' C. nigrellum'' *'' C. nitrariae'' *'' C. nodulosum'' *'' C. obtectum'' *'' C. oncobae'' *'' C. orchidearum'' *'' C. orchidiphilum'' *'' C. orchidis'' *'' C. oreodaphnes'' *'' C. ossifragi'' *'' C. ovorum'' *'' C. oxycocci'' *'' C. oxysporum'' *'' C. pallidum'' *'' C. paracladosporioides'' *'' C. perangustum'' *'' C. pericarpium'' *'' C. peruamazonicum'' *'' C. phaenocomae'' *'' C. phlei'' *'' C. phlei-pratensis'' *'' C. phyllachorae'' *'' C. phyllactiniicola'' *'' C. phyllogenum'' *'' C. phyllophilum'' *'' C. pini-ponderosae'' *'' C. pipericola'' *'' C. pisi'' *'' C. platycodonis'' *'' C. polygonati'' *'' C. polymorphosporum'' *'' C. populicola'' *'' C. praecox'' *'' C. psammicola'' *'' C. pseudiridis'' *'' C. pseudocladosporioides'' *'' C. psidiicola'' *'' C. psoraleae'' *'' C. psychrotolerans'' *'' C. punctulatum'' *'' C. ramotenellum'' *'' C. ramulosum'' *'' C. rectangulare'' *'' C. rectoides'' *'' C. rhododendri'' *'' C. robiniae'' *'' C. rutae'' *'' C. salicis-sitchensis'' *'' C. salinae'' *'' C. sarmentorum'' *'' C. scabrellum'' *'' C. silenes'' *'' C. sinuosum'' *'' C. smilacicola'' *'' C. soldanellae'' *'' C. sorghi'' *'' C. sphaeroideum'' *'' C. sphaerospermum'' *'' C. spinaciarum'' *'' C. spinulosum'' *'' C. spongiosum'' *'' C. straminicola'' *'' C. strobilanthis'' *'' C. subinflatum'' *'' C. subnodosum'' *'' C. subobtectum'' *'' C. subsessile'' *'' C. subtilissimum'' *'' C. subuliforme'' *'' C. syringae'' *'' C. syringicola'' *'' C. tectonicola'' *'' C. tenellum'' *'' C. tenuissimum'' *'' C. tetrapanacis'' *'' C. typhae'' *'' C. typharum'' *'' C. uleanum'' *'' C. uniseptosporum'' *'' C. uredinicola'' *'' C. uredinis'' *'' C. varians'' *'' C. velox'' *'' C. velutinum'' *'' C. verrucocladosporioides'' *'' C. victorialis'' *'' C. vignae'' *'' C. vincicola'' *'' C. xylophilum'' *'' C. xyridis'' *'' C. yuccae'' *'' C. zeae'' *'' C. ziziphi''

References

External links

* {{Authority control Dothideomycetes genera Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Allergology