''Cladosporium'' is a genus of fungi including some of the most common indoor and outdoor molds. Species produce olive-green to brown or black colonies, and have dark-pigmented

conidia A conidium ( ; ), sometimes termed an asexual chlamydospore or chlamydoconidium (), is an asexual, non- motile spore of a fungus. The word ''conidium'' comes from the Ancient Greek word for dust, ('). They are also called mitospores due to t ...

that are formed in simple or branching chains. Many species of ''Cladosporium'' are commonly found on living and dead plant material. Some species are

endophyte An endophyte is an endosymbiont, often a bacterium or fungus, that lives within a plant for at least part of its life cycle without causing apparent disease. Endophytes are ubiquitous and have been found in all species of plants studied to date; h ...

s or plant pathogens, while others

parasitize Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...

fungi. ''Cladosporium'' 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 ''Passalora fulva'' is a fungal plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms ...

'', 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 ''Cladosporium'' is very closely related to black yeasts in the order Dothideales. ''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 or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, ...

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 pathogenic 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

allergen An allergen is a type of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous immune response in which the immune system fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. Such reactions are called allergies. In technical terms ...

s, and in large amounts they can severely affect people with asthma and other respiratory diseases. ''Cladosporium'' species produce no major

mycotoxin A mycotoxin (from the Greek μύκης , "fungus" and τοξίνη , "toxin") is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of kingdom Fungi and is capable of causing disease and death in both humans and other animals. The term 'mycotoxin' ...

s of concern, but do produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with odours. Fortunately, ''Cladosporium'' is not associated with anaphylaxis.

Hyperparasitism on rusts

Several ''Cladosporium'' species are known to be hyperparasitic 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

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q134055 Dothideomycetes genera Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Allergology