''Epichloë typhina'' is a haploid sexual species in the fungal genus ''

Epichloë ''Epichloë'' is a genus of ascomycete fungi forming an endophytic symbiosis with grasses. Grass choke disease is a symptom in grasses induced by some ''Epichloë'' species, which form spore-bearing mats (stromata) on tillers and suppress the de ...

''. It was originally described as a ''

Sphaeria Sphaeria or Sphairia (), later called Hiera (Ἱερά), is a former island of ancient Argolis described by Pausanias as in the immediate vicinity of Calaureia, and separated from the mainland (Peloponnesus) by a strait so narrow and shallow that t ...

'' species. Today, however, it is classified in ''Epichloë''. A systemic grass symbiont first described as ''Sphaeria typhina'' by

Christian Hendrik Persoon Christiaan Hendrik Persoon (31 December 1761 – 16 November 1836) was a Cape Colony mycologist who is recognized as one of the founders of mycology, mycological Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy. Early life Persoon was born in Cape Colony at ...

in 1798, and transferred to genus ''Epichloë'' in 1865, ''E. typhina'' forms an only partially resolved species complex within the ''

'' genus. ''Epichloë typhina'' is found in Europe, but has been introduced widely in North America and elsewhere. It lives in association with a large number of grass species from multiple genera, including ''

Anthoxanthum odoratum ''Anthoxanthum odoratum'' is a short-lived perennial plant, perennial grass, commonly known as sweet vernal grass, that is native to acidic grassland in Eurasia and northern Africa. It is grown as a lawn grass and a house plant, due to its swee ...

'', ''

Brachypodium ''Brachypodium'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, widespread across much of Africa, Eurasia, and Latin America. The genus is classified in its own tribe Brachypodieae. Flimsy upright stems form tussocks. Flowers appear in compact spi ...

'' ''phoenicoides'', ''

Brachypodium pinnatum ''Brachypodium pinnatum'', the heath false brome or tor-grass, is a species of grass with a widespread distribution in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It typically grows in calcareous grassland, and reaches tall. The flowerhead is ...

'', ''

Dactylis glomerata ''Dactylis glomerata'' is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, known as cock's-foot,Interactive Flora of NW Europ''Dactylis glomerata'' (Cock's-foot)/ref> also colloquially as orchard grass, or cat grass (due to its populari ...

'', ''

Lolium perenne ''Lolium perenne'', common name perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass, winter ryegrass, or ray grass, is a grass from the family Poaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, but is widely cultivated and naturalised around the world. ...

'', '' Milium effusum'', ''Phleum pratense'', ''

Poa trivialis ''Poa trivialis'' (rough bluegrass; ''UK:'' rough-stalked meadow-grass or rough meadow-grass), is a perennial plant regarded in the US as an ornamental plant. It is part of the grass family. Description It is very common in meadows and pasture ...

'', '' Poa silvicola'' and '' Puccinellia distans''. ''Epichloë typhina'' appears to be seed-transmissible only in '' Puccinellia distans''.

Subspecies

''Epichloë typhina'' has two subspecies and three varieties. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''clarkii'' (J.F. White) Leuchtm. & Schardl was first described in 1993. It is found in Europe in the grass species ''

Holcus lanatus ''Holcus lanatus'' is a perennial flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae. The specific epithet ' is Latin for 'woolly' which describes the plant's hairy texture. Common names include Yorkshire fog, tufted grass, and meadow soft grass. In Nor ...

''. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''clarkii'' is sexual, but not seed-transmissible. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''poae'' (Tadych, K.V. Ambrose, F.C. Belanger & J.F. White) Tadych was first described in 2012. It is found in Europe in the grass species ''

Poa nemoralis ''Poa nemoralis'', the wood bluegrass, is a perennial plant in the family Poaceae. The late-growing grass is fairly nutritious for livestock, which feed on it in the autumn, and it is used as a lawn grass for shady situations. Description It fo ...

'' and ''

Poa pratensis ''Poa pratensis'', commonly known as Kentucky bluegrass (or blue grass), smooth meadow-grass, or common meadow-grass, is a perennial species of grass native to practically all of Europe, North Asia and the mountains of Algeria, Morocco, and Tuni ...

'', and in North America in ''Poa secunda'' subsp. ''juncifolia'' and ''

Poa ''Poa'' is a genus of about 570 species of Poaceae, grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass (mainly in Europe and Asia), bluegrass (mainly in North America), tussock (some New Zealand spe ...

'' ''sylvestris''. The sexual form has been observed on ''

'' and ''

''. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''poae'' is seed-transmissible in ''

'' and ''Poa secunda'' subsp. ''juncifolia'', but not in ''

''. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''poae'' var. ''aonikenkana'' Iannone & Schardl was first described in 2017. It is found in

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

( Santa Cruz) on ''

Bromus ''Bromus'' is a large genus of grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae. They are commonly known as bromes, brome grasses, cheat grasses, or chess grasses. Estimates in the scientific literature of the number of species have ranged from 100 ...

'' ''setifolius''. This variety is seed-transmissible, but the sexual stage has not been observed. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''poae'' var. ''canariensis'' (C.D. Moon, B. Scott, & M.J. Chr.) Leuchtm. was first described in 2000. It is found in the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

on ''

Lolium ''Lolium'' is a genus of tufted grasses in the bluegrass subfamily (Pooideae). It is often called ryegrass, but this term is sometimes used to refer to grasses in other genera. They are characterized by bunch-like growth habits. ''Lolium'' ...

'' ''edwardii''. This variety is seed-transmissible, but the sexual stage has not been observed. ''Epichloë typhina'' subsp. ''poae'' var. ''huerfana'' (J.F. White, G.T. Cole & Morgan-Jones) Tadych & Leuchtm. was first described in 1996. It is found in North America on '' Festuca arizonica''. This variety is seed-transmissible, but the sexual stage has not been observed.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1241790 typhina Fungi described in 1798 Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America Taxa named by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon Fungus species