First Report of Leaf Rust Caused by Puccinia caricis in Farfugium japonicum in Korea.

Farfugium japonicum is used in traditional medicine and as an edible herb in China and Korea. In July 2013, leaf spots were observed in F. japonicum seedlings at Ulleung Island, Gyeongsangbuk Province, Korea. Early symptoms on the leaf adaxial surface included roughly circular yellow spots that later developed brown, necrotic centers. The aecia were hypophyllous, cupulate, yellowish, 180~430 µm in diameter, clustered, and erumpent with a peridium with a recurved margin. The aeciospores were globoid, 14~17 × 13~16 µm, light yellow or colorless, and densely verrucose. The 28S rDNA sequence of the isolate was identical to each other and shared 99% identity with Puccinia caricis. This is the first report of rust caused by P. caricis in F. japonicum in Korea or elsewhere in the world.