Nature
Epicoccum purpurascens (formerly known as E. nigrum) is a common anamorphic saprophytic (occasionally weakly pathogenic) mold colonizing the phylloplane, or leaf surface (1, 2). It is found worldwide in air and soil, showing a variety of phenotypes and morphological features (3)
E. purpurascens primarily grows on grasses and grains (4) and has also been isolated from pipe surfaces (5), a water stream, and various leaves, twigs and lichen (3). Epicoccum spp. are common saprophytes of bark(6). E. purpurascens (E. nigrum) has also been identified on the surface of withered grapes and involved in the contamination of fruit-drying rooms(7).
E. purpurascens is considered to be a ‘dry weather’ spore forming fungus (Denning 2014), with a defined peak recorded between March-April (8).
Spores of Epicoccum spp. were the fifth most common mold caught during a study spanning a two year period (8). E. purpurascens spores are easily released when wind hits the substrates onto which it grows, reaching peak concentrations on dry, windy afternoons (4). The spores may also be released passively by rain, as the drops directly strike fungus on leaf surfaces, or parts of the plants being shaken, allowing the spores to be released (2).
In culture, hyphae first appear as a loose aggregation, quickly developing into a more densely packed surface, with sporogenous cells growing from the hyphae surfaces. Conidia develop from the tip of each sporogenous cell as it enlarges, forming a single conidium initially, which then separates into multiple copies before being released. Mature conidia tend to be spherical and of variable size, up to 25 μm in diameter (1).
Metabolites of E. purpurascens (E. nigrum) have potential uses in biotechnology, for example as antifungal or antibiotic candidates (3)
Taxonomy
Taxonomic tree of Epicoccum genus (9)
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Domain
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Eukaryota
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Kingdom
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Fungi
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Phylum
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Ascomycota
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Subphylum
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Pezizomycotina
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Class
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Dothideomycetes
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Order
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Pleosporales
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Family
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Didymellaceae
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Genus
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Epicoccum
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Taxonomic tree of Epicoccum genus (9)
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Tissue
Conidia (asexual spores) are the tissue that causes allergic reactions (1).
