Five new rust taxa on Salicaceae in Central Alborz area (N Iran)

During the study on rust mycobiota of Central Alborz, several rust infected specimens belonging to Salicaceae family including Populus and Salix species were investigated. Populus nigra, P. euphratica, Saix alba and S. excelsa were infected by various Melampsora species. Uredinial (II) and telial (III) stages of rust were present on infected plants. According to morphological characters, five following species were identified: M. pruinosa on P. euphratica, M. amygdalinae on S. excelsa and M. dimorphopora, M. repentis and M. abieti-caprearum on S. alba. All identified rust species were documented by descriptions and LM and SEM photomicrographs. According to available literature all above mentioned rust species are new to the Iranian rust mycobiota.