HEAR bibliography
First report of rust caused by Puccinia psidii on paperbark, Melaleuca quinquinervia, in California
Zambino, Paul J. and Pat A. Nolan. (2011)

The rust fungus, Puccinia psidii has been detected on intercepted plant material originating from other states and on plants at several nurseries in southern California since 2003. In 11/2010, infections were found on a new host for California, paperbark (tea tree), growing in a San Diego nursery. The current study confirms the identity of the rust fungus on paperbark on the basis of spore morphology, ITS sequencing, and inoculations. Inoculations caused infections of three myrtle family hosts: paperbark, common myrtle (Myrtus communis), and brush cherry (Syzygium australe). These results and the history of previous detections in southern California reported herein indicate the potential for this pathogen to remain a problem of ornamental Myrtaceae grown in nursery settings.