Portillisia

Portillisia is a genus of fungi in the family Tilletiaceae. It is characterized by its ability to infect and cause disease in various plant species, particularly grasses. The genus was named after the Italian botanist Giovanni Battista Portilla, who first described the genus in 1878. Portillisia species are known for their distinctive, often elongated, ascomata, which are the fruiting bodies of the fungus. These ascomata are typically found on the surface of the infected plant tissue. The genus includes several species, with Portillisia longispora being one of the most well-known. This species is responsible for causing the disease known as "longispora disease" in grasses, which can lead to significant yield losses in agricultural settings. Portillisia species are also known to produce mycotoxins, which can be harmful to animals and humans if ingested. The genus is of particular interest to mycologists and plant pathologists due to its economic impact and the challenges it poses in crop management.