Two new species and one new record of Melampsora on willows from China

Two new species of rust fungi, Melampsora salicis-purpureae sp. nov. and M. salicis-argyraceae sp. nov., and a new record, M. iranica, are described from China based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) regions including 5.8S of the ribosomal RNA gene. Melampsora salicis-purpureae on Salix purpurea was characterized by amphigenous uredinia, subepidermal teliospores, and relatively shorter teliospores and amphigenous telia. Melampsora salicis-argyraceae on S. argyaceae possessed sparse spines on urediniospores, epiphyllous telia and subepidermal teliospores with slightly thickened apex. In addition, specimens on S. alba and S. psammophyla were identified as M. iranica.