First report of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum cigarro in pitcher plant in Japan

In 2019, leaves with anthracnose symptoms were observed on pitcher plants ( Sarracenia purpurea subsp. purpurea f. heterophylla ) in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The fungus isolated from the diseased leaves was identified as Colletotrichum cigarro based on morphological characteristics and molecular analyses of the ApMat and GS regions. Inoculation tests using the isolated fungus verified that C. cigarro was the causal agent of the disease. This is the first report of anthracnose (tanso-byo) of pitcher plants caused by C. cigarro in Japan.