Occurrence of Rhamphospora nymphaeae on Nymphaea tetragona in Korea

Pygmy water lily (Nymphaea tetragona) is a perennial aquatic herb with floating leaves and beautiful flowers, belonging to the Nymphaeaceae. It is widely planted in ponds and water gardens for ornamental purposes worldwide. In October 2009, light colored spots with necrotic lesions were found on the leaves in a private water garden in Yangpyeong, Korea (Fig. 1A). Simple microscopic examination yielded evidence that the spots are associated with infections by Rhamphospora nymphaeae. Further survey in Suwon and Daejeon showed that the disease is rather common in Korea.