Pear Rust - Gymnosporangium sabinae

Description

The aecial stage is on Pear (Pyrus).  Small spermogonia pustules appear on leaf surfaces in Spring, followed by aecia on leaf undersides.  These are swollen galls, bearing large orange-brown aecia which open to release spores through longitudinal slits.  These remain as skeletons after the spores are shed.   There are corresponding bright orange-red blotches on the leaf uppersides. 

The primary telial host is Juniper, on swellings on branches.  The telia are conical, and yellow-brown when wet. 

Identification difficulty

on Pear

Recording advice

Photograph the rust on the host.  Ensure you have noted the host-plant species in your comments

Habitat

alternates between Juniper and Pear 

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

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Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

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Species profile

Common names
Pear Rust, European Pear Rust
Species group:
fungus
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Pucciniales
Family:
Pucciniaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
89
First record:
24/08/2012 (Smith, Peter)
Last record:
04/09/2025 (Wander, Adrian)

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