First Report of <i>Colletotrichum cymbidiicola</i> Causing Leaf Spot on <i>Bletilla striata</i> in China

ABSTRACT Bai‐ji ( Bletilla striata ), an economically important medicinal herb cultivated in Yunnan Province, China, was observed with severe anthracnose symptoms in July 2021. Through comprehensive morphological characterisation and multilocus phylogenetic analysis ( ITS , ACT , TUB , and GAPDH gene regions), the causal agent was identified as Colletotrichum cymbidiicola . Initial symptoms manifested as brown necrotic lesions that progressively developed into elliptical or fusiform spots with light brown centers. Koch's postulates confirmed that C. cymbidiicola was the etiological agent. This study is the first documented case of C. cymbidiicola infecting B. striata in China, providing valuable phytopathological insights for the sustainable cultivation of this medicinal species.