During surveys conducted in October 2010, plants of Sauropus androgynus growing in small plots in Poring Springs, Sabah, Malaysia, were noted showing proliferations of miniature leaves (reduced laminar and petiole length) at the apex of the plant emerging from cut stems where the plants had previously been harvested. Symptoms were observed in approximately 50% of the S. androgynus plants surveyed. Plants showing these symptoms were tested for phytoplasma. The pathogen was identified as Phytoplasma trifolii (group 16SrVI) based on genetic (nested PCR, BLAST and RFLP) analyses. This is thought to be the first world report of a 16SrVI-related phytoplasma infecting S. androgynus.
