Pleosporales - CBS - KNAW

Fungal Diversity
Current name: Astrosphaeriella samuelsii Boise, Acta
Amazon., Supl. 14(1–2, Suppl.): 50 (1986) [1984].
Ascomata 300–380 μm diam., scattered, erumpent
through the outer layers of the host tissues, to nearly
superficial, reflexed pieces of the ruptured host tissue
usually persisting around the surface of the ascomata;
ascomata broadly conical, with a flattened base not easily
removed from the substrate, wall black, papillate (Fig. 98a).
Peridium 50–80 μm thick, carbonaceous and crisp, 1-
layered. Hamathecium of dense, long trabeculate pseudoparaphyses,
0.8–1.5 μm broad, embedded in mucilage,
anastomosing between and above the asci. Asci 140–185×
17.5–20 μm (x ¼ 158 19:4mm, n=10), 8-spored, bitunicate,
fissitunicate, cylindro-clavate to narrowly fusoid, with
a short, narrowed, furcate pedicel up to 20 μm long
(Fig. 98b and c). Ascospores 48–55(−60)×6–7.5(−10) μm
(x ¼ 52:2 7:7mm, n=10), biseriate, elongate- fusoid,
gradually tapering towards the ends, hyaline, surrounded
with sheath, 2–5 μm thick, 1-septate, constricted at the
septum (Fig. 98d).
Anamorph: none reported.
Material examined: Serra Araca, 60 m, terra firme,
open forest, deep litter. Dry. 10–13 Mar. 1984, det. Jean R.
Boise, G.J. Samuels (isotype).
Notes
Morphology
Javaria was introduced by Boise (1984) based on
seven Amazonian collections on decaying palm petioles; it
is comparable with Astrosphaeriella in numerous characters.
But Javaria differs from Astrosphaeriella by its
hyaline ascospores with sheath, and its apical ring can be
stained with Congo Red, as well as its small ascomata.
Barr (1990a) introduced a second species J. shimekii
which occurs on woody substrate. Some mycologists treat
Javaria as a synonym of Astrosphaeriella (Hyde and
Fröhlich 1998).
Phylogenetic study
None.
Concluding remarks
The size of ascomata and pigmentation of ascospores has
little significance at generic level classification (Zhang et al.
2009a). Likewise, the staining of endotunica with Congo
Red has not been shown to have great significance. Thus,
we accept Javaria as a synonym of Astrosphaeriella.
Pycnidiophora Clum, Mycologia 47: 899 (1955).
(Sporormiaceae)
Current name: Westerdykella Stolk, Trans. Br. Mycol.
Soc. 38(4): 422 (1955).
Generic description
Habitat terrestrial, saprobic (coprophilous). Ascomata
small, cleistothecial, scattered on surface of agar media,
semi-immersed, globose to subglobose, black. Peridium
thin, composed of thin-walled, polyangular cells from front
view. Hamathecium not apparent. Asci numerous, irregularly
arranged, bitunicate nature undetermined, fissitunicate
nature undetermined, globose, without pedicel. Ascospores
gathering in the globose asci, smooth.
Anamorphs reported for genus: Phoma-like.
Literature: Cain1961; Clum1955; Stolk 1955b; Thompson
and Backus 1966.
Type species
Pycnidiophora dispersa Clum, Mycologia 47: 900 (1955)
[1955]. (Fig. 99)
Current name: Westerdykella dispersa (Clum) Cejp &
Milko.
Ascomata 200–290 μm diam., cleistothecial, scattered
on surface of agar media, semi-immersed, globose to
subglobose, black (Fig. 99a). Peridium thin, composed of
thin-walled, poly-angular cells from front view (Fig. 99b).
Hamathecium not apparent. Asci numerous, 11–14 μm
diam. (x ¼ 12:3mm, n=10), irregularly arranged, 32-spored
when mature, bitunicate nature undetermined, fissitunicate
nature undetermined, globose, without pedicel (Fig. 99b
and c). Ascospores 4–5.5×2.5–3 μm (x ¼ 4:7 2:8mm, n=
10), in the globose asci, olivaceous, oblong, 1-celled,
smooth (Fig. 99d).
Anamorph: Phoma-like coelomycetes.
On MEA colonies spreading, flat with sparse aerial
mycelium, covering the dish after 1 month; surface smokegrey
with dirty white margins; reverse olivaceous-grey with
luteous patches. On PDA spreading without aerial mycelium,
colonies transparent, sporulating profusely with black, globose
ascomata and pycnidia of a Phoma-like anamorph. On
OA similar, lacking aerial mycelium, sporulating profusely
with black, globose ascomata (based on CBS 297.56).
Material examined: USA, Michigan, East Lansing,
Science Greenhouse, isolated from damped off Phlox seedling,
Dec. 1952, F.M. Clum (No. 27) (MSC 133.118, type).
Notes
Morphology
Pycnidiophora was formally established by Clum (1955)
based on its “imperfect stage of pycnidium”, which was
subsequently confirmed as the sexual stage (Cain 1961;
Thompson and Backus 1966). Clum (1955) has described
and tentatively assigned P. dispersa (Clum) Cain to