Sphaeropsis
Sphaeropsis Sacc., Michelia 2(no. 6): 105 (1880).
Index Fungorum number: IF 9992; Facesoffungi number: FoF 01704, 142 morphological species (Species Fungorum 2022), 5 species with molecular data.
Saprobic on host. Sexual morph: Ascomata pseudothecial, brown to black, unilocular, thick-walled. Pseudoparaphyses hyaline, septate. Asci bitunicate, 8-spored, thick-walled with thick endotunica and well-developed apical chamber. Ascospores brown, aseptate with small apiculus at either end. Asexual morph: Conidiomata pycnidial, stromatic, immersed to erumpent, thick-walled, wall composed of several layers of dark-brown textura angularis. Ostiole single, central, papillate. Paraphyses hyaline, aseptate, thin-walled. Conidiogenous cells hyaline, discrete, proliferating internally to form periclinal thickenings. Conidia oval, oblong or clavate, straight, aseptate, moderately thick-walled (adapted from Phillips et al. 2013).
Type species: Sphaeropsis visci (Alb. & Schwein.) Sacc.
Notes: Sphaeropsis is characterised by pseudothecial, brown to black, unilocular ascomata, thick-walled asci with endotunica and brown, aseptate ascospores with small apiculus at either end. Sphaeropsis species have been described based on host association but most of them lack cultures. Phillips et al. (2008) proved the link between the asexual and the sexual morph in S. visci and chose Phaeobotryosphaeria over Sphaeropsis based on one fungus-one name concept. Phillips et al. (2013) later reported that priority of names is not used based on the life stage of the fungus, following the revisions of the ICBN rules at the 18th Botanical Congress in Melbourne hence, he prioritized the older name Sphaeropsis (1880) over Phaeobotryosphaeria (1908). Phillips et al. (2013) introduced new combinations in Sphaeropsis and provided an updated account of the genus. Sphaeropsis differs from Diplodia in having pycnidial paraphyses and differs from Lasiodiplodia in having smooth-walled conidia while the latter has striate conidia. The morphology of paraphyses and conidia are distinctive characters to differentiate species of Sphaeropsis. Sphaeropsis is a distinct genus in Botryosphaeriaceae but requires revision as only five species are known from culture. Molecular markers available for Sphaeropsis include ITS, LSU, SSU, Actin, BTUB, Calmodulin, Histone, RPB2 and TEF-1.
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