Toroa
Toroa Syd., in Toro, J. Dept. Agric. Porto Rico 10(2): 19 (1926).
Index Fungorum number: IF 5500; Facesoffungi number: FoF 07911, 1 morphological species (Species Fungorum 2022), no molecular data available.
Saprobic on dead leaves. Sexual morph: Ascomata superficial, globose to subglobose, solitary to gregarious, scattered, black, with a subiculum, collapsing when dry, with apical ostiole. Peridium comprising red brown to dark brown cells of textura angularis. Asci 4-spored, bitunicate, oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid, sessile, apically thickened. Ascospores 2-seriate, ellipsoid-fusiform, narrow towards the ends, 2–3-septate, constricted at the septa, pale brown to orange brown, light at both ends, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Unknown (adapted from Boonmee et al. 2017).
Type species: Toroa dimerosporioides (Speg.) Syd.
Notes: Toroa is characterised by superficial, globose to subglobose ascomata, oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid asci and ellipsoid-fusiform 2–3-septate asci. Sydow (in Toro 1926) studied five members on the same host family Bromeliaceae mainly Asteridium dimerosporioides, Zukalia dimerosporioides, Gibberella dimerosporoides, Perisporium bromeliae and Chaetosphaeria bromeliae and reported that all of them were the same taxon. Sydow (1926) introduced the genus Toroa to accommodate all the taxa under the name Toroa dimerosporioides (González Fragoso & Ciferri 1925, Toro 1926). Hansford (1946) re-examined three specimens Asteridium dimerosporioides (no. 4059, holotype), Perisporium bromeliae (no. 136) and Chaetosphaeria bromeliae (no 7034) and confirmed that all these species are the same. Hansford (1946) added Toroa saurauiae to the genus but its basionym Meliolina saurauiae Stev. & Rold was invalid according to Art. 39.1, Melbourne. Barr (1997) transferred Toroa to the family Pseudoperisporiaceae based on morphology especially superficial ascomata, bitunicate asci, absence of pseudoparaphyses, four spores per ascus and 2–3-septate, pale brown to orange brown ascospores with lightly colored ends. Boonmee et al. (2017) re-studied the specimen of Toroa dimerosporioides (BAFC / LPS673) and placed Toroa in its own family Toroaceae based on morphology. Toroa is a distinct and type genus of Toroaceae but more collections are needed to confirm the correct taxonomic placement of the genus.
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