Bryorella acrogena

Bryorella acrogena Döbbeler, Mitt. bot. StSamml., Münch. 14: 131 (1978)                                                 Fig. 1

Index Fungorum number: IF 309974 ; Facesoffungi number: FoF 06223

Saprobic or parasitic on leaves or the stem of wood moss (Hylocomiaceae) in terrestrial habitat. Sexual morph: Ascomata 111–225 μm high × 150–225 μm diam. (x̅ = 115.6 × 162 μm, n = 10), erumpent to completely superficial, solitary, spherical, globrous, dark brown to black, short papillate. Peridium wall 39–45 μm composed of 2 layers, an outer layer comprising small, heavily pigmented, thick-walled cells of textura angularis and an inner layer comprising lightly pigmented to hyaline, thin-walled cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium of dense, filamentous, branching, anastomosing, aseptate, hyaline pseudoparaphyses. Asci 115–130 μm × 13–17 μm (x̅ = 124.4 × 15.1 μm, n = 10), 8-spored, cylindrical, with a short pedicel or sessile, rounded at the apex, with an ocular chamber, sometimes bulbous expanded below. Ascospores 35–45 μm × 8–10 μm (x̅ = 38.4 × 10.3 μm, n = 10), uniseriate, elongated ellipsoidal or rarely spindle, constricted at septa, 3–7 transversely septate, obtuse apex, sometimes narrow below, hyaline when immature to dark brown when mature, thick-walled, smooth. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Material examined – AUSTRIA, Europe, Tirol on stem of wood moss Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) W.P. Schimp. (Hylocomiaceae), 24 September 1973, P. Döbbeler (UME 30243).

Economic significance – The genus Bryorella contribute to the decomposition processes of mosses and hepatics. Bryorella acrogena has been reported to destroy the growing apices of single shoots in pleurocarpous mosses (Döbbeler 1978).