Monodictys putredinis
Monodictys putredinis (Wallr.) S. Hughes, Can. J. Bot. 36: 785 (1958).
≡ Melanconium putredinis Wallr., Fl. crypt. Germ. (Norimbergae) 2: 181 (1833).
Index Fungorum number: IF 301290; Facesoffungi number: FoF 12306, Fig. 1
Description:
Saprobic on decayed wood. Sexual morph: Unknown. Asexual morph: Hyphomycetous. Colonies dense, dark brown to black, circular, with indefinite margin, numerous, covering upper surface of the wood, often with presence of dense masses of conidia covering the hyphae. Conidiophores 5–17 × 2–2.7 µm (x̄ = 10.6 × 2.5, n = 10) micronematous or semi-macronematous, cylindrical, scattered or caespitose, unbranched or rarely loosely branched, straight or flexuous, pale to mid brown or olivaceous brown, smooth. Conidiogenous cells monoblastic, integrated, terminal, percurrent. Conidia 17–26 × 15–17 µm (x̄ = 20.9 × 16.2, n = 10), solitary, dry, acrogenous, oblong, rounded at the ends, ellipsoidal, obclavate or subspherical, pyriform or clavate, sometimes irregular in shape, dark brown, smooth, verrucose or echinulate, slightly constricted at one or more of the septa.
Material examined: The United States, Key Largo, Florida, on decayed wood, 28 December 1980, J.L Crane and J.D Schoknecht (ILLS 42163).
Fig. 1 Monodictys putredinis (ILLS 42163). a Details of herbarium material. b, c Habit and appearance of fungus on host surface. d Attachment of fungus to the host surface. e–n Conidia. Scale bars: c = 100 µm, d = 20 µm, e–n = 10 µm.
Importance and distribution
Many chemicals have been reported from Monodictys such as Monodictyochromes A and B, dimeric xanthone derivatives from the marine algicolous M. putredinis (Pontius et al. 2008). M. putredinis also produces monomeric xanthone derivatives which have potential cancer chemo preventive activities (Krick et al. 2007). Monodictyquinone A is an antimicrobial Anthraquinone reported from a sea urchin-derived Monodictys sp. (El-Beih et al. 2007). Krohn et al. (1999) reported Stemphytriol, a perylene derivative exhibiting biologically active properties from M. fluctuata. There are 68 Monodictys epithets in Index Fungorum (2022), but many species have been transferred to Berkleasmium, Dicoccum, Junewangia, Piricauda, Pithomyces, Pleomonodictys, Stemphylium and Trichocladium. Monodictys comprises 58 species known on decaying leaves and wood of a wide range of plants. Monodictys has a cosmopolitan distribution.
References
El-Beih A, Kawabata T, Koimaru K, Ohta T, Tsukamoto S. 2007 – Monodictyquinone A: A New Antimicrobial Anthraquinone from a Sea Urchin-Derived Fungus Monodictys sp. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin 55, 1097–1098.
Krick A, Kehraus S, Gerhäuser C, Klimo K et al. 2007 – Potential Cancer Chemopreventive in Vitro Activities of Monomeric Xanthone Derivatives from the Marine Algicolous Fungus Monodictys putredinis. Journal of natural products 70, 353–360.
Krohn K, John M, Aust H, Draeger S, Schulz B. 1999 – Biologically active metabolites from fungi 131 stemphytriol, a new perylene derivative from monodictys fluctuata. Natural Product Letters 14, 31–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/10575639908045431
Pontius A, Krick A, Mesry R, Kehraus S et al. 2008 – Monodictyochromes A and B, Dimeric Xanthone Derivatives from the Marine Algicolous Fungus Monodictys putredinis. Journal of natural products 71, 1793–1799.
Rao V, de Hoog GS. 1986 – New or critical hyphomycetes from India. Studies in Mycology 28, 1–83.
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