Petrakina
Petrakina Cif., in Petrak & Ciferri, Annls mycol. 30(3/4): 225 (1932).
Index Fungorum number: IF 3850; Facesoffungi number: FoF 12369, 2 morphological species (Species Fungorum 2022), no molecular data available.
Epiphytes, biotrophic or saprobic on the surface of leaves appearing as blackened spots. Superficial hyphae not observed. Sexual morph: Thyriothecia superficial, scattered, central ostiole present as star-like opening. Upper wall comprising brown-walled, complexly arranged hyphae, branched at margin, poorly developed at the base. Hamathecium of septate, pseudo paraphyses, anastomosing between and above the asci, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 6–8-spored, rarely 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, clavate to broadly cylindrical, short pedicel or pedicel sometimes absent, apically rounded, ocular chamber absent. Ascospores overlapping 2-seriate, oblong to fusoid, muriform, hyaline to pale brown when immature and brown at maturity, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Unknown (adapted from Hongsanan et al. 2014).
Type species: Petrakina mirabilis Cif.
Notes: Petrakina is characterised by superficial, scattered thyriothecia, bitunicate, fissitunicate, clavate to broadly cylindrical asci and oblong to fusoid, muriform, hyaline to pale brown ascospores. Farr and Palm (1985) added a second species P. discoidea. Petrakina resembles members of Asterinaceae in having stellate dehiscence, presence of copious, hyaline to light brown, superficial hyphae but differs in having different cells of the upper wall of the thyriothecia, copious pseudoparaphyses, fusiform asci and muriform ascospores. Hofmann (2010) and Lumbsch and Huhndorf (2010) accepted Petrakina as a genus in Asterinaceae. Hongsanan et al. (2014) examined the syntype of P. mirabilis (NY 00936794) and excluded Petrakina from Asterinaceae based on morphology. Wijayawardene et al. (2017, 2020) listed Petrakina in Dothidoemycetes genera incertae sedis. Molecular data is lacking. Fresh collections with DNA sequence data are needed to confirm the systematic position of Petrakina.
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