Eremithallales » Melaspileaceae » Melaspileella

Melaspileella proximella

Melaspileella proximella (Nyl.) Ertz & Diederich, Fungal Diversity 71: 161 (2015).

 ≡ Arthonia proximella Nyl., Lich. Scand. (Helsinki): 262 (1861).

            Index Fungorum number: IF 636682; Facesoffungi number: FoF 07610, Fig. 1

Description:

Saprobic on host. Sexual morph: Ascostromata 350–380 μm diam., 150–177 μm high, solitary, superficial, dark to black, coriaceous, small rounded, discoid or flat shaped.  Peridium 25–40 μm comprises 2 layers, dark-brown and thick-walled cells at outer layers, light brown to hyaline cells of textura angularis in inner layers.  Hamathecium 1.9–2.2 μm, comprising dense, hyaline, unbranched, filamentous, septate, cellular pseudoparaphyses. Asci 35–50 × 19–22 μm (x̄ = 42.3 × 20.9 µm, n = 10), 8-spored, bitunicate, broadly clavate to subglobose, with a rounded apex and a short pedicel.  Ascospores 14–15 × 5.7–6.7 μm (x̄ = 15.0 × 6.3 µm, n = 10), 2 to 3-seriate to irregularly arranged, ellipsoid, hyaline, 1-septate, with slightly larger upper cell, with slightly narrower lower cell, smooth-walled. Appendages faintly seen. Asexual morph: Unknown.

Material examined: Greece, Dodecanese, Rhodes Island, SW of Lardos at 300 m from the sea, on trunk of Olea europaea (Oleaceae) along a road in a dry and open landscape, 1^st August 2017, Damien Ertz (BR5030108806599).

 

 

Fig. 1 Melaspilea proximella (BR5030108806599). a–c. Herbarium material. d. Section through ascostromata. e.  Peridium. f. Cellular pseudoparaphyses g–j. Asci. j–m. Ascospores. Scale bars: c = 500 μm, d = 200 μm, e, g–i = 20 μm, f, j–m = 10 μm.

 

Importance and distribution

Melaspileella comprises only one species M. proximella growing on numerous trees and shrubs, such as trunks of Pinus (Pinaceae), Tilia (Malvaceae) and twigs of Juniperus (Cupressaceae). Melaspileella is known from Europe (Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Spain). Melaspileella neglectula has been transferred to Bryostigma.

 

References

Dai DQ, Tang LZ, Liu C, Wang HB, Hyde KD. 2018 – Studies on Parmulariaceae I. A phylogeny based on available sequence data; introducing Parmulariales ord. nov., and Hemigraphaceae. Melaspileellaceae and Stictographaceae fam. nov. Phytotaxa 369, 063–079.

Ertz D, Diederich P. 2015 – Dismantling Melaspileaceae: a first phylogenetic study of Buelliella, Hemigrapha, Karschia, Labrocarpon and Melaspilea. Fungal Diversity 71, 141–164.

Karsten PA. 1885 – Revisio monographica atque synopsis, ascomycetum in Fennia hucusove detectorum. Acta Soc Pro Fauna et Flora Fennica 2, 1–174.

Kutorga E, Hawksworth DL. 1997 – A reassessment of the genera referred to the family Patellariaceae (Ascomycota). Systema Ascomycetum 15, 1–110.

Vainio EA. 1921 – Lichenes Insularum Philippinarum III. Acta Societatis Scientiarum Fennicae, Serie A 15, 1–368.

Zeller L, Tóth S. 1960 – Banhegyia, eine neue Gattung der Lecanorales. Sydowia 14, 326–329.

 

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